Showing posts with label digital voice recorders with usb. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digital voice recorders with usb. Show all posts

Friday, October 24, 2014

Samsung DVD-C350 DVD Player (Black)

Samsung DVD-C350 DVD Player
  • Super-scan playback
  • Advanced 14-bit video DAC
  • EZView Letter Box Eliminator
  • Multiple playback formats DVD, DVD±R, DVD±RW, CD, CD-R/RW, MP3, WMA, JPEG
  • Progressive scan output

This newly developed Samsung DVD is an unbelievably great DVD for only $35.00 including taxes and delivery. I was looking for the newest DVD players at a good price. My problem was there was not one review on this DVD player.

Great upconverting picture, sound, fast loading, reads and plays really bad discs that would skip or freeze on my old dvd/vcr player. Plays burned DVDs with no problems. Very easy to set up and hook up.

I bought this as a replacement for a refurbished Toshiba DVD player that only lasted 15 mos. I have used this DVD player for 1 day. The only problem is an incredibly small remote which is hard to read if you need reading glasses and no hdmi port.

Buy Samsung DVD-C350 DVD Player (Black) Now

I bought this cheap DVD player for the bed-room.

In the living room we have a big HDTV, with an HDMI DVD player.... and lots of fancy shmancy stuff.

But in the bed room for my old standard def TV, I just wanted a cheap DVD player, and didnt care about HD or Blue-Ray.

I looked at a bunch on Amazon for under $50, and decided on this one.

So far so good!

I didnt care about Component Cables, or HDMI. I just wanted an old fashioned AV-out or Coaxial-out DVD player.

This unit is sleek looking, simple, light, and came with a small simple remote control. I set it up in literally 2 minutes, and was watching DVD's in bed!

I give it 5 stars.(So long as it doesnt break!)...(if it does I'll be sure to come change this review.)

So if your looking for a cheap, Non-HD, non-fancy DVD player, this is it.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung DVD-C350 DVD Player (Black) Here

I rarely ever give anything one star.... but this one deserves it. From day 1 it was really slow to boot up, and after watching just a couple of movies, it would start skipping. I've never had to clean a DVD player so much! Even after cleaning sometimes it wouldn't work properly! I only wish I returned it the moment I got it. It's the biggest piece of crap I have ever owned.

Buyer Bewaretake another $10 and buy something worthy... I guess the old saying is trueyou get what you pay for!

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It started out fine, simple but seemed to work okay. In less than 3 weeks though every DVD I tried to play (retail DVDs, DVD-Rs & DVD-RWs) started skipping and distorting kinda of like when your cable or dish is acting up. possibly the worst electronic device I bought since ... well I honestly can't think of anything that was worse than this item. Buy at your own risk. I have a $40 DVD player I bought at Wal-Mart a year ago that is used an average of 4 hours daily that works great.

We purchased this Samsung DVD player and were very dissatisfied. First off, the remote control is TINY! It's about the same size as a small, travel-sized USB mouse for your laptop. Not a huge deal to me because I have good eyes and nimble fingers. But the player also experienced a lot of problems with invalid format errors. We have several DVDs we've burned ourselves and this player was unable to play many of them. Plus, even with our pristine, unscratched DVDs that were purchased from reliable retailers, the player would skip a lot. Rarely did we make it through an entire movie without the player skipping at least once or twice. We ended up returning it and exchanging it for a PIONEER DV-220V-K (which works great by the way).

Thursday, October 23, 2014

TASCAM CD-200i Professional Single CD Player w/iPod dock

TASCAM CD-200i Professional Single CD Player w/iPod dock
  • Plays audio CDs, MP3 CDs and WAV file CDs
  • Dock connector for Apple iPod charging and playback
  • iPod video playback from S-video or composite output
  • CD TEXT and ID3 tag support
  • Continue, Random and Program play modes

So I bought this "pro" CD unit because it has SPDIF (coax) digital outputs which would work well with my digital board. Digital connection is clean, you don't worry about levels, it cuts down on cable clutter, it leaves my analog inputs open for other things, etc. I was borderline on the iPod feature but thought that for $30 more, it'd be handy to have.

Was VERY surprised to find out that the iPod dock does NOT WORK thru the digital outputs! So I have to either resort to using the analog outs for everything, which is NOT what I bought a "pro" CD player for, or I have to have an extra pair of channels available just to play the iPod. If I wanted to do that, it would be MUCH simpler just to connect an 1/8" to 1/4" or RCA cable straight from my iPod to the board.

I'm thinking I will return this product as this is clearly unacceptable.

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Nice unit, but be aware that the Ipod dock does not work with the digital audio out connections. The Ipod and Aux only work with analog out. So, if you were hoping to get digital signal to your fancy DAC from your Ipod it's not going to happen with this unit.

Read Best Reviews of TASCAM CD-200i Professional Single CD Player w/iPod dock Here

We were living with a 300 cd juke box that a professional company had installed about 10 years ago. Found I was enjoying listening to my iPod more. More current selections and just the songs I like from the albums in the juke box. So I wanted to be able to listen to iPod through our stereo system but not get rid of capability of playing a CD once in a while. This device fit the bill. The analog output was no big deal for me as in other reviews. That was how my juke box was wired anyway. My only complaint is that the iPod tray requires an Apple universal dock adapter. Think they could have included that with price or at least warned me that I needed one so I would have ordered with player.But other than that, I love it

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I was looking for an iPod docking station, and I came upon this Tascam deck, which has the docking station, but also allows you to play CD's! This definitely fills the bill for my purposes.

I bought an SKB 2U hard case for it, so I can take it on the road with me. I plug it into some JBL 210P speakers, and let the party begin!

We use this on our church sound system. We use an iPod for all of our background music. It works great and controls the iPod well. My only complant is the inability to enter CD track numbers on the face of the player. Unfortunately you have to use the remote to do it. Other than that we are satisfied with this player.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Flip Video USB Cables

Flip Video USB Cables(2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)These extensions or 'patch cords' make it easy to download your videos from the Flip Camcorder. BUT, they should have been included in the original packaging of the Flip Camera. The Flip is just too bulky (even at its small size) to "hang" onto the USB port of your computer. Plus, I think these are overpriced. You only need one. You only need one color.

This was the worst thing that I have purchased all year. To my misfortune, I threw out the box before I had a chance to see what a piece of garbage this was, and my chances of returning it were gone. First of all, they give you three extension cords of different lengths when all you really need is one. Secondly, all three are a little too tight to plug into the camera. I found out that the camera itself is not at all that heavy and stays suspended in the USB port without tension all by itself. Safe your money... its just unnecessary and not worth it!

Buy Flip Video USB Cables Now

I bought these color-coded USB extenders to go with the matching camera sleeves and THEY DON'T FIT! The USB ports don't connect to the camera ports. I couldn't believe it, so I tried all 3 cords with both of the cameras and none of them fit. I saw an earlier post that said they're too tight, but I don't want to force it. Basically, they're useless. They're also too short for their purpose; even with the extension cords, the camera hangs off a desktop computer. Completely worthless.

Read Best Reviews of Flip Video USB Cables Here

The cable is too tight for the camera connection. I'm concerned that it can damage the flip plug

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Ok, I read the other reviews before I bought this and went ahead and bought it anyway. For starters this is something that should come with the camcorder, you only need one. For seconds they are all too short unless you lay the camcorder on the tower. For thirds the fit is a bit on the tight side and makes me worry that I will break the arm off the camcorder.It's a nessary evil.

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Saturday, October 11, 2014

Degen DE1127 AM/FM/SW Pocket Radio with 4GB MP3 Player, Voice Recorder & E-book Reader

Degen DE1127 AM/FM/SW Pocket Radio with 4GB MP3 Player, Voice Recorder & E-book Reader
  • 4 GB flash memory MP3 player for music, radio program, e-book (TXT file only) & voice recording for up to 215 hours (40 kbps)
  • 248 preset memories + built-in charger + LED back-lit display
  • Digital clock + Sleep timer + Key lock + Numeric volume indicator
  • Pocket-size world-band radio with built-in speaker & earphone jack for private listening
  • 30-day money back guarantee & 1-year Manufacturer's warranty

The DE1127 is much smaller than I expected. The performance of both AM and FM is better than I expected. Changing batteries is a challenge as has been documented by others. Often, the radio will come back to life with menus set to Chinese only. In order to set the unit back to English, or your preferred language, if different than Chinese, you must carefully count the menu steps through two levels of menus to arrive back at your preferred language setting. Not difficult, but genuinely a pain to do, until after you've done it a few times.

The sensitivity of the voice recorder is poor, so I would not judge this unit suitable for recording classes or meetings, but it's fine for verbal personal note taking. When recording from the radio, it sets the volume of the radio to a rather loud fixed level, which cannot be altered while recording. Also, while recording radio programs, additional digital hash/noise is occasionally introduced into the recording that is not present while listening to the radio alone.

Don't buy this unit for the recorder, buy it for the radio. (It's nice and small, and sounds good and performs well for its diminutive size.) Just remember this radio is as delicate as it is small. It will not survive rough treatment, but should be fine if you treat it with care.

Buy Degen DE1127 AM/FM/SW Pocket Radio with 4GB MP3 Player, Voice Recorder & E-book Reader Now

I have only had this a few weeks but it seems to do everything I wanted it to do. It arrived safe and sound.

Read Best Reviews of Degen DE1127 AM/FM/SW Pocket Radio with 4GB MP3 Player, Voice Recorder & E-book Reader Here

I think a younger child would like this... the AM/FM and MP3 give good sound and reception. The SW/MW, as to be expected, don't pickup much without a long-wire antenna.

I'd say great gift and learning tool for a younger child.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

JVC HRS3800U 4-Head S-VHS VCR

JVC HRS3800U 4-Head S-VHS VCR
  • 4-head stereo Super-VHS VCR with 19 micron heads for high-resolution recordings
  • 1-year/8-event programmable timer system, 181-channel autoset tuner, and jog/shuttle dial on remote and unit
  • A/V, RF, and S-video inputs and outputs
  • 2-head Hi-Fi stereo audio input and output with MTS decoder
  • Measures 15.8 x 3.8 x 11.2 inches (W x H x D)

For the price you can't beat it's S-vhs quality on a standard vhs tape. You can hook it to your cable, and get the S-video output, better picture than composite out on most cable boxes.

Buy JVC HRS3800U 4-Head S-VHS VCR Now

Received a prompt response from DWYNSTRA. VCR was insured and shipped the next day. The package arrived well-wrapped and in perfect condition. Super response and service!

Friday, October 3, 2014

Panasonic DMP-BBT01 Integrated Wi-Fi Slim, Stylish 3D Blu-Ray DVD Player

Panasonic DMP-BBT01 Integrated Wi-Fi Slim, Stylish 3D Blu-Ray DVD Player
  • Fast Booting and Loading
  • DVD/CD/JPEG playback
  • Energy Star Qualified

I have been waiting for this unit since the CES show. Pansonic released some incredible Blu Ray players this year and this unit so far has exceeded my expectations. First off Amazon has the lowest price on this unit so far, yes it's sold by Beach Audio but going through Amazon makes it easier for a few dollars more. I wanted a smaller unit that was packed with features and this is it.

When I first saw it for sale I didn't hesitate to get it. I was hoping that Panasonic wouldn't delay the sale of the unit in the U.S. any longer. I believe it's almost 2 months overdue. Upon its arrival, unboxing was fast, I couldn't wait to peel back the packaging and let this unit breath....... Having this for only 4 hours I have been able to watch a movie and set up the unit the way I want it. Ah yes the remote, we have heard horror stories about there touch pad remote. This baby is cool, once you get use to the pad all the controls are on the screen. You can't get easier then that. I downloaded the Pansonic iPhone and iPad app and both work perfect with the unit. Follow the directions and it was up and running in seconds. I wanted to be the first to review this unit and to let potential buyers know its worth the investment. Yes it's small but it's capabilities are packed solid. I have not used everything as of yet but I will be updating this very quickly. Stay tuned!

IMPORTANT IMPORTANT IMPORTANT: The dimensions listed on here are incorrect!! It is 7" X 7" X 1" with nothing plugged in. You determine what type of HDMI cable you will use, and that will assist you in how much room is needed behind it.......They do provide an HDMI cable with it if you need one....

Update: This unit is working perfect, I am connected via ethernet through a switch with the rest of my entertainment system. I have downloaded both Panasonic apps for this player for the iPhone and iPad. Both work flawlessly, make sure when checking the app store for them you pick the correct one, it will list this specific player in the directions. Also make sure in the settings of this unit, you turn ON the remote device settings so it can be found. I streamed video via Youtube and a movie from Netflix flawlessly. I will add that the streaming capability of this unit is awesome..... The supplied remote is super easy to use, the pad is on screen and easy to navigate. Since my iPhone is synced with my entire home entertainment center, I found using this is even easier. I also used a 16 gig thumb drive full of music and tested the USB port on the unit. It recognized my audio folder and played from it with no issues. Since I currently don't have 3D I can't provide any info about that as of yet. I am setting up my network drive system on it to access my computer. I will update additional info about this unit.. Stay tuned!!!

Update: Networking is simple, make sure its part of your home network and allow the necessary permissions. DVD's boot super fast, Blu Rays take about 18 seconds to load. You will notice that when you put a DVD in a small door will close after its inserted. When you eject the disk the door will remain in the open position. This is normal as the electronics are protected. So far this unit has been awesome. Panasonic needs to update the iPhone and iPad app allowing the user to utilize a full keyboard when searching online. After much time spent with this unit, I found that you still have to enter your searchs with one touch letter select and not a full keyboard. Come on Panasonic, update the app for this capability.... I will continue small updates as I come across features or any issues to help out others....

Update: 6 month review.... I have found this unit to still be working just as awesome as the day I bought it. I have read numerous reviews regarding the supplied remote. I will say I don't even use that remote at all. I have found the iPhone app works so much better so there is no need to use to use it. As for android users I am sure the app is the same. I did have a few issue with bluray disks not wanting to play but it appeared to be the disk and not the player.

Buy Panasonic DMP-BBT01 Integrated Wi-Fi Slim, Stylish 3D Blu-Ray DVD Player Now

The REMOTE! This review must focus on the terrible remote. It is like the finger mouse pad on a laptop. When a disc is playing you must tap to bring up the onscreen pad. THEN, try and find your desired function (without accidentally selecting a non desired function by mistake). Once you find the function in the onscreen function pad, you tap to select it. Way too awkward. Takes way too long. Way too confusing. The touch pad is very sensitive, so its easy to make the wrong selection. WHY Panasonic... WHY???? I'd fire that remote design department head ASAP. What were these people thinking? Is it really necessary to reinvent something so simple like a remote control?

Other than the remote, the player functions as it should, a 3D BR player. Wifi connected first time. Did an firmware update upon connection. I did not buy this from Amazon and "almost" went with the similar sized cubed 3D player by Samsung. I will probably return this Panasonic for the Samsung only because this remote IS AWFUL !!!!!

PS. Should add there IS NO eject on the remote. Hopefully for those that keep this player, a future firmware update may be able to add remote eject?

I would think that possible, since the functions are "on screen" and not buttons on the remote. They could add eject to the on-screen selections.

And the cube player comes with a snap-on stand which allows different placement options. Flat, on its side, tilted with the front raised (best in my opinion).

**UPDATE 9/25/12**

I waited to return the Panasonic, while in the mean time trying the samsung mini cube 3D unit. Well... the samsung was total junk. So the samsung went back, and I kept this panasonic. Getting a bit more use to the remote. Still would prefer buttons on the remote and not on-screen buttons/selections. Internet apps can be customized and turned on-off for those apps not personally needed. Apps can be re-arranged to as to preference for usage. All in all, for a small cube, this is probably the most desired mini 3D BR player internet connected device around. This panasonic 3D player is much smaller than the samsung cube. And the panasonic works 1000 times better than the samsung cube. I just ordered a second panasonic of the same model for another 3D TV downstairs. Will have to learn to live with the remote, looks like.

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic DMP-BBT01 Integrated Wi-Fi Slim, Stylish 3D Blu-Ray DVD Player Here

This will undoughtedly come down in price, but I wanted it when I assembled my home theater system. I bot a Visio 55" 3D/internet/streaming HDTV. Then a Bose "Accustamass 6" surround sound w/an Onkyo 3D, 5.1 reciever. This DVD player is the frosting on the proverbial cake. The only thing it DOESN'T do, is make the popcorn. Blu-Ray, internet, streams, upconverts 2D to 3D, plays every imaginable format, and man it is small. I wasn't ready for how small it actually is ! The only drawback, and this is because I like to watch TV in the dark, is the touch screen remote. My jury is still out on this one. It's a personnal thing, but if you buy this unit, and believe me YOU WANT to buy this player, it's kind of a long learning curve and w/no back lite buttons, it's even harder to reconnoiter. One other trivial thing, it has no eject function on the remote. Gotta get yer lazy a$$ off of the couch, to pop it out of the player. This was so new when I got it, that I went solely on the 1st review, from a guy who had seen it at the CES show, and he was right.. Oh, one other thing, as I'm watching "Mesrine", I put it on pause to write this (I needed a break from the french subtitles) after 30 minutes it shuts down. You have to then hit the "on" button, on the remote to resume watching the movie. They said it is to save the drive motor, I believe. Try it, you'll like it !!

Update: 10/29/12

I still luv this player, but I will tell ya, THIS IS BY FAR THE WORSE REMOTE I HAVE EVER USED !!!!!!! Touch screen that works when it feels like it. The only way I can really explain it is, I hope the guy who designed it has worms crawing thru his eys sockets right now!! Bad piece to an other wise fine product.

Update #2: 5/27/13

I found a way to get around the crappy remote. I programmed the Visio (my 55" 3d tv) remote to operate the Panasonic Blu ray player. I've managed to get it to do everything but be a power on/off switch. This is waaaaayyyy better. It is now so much easier to use this wonderful Blu ray player. Try it, if it works for you, you'll be much happier w/the player.

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Small, just 7"x7" square. Some have called the design a conversation piece (in the way that all 7"x7" squares are conversation pieces?) but if people notice your small stylish blu-ray player and do 10 minutes conversing about it ("it's so square!") then you can probably use all the strange looking blu-ray players you can get. It's a slot load player with a cheap looking plastic bottom. Since you're paying more for less (size), you get slot loading plus an HDMI cable in the box and the controversial touch pad remote too. Critics have said that Panasonic messed with a good thing by replacing the remote included on their other models (the 220, for instance) with the touch pad remote. Some have opined that Panasonic was jumping on the tablet trend here, and indeed they probably were. In use, the remote isn't that bad. Just stay in the center of the pad with your finger or thumb and you'll be fine. But the remote isn't intuitive. There's a pop up on screen keypad, but no eject button (the thinking here was probably that you have to walk over and remove the disc anyway, but if so, why include it on their button remotes?) You're advised to download the free Panasonic app for your phone, it's better, and generally speaking, you know where your phone is, and finding the remote isn't always as easy. You're paying for size and style here, but beyond that, it's a Panasonic blu-ray player with the same menu's found on their other players, and a few extra features to justify the higher price point.

I was looking for a 3D blu ray player that did everything, but at the same time was very slim to fit nicely under my TV. I'm happy to say that this one fits the bill. The dimensions are 7" by 7" by 1" without the stand which I do not use. The power button and eject button are not really buttons, but rather touch sensitive, which I like. The right side of the player opens up to display an SD card and USB port to view/ watch all of your photos and videos. Of course it can play DVD, blu ray, and 3d blu ray.

The player itself can convert any 2D picture or video into 3D. This includes pictures/ videos from sd card and usb, netflix, vudu, dvds, normal blu rays, and anything else you can think of. To do this you simply go to the options menu while playing any video and switch to "2D to 3D" and it converts for you automatically. Since I already had a smart TV I wasn't sure how much I would use the extra features on the blu ray player itself, but since it can convert the content to 3D it will be used from time to time.

The remote itself isn't as bad as people make it out to be. It has very few buttons and instead has a scroll pad similar to a laptops track pad. It works well and is easy to get used to. I actually like it rather than having a remote with 50 or so buttons.

Overall, this is a great choice if you want a 3D blu ray player, especially if you are looking for a slim one.

If you have any questions I will be glad to answer them.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Roku SoundBridge M500 Network Music System

Roku SoundBridge M500 Network Music System
  • Wireless digital music receiver for streaming music from a PC or Mac to any home stereo or surround sound system
  • Native support for Apple iTunes and Rendezvous, Windows Media Player, Windows Media Player 10, and Rhapsody
  • Compatible with Windows Media DRM 10 music services, including Napster, MusicMatch, and Walmart.com
  • Easy-to-read 40-character, 2-line LCD display shows artist and title info; built-in WiFi card slot (card included) and Ethernet interfaces
  • Ultra-fast 400 MHz Blackfin DSP; measures 10 inches wide by 2.37 inches in diameter; 1-year warranty

Roku's Soundbridge units don't work with all routers, so before you think wireless music is within your sites, do your homework. To Roku's credit, they offer a list of, and rate compatability factors for, most of the common routers consumers are using at home. CHECK THIS LIST CAREFULLY before you buy this product or you might end up with some expensive audio equipment that only works if you go WIRED. Also, Roku has a nice discussion board forum on their site, and you can get a realistic idea about issues concerning the pros and cons of their products. If you do buy something that doesn't work, they do offer a 30 day-no-questions-asked return policy. Bottom line is CHECK OUT THEIR SITE b4 u buy anywhere else.

Buy Roku SoundBridge M500 Network Music System Now

Received this unit last night. Had it set up in minutes! Instructions were simple, configured to my wi-fi with encryption, no problem. Found my computer, no problem, didn't find my napster library added the folder with my music to the shared folder, then worked no problem. Internet radio station no problem. It will drive headphones directly if you want, has volume control on remote. Would be great driving computer speakers. Even shows time and date when off.

With napster it is really great. I can load up my computer with thousands of tunes and then put the M500 anywhere in the house and have access to all the tunes. One of the few devices that can do this with "rented" music.

I highly recommend this device.

The 500 has all the features of the bigger brothers but not the slicker display. However the LCD is plenty readable. The VU meters are a bit slow (not a big deal). It comes with the Wi-Fi card (which you install used to be an option I guess) so it is really ready to go out of the box. If you have napster, rapsody, yahoo music or a lot of your CD's ripped to MP3, WMA or AAC than you should consider this.

What you can't do (maybe true of all "streaming" devices) is fast forward or rewind inside a track. This can be problematic with long tracks if you want to hear a section again.

Finally I have napster to go and an Iriver player. On the Iriver the gaps between tracks are long while the player loads the next track, this can be annoying on classical or spoken word works. The Soundbridge doesn't have this problem. I think because the computer can stream the next track faster than the portable Iriver could. (this is a DRM WMA issue, for the Iriver and not an issue with MP3's).

Read Best Reviews of Roku SoundBridge M500 Network Music System Here

Within 20 seconds of plugging it in I was playing music from my iTunes music library on my Powerbook. Simply could not have been any easier. Excellent sound quality. Streams internet radio stations (including any in the iTunes Radio tuner and tons more) -it more than replaces XM or Sirius anywhere you have internet access.

Minor downsides: Remote could be designed better, and would be nice if it used 802.11g instead of b (since tests have shown that one "b" device slows down the whole "g" network), but these are minor complaints in relation to how well the SoundBridge works and how easy it is to use.

Want Roku SoundBridge M500 Network Music System Discount?

Finally bought after several weeks on research. It works well; easy to connect to ITunes and Rhapsody (my two favorite music servers).

Just a few notes

1) The manual is a bit hard to follow especially concerning wireless connectivity.

2) Will not stream Itune files ripped using Apple lossless really big deal for me since I use lossless as my default.

3) 802.11b instead of g no big deal to me; my network performance is mostly gated by the speed of my DSL connection.

The biggest problem is setting it up. If all works well when you first plug it in great. Else be prepared to search through the tech support documents and the user forums.

Everything the other reviewers claim is true.

It was easy to set up, was found instantly by my wireless router and is reliable and responsive. It is served music by my PC's Windows Media Player and Media Connect which you must download if you're using WMP 10.0. If you're using WMP 11.0 the music server is already built in.

The unit will show up as an icon in your 'My Network Places' window and by right clicking it (the icon) you can Invoke' a web page to configure your settings, see what you're playing and cut, copy and paste Internet Radio Station urls of your choice.

Yahoo also has a cute (did I say that?) little Widget to control the Roku from the Server PC or any other PC that's on your network....and with album artwork too...So if you're in one room with the Widget and the Roku is in another, you can advance, replay, pause and adjust the volume from the PC that you're at!

Music is such a large part of my life and this little gem teamed with either MusicMatch, Yahoo Unlimited Music or my own 'ripped' library give me complete control over my music listening needs.

Do not pass go, do not consider any other music client...I promise that the Roku of any numeric ilk will do exactly what you want.

If need be, please eMail me for further info about this or any other item that I've reviewed.

Peace Out,

Warren

Friday, September 26, 2014

USB Voice Recorder - Discreet 4GB Flash Drive, 15 Hour Digital Recorder

USB Voice Recorder - Discreet 4GB Flash Drive, 15 Hour Digital RecorderI have tried to use this product, but have not had positive results. I tried to find software so my computer would/could download and recognize this plug-in. Unable to get this flash drive to work for me.. Any suggestions greatly appreciated!

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Neewer AV A/V Cable/Cord For Sony Handycam Camcorder VMC-15FS

Neewer AV A/V Cable/Cord For Sony Handycam Camcorder VMC-15FSIf you are looking for the Sony, very expensive, AV cable, this is it at a fraction of the price!

Exellent quality and just the right length.

I am using this with my Sony HVR V1U Handycam video camera. Works like a charm.

Buy it with no regrets!

This product is being used for our media team at church and in fact is still connected, the price was awesome and it does the job.

Buy Neewer AV A/V Cable/Cord For Sony Handycam Camcorder VMC-15FS Now

I received the cords quickly and they were exactly as described. Thanks I thought I wouldn't be able to watch my movies!

Read Best Reviews of Neewer AV A/V Cable/Cord For Sony Handycam Camcorder VMC-15FS Here

Did the job, I was transferring videos to disk and we needed these cords everyone was glad to see those old videos.

Want Neewer AV A/V Cable/Cord For Sony Handycam Camcorder VMC-15FS Discount?

This accessory was one of many recommended by Kindle support to enable video streaming to a standard TV from kindle fire port that didn't work or fit into kindle port.

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Philips LFH0888/00 Digital Voice Tracer 0882 with Docking Station/Leather Case

Philips LFH0888/00 Digital Voice Tracer 0882 with Docking Station/Leather CaseI've many digital recorders. This is my favorite, 4 gigabytes of memory, supports multiple formats, superb interface, good speaker, rechargeable batteries included. I use it for remote recording and transmission of text to speech files. I wrote a business plan by dictating the draft while driving in the car!

I returned this item because you can barely hear it play back. It had great features but was a horrid little item.

Too bad it could live it up to its great features.

Buy Philips LFH0888/00 Digital Voice Tracer 0882 with Docking Station/Leather Case Now

Friday, May 23, 2014

Panasonic Digital Power AA Alkaline Batteries - 4 Pack

Panasonic Digital Power AA Alkaline Batteries - 4 PackThese are good batteries at a reasonable price. As I write, they are powering my wireless mouse. They also provide the power for my TV remote control, my LED flashlight, and even the remote control for my ceiling fan.

It is possible to give batteries an objective rating in milliampere-hours (mAh), an indication of how much charge they store. Unfortunately, the manufacturers rarely provide us with that information. All that I can say is that these batteries seem to work at least as well as any others.

the only real way to compare batteries would be to place 2 different brand batteries in 2 same devices & see how long they last. i didn't do that. simply these are batteries & they work. my only other way is to compare on price & at about $1. a battery here on Amazon, they're not as cheap as 50 cents a battery when on sale at CVS. other than that, good batteries.

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These alkaline batteries have been powering my digital camera, and since first installing them, I've taken about 70 photos. Panasonic products are usually reliable, which is the case here. They cost a bit more than others, especially off brands, but do seem to last longer. I'd buy these again for my camera.

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic Digital Power AA Alkaline Batteries - 4 Pack Here

Based on test results using digital cameras published in Consumer Reports, Panasonic Digital Power batteries performed essentially the same as their nearest competitors, Eveready Gold and Rayovac. That's the good news. The problem for Panasonic, however, is that Eveready Gold AA alkaline batteries cost only half as much and Rayovac just 60% as much. While Duracell CopperTop batteries cost the same as Panasonic, they outperformed them 223 camera shots to 195. Based on either cost or performance, Eveready Gold, Rayovac, and Duracell CopperTop were found to be better buys than Panasonic Digital Power.

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I didn't know Panasonic made batteries! I often shop locally for batteries and have never seen Panasonic, just the typical EveryReady, Duracell, and Rayovac. I don't remember purchasing batteries from Amazon ever before although I make almost daily purchases from Amazon (316 so far in 2012, 324 in 2011, 193 in 2010, 206 in 2009...) and have never noticed them as customers also bought this. The Amazon listing says they have been available on Amazon since March 16, 2003; who knew?

I was very pleased to be offered these on the Amazon Vine program (lucky me!) and tested them to work wonderfully in every electronic device I tested them in. I really like the Panasonic name and don't recall ever having a problem with anything manufactured by Panasonic; it is a brand I trust as higher quality and lower defective rate.

Sunday, May 4, 2014

2.5" Screen HD 720P Car DVR Driving Recorder With IR 10-LED Night Vision/Cycling Recording/AV OUT

2.5' Screen HD 720P Car DVR Driving Recorder With IR 10-LED Night Vision/Cycling Recording/AV OUT
  • Uses 500W HD camera lens.
  • Night vision function.
  • Automatically records once the engine starts.
  • When the memory is full, it will automatically cover the previous files

The folks at Alldaymall contacted me shortly after I had ordered this product:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00919ZNQM/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00

telling me they had just sold out of that particular camera, and asked if they could substitute an alternative. I figured something like this situation would happen eventually (since they had only one of that item left in stock), so I said "OK". The substitute was the camera I'm reviewing now. I was a little disappointed that an English language operating manual wasn't included (the only manual was in Chinese, I think), but since I'm a very technically-minded, hands-on kind of guy, I started pressing buttons to see what did what. It didn't take long to figure out how to operate the camera (about 30-45 minutes of trial-and-error) and get the battery charged. It has several resolutions available, from VGA 640X480 to 1080 FHD on the movie camera side, to VGA 640X480 to 12 MP on the still images side. There's also a setting to flip the display 180 degrees, if you use the camera "upside down", and so many others I haven't used yet. It's a definite learning curve...if you press the setting wheel too soon, it defaults to the main display, and so forth. As mentioned, trial and error and about 45 minutes of tinkering, and you'll be operating this camera in no time flat. I've not yet used it in my car, but I plan to at some point, just to test it's capabilities.

It comes with an in-car mount (a heavy-duty suction cup for attaching to the windshield), an RCA video cable to connect to a TV or DVR, a USB A to micro USB cable, and a 12v car adapter. You can also use it as a webcam, if you're so inclined, or a USB mass storage device (although I had some trouble mounting it as the latter...I suspect my computer not recognizing any USB device over 8gb as the culprit). It'll take up to a 32GB SD Card, which, on the lowest resolution settings, will give you over 400,000 still images or over 5 hours of video. It's also night-vision capable, given the array of 10 IR LEDs on either side of the wide-angle lens. With the LEDs turned on, you can see about 30-45 feet in total darkness (about average for night vision devices). Turning them on takes a bit of practice...press the power button once to turn the camera on, then a brief press of the power button will turn the LEDs on or off (the display will indicate when the LEDs are on or off). The display itself is rather small...no more so than an average LCD camera, so it really isn't an issue.

I've not yet tested the battery capacity, but I suspect on battery power alone, actual use times may vary. I tend to use things like this connected to an inexhaustable power supply (such as a LARGE battery, a car charger, or other means), since batteries are so unpredictable.

I plan to tinker with this some more over the next few weeks, so we'll see just how complicated (or easy!) this camera is to use "in the field", as it were.

In closing, I'd like to ask a favor of the fine folks at Alldaymall Please include an English-language manual, or offer an English-language translation of the included manual with your cameras from now on. The directions on the back of the box are not very informative. Thank you!

Thursday, April 24, 2014

HP DVD Movie Writer dc3000

HP DVD Movie Writer dc3000I purchased this product with the idea of converting my old camcorder tapes to DVD. This product was promoted as being "the next best thing to sliced bread" and so easy to use. Well I am here to tell you, it was a long and painful process to finally get the project completed and here is why:

The Showbiz software (used for the video editing) is mediocre at best and definitely has room for improvement. There is no instruction manual or resource available to guide you through editing for the first time. You are left to try and figure it out for yourself.

HP support was another huge frustration. In my first attempts to deal with HP support I called and try to trouble shoot the errors by phone. After being redirected to wrong departments (even different countries!) and being on hold for more than 2 hours at a time I decided to try the email method. I had better luck with that and also a way to document my correspondence. After they determined that it was something one of their Quality Customer Care reps would need to handle, I was assured that someone would call me. 3 weeks later and my multiple email reminder messages from me, still no phone call from HP. I was also getting no help (or even a single return phone call) from CompUSA where I originally purchased the product. Talk about feeling frustrated!

In the meantime, I upgraded my PC to USB2.0 and upgraded to 512MB RAM. I wanted to be sure my system wasn't causing the program (Showbiz) to fail. This didn't change anything...program still failed.

After 7 weeks and hours and hours of time spent trying to get this product to work, the problem was resolved by simply unchecking a box within the ShowBiz software. This setting is under Options / DVD Quality uncheck the box that says ShowBiz Smart Rendering. Unfortunately, this box came checked by default (go figure!) when loading the software.

If this information can help anyone having the same headaches and frustrations I had in getting this product to work, I will be happy. This is really my goal in publishing my review of the Movie Writer. Once you get the DVD Movie Writer and software all figured out, it does work and accomplish what it set out to do. Since I am not a beginner with computers I was not expecting to endure the pain and suffering I experienced. However, I did learn that I will think twice before buying another HP product as well as buying anything from CompUSA (products are great, service stinks) in the future.

One more bit of info I wanted to pass along...HP has an updated driver available from their FTP site. I believe it is dated 10/31/03. This could help if you are using the prepackaged version and having trouble.

Good luck!!

I am a very satisfied customer of HP's. And this is a pretty good product; but not a great one.

Why is it good?

---------------

Well, obviously, it can be used to record, transfer and burn movies into DVDs. It substitutes for the costly DVD Recorders from Philips; but ofcourse, you need a PC with lots of HardDisk space and RAM to do the same job. Please note that in dc3000 the burning of the DVD and the capture are two separate process in time. This is not a real-time or a standalone recorder and always needs a PC. I guess that it is still value for the money.

Ofcourse, you would also be able to convert your VHS tapes into the DVDs. You might have to play a few tricks on some VHS tapes (read movies) to get them burnt into the DVD. Remember that it does not have many ways finding that a material is copyrighted. I don't want to dwell deep into this.

The ShowBiz2 software packaged is pretty powerful; but is also resource hungry. Remember we are dealing with files of Gigabytes in size. So, if you want to edit the movie into a DVD using the software, pump in more memory > 512MB (may be 1GB). The 384MB in my machine was definitely insufficient. To create a DVD, it would need 13-14GB of free hard-disk space just like any other DVD authoring software.

The QuickDVD option is pretty neat with just the minimum steps to create a DVD.

Why is it incomplete?

---------------------

1. Lack of firewire/i.Link/1394 port.

2. Support for an external USB storage device like a "portable USB hard-disk" which can be used to store the MPEG2 file instead of the need for the PC. This would make the system pretty much a standalone recorder. The R&D and manufacturing cost should not increase beyond a few dollars for this I guess; but I bet any company would charge $50-$100 more for this feature.

3. Though not designed for this purpose, it would have been nicer if HP also included a timed DVD recording software or a feature in their software package.

Value for money? : I would think so.

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I bought myself a DC3000 as a birthday present and instead got hours of frustration from a product that does not work. The drive is simply "not recognized" by my brand new Dell with USB 2.0 and oceans of RAM memory and disk space. Having read other reviews before purchasing, I was ready to accept that not all the high-tech editing functions worked smoothly, but at least (I thought) I will be able to copy home videos to DVD. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

I am persistent and reasonably knowledgable about installation and debugging. I followed every piece of advice, restarted my machine "clean" with no background softwate to interfere, tried and re-tried the HP-recommended steps with the help of a tech. I can only conclude that that there is a bug in the installation software. After several tedious debugging routines, the HP tech finally conceded that there was a defect, but he couldn't solve the problem. This is not yet consumer-ready -if you want something that works out of the box, look elsewhere.

Read Best Reviews of HP DVD Movie Writer dc3000 Here

I had hoped to use the dc3000 to finally transfer my aging VHS collection onto more stable and long-lasting media. Simply, I wanted to keep on watching my old movies (which in some cases, are not even available on DVD) without having to worry that I was degrading the quality of the video.

Well, I must have been day-dreaming when I bought this product, or maybe I'm just niave since I have no intention of starting my own pirate DVD production shop, using just this one DVD-writing product, to cheat Hollywood out of billions of their just-deserved royalties. I really only wanted to put my VHS tapes (including movies I have already paid for) onto the DVD format...

The set-up and configuration of this product was a breeze, the software suite installed without any issues, and the hardware literally just plugs in (just make sure you have a USB2.0 input though). Unfortunately, when I actually tried to backup one of my VHS movies, the HP Video Transfer Wizard told me "The source video is copyright protected; video capture will not resume."

Well, even though the U.S. courts say I can make backups of movies I already own, HP apparently doesn't agree. So, if updating your aging VHS movie collection is one of your primary reasons for buying a product like this, you should just take the dc3000 out of your basket and move on (if you can find something else without this draconian copy-prevention).

Aside from HP, I'd also like to thank George Lucas for this disappointing experience. Being the geek that I am, one of the main reasons I purchased this the dc3000 was to finally have a copy of the Star Wars Trilogy on DVD, since my friend George has yet to do so himself. And here I just wanted to keep from having to buy a new set of videos every 6 months, as that's about how long it takes for VHS tape to begin degrading, and I'm that big of a fan.

Lastly, I'd like to give special thanks to the RIAA. Even though 99.9% of us just want to make our own copies of our own media for our own internal use, the RIAA would rather do everything possible to prevent us from doing so, treating ALL of us like criminals. Sorry RIAA, but that's only going to hurt your business even more in the long run than any piracy possibly could.

So... back to the HP dc3000. Yes, if you want to copy your own home movies and non-copyrighted materials... I'd give it a thumbs-up (4 stars, only because the software is a resource-hog). But if you thought you might be able to make legal copies of copyrighted materials you have already purchased, think again. The dc3000 won't let you do it, even though the law still says that you can.

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I purchased the HP DVD Movie Writer with every intention of retiring my VHS collection once and for all. Boy was I in for a surprise.

I'll agree that the HP DVD Movie Writer was easy to setup and use. HP has made that part of the experience quite painless. The capture process is fantastic and seems to work just perfectly. The problem, however, lies in the consistency of the burn process.

So far I have successfully burned about 8 VHS tapes to DVD and I have had to use up about 24 DVD's to get there. When I first begain having issues with burning DVD's I thought the problem was media related, so I set aside the 25-pack spindle of Fuji DVD+R's and got a 10-pack of HP DVD+R's. Well, I went through all 10 HP DVD+R's and I have 3 successful burns to show for it. So much for media being the problem. Next I thought it was a speed problem, so I ran out and purchased the only USB 2.0 PCI adapter card I could find, a D-Link DFB-A5. Well, needless to say, that didn't work either. Although the USB 2.0 card seems to recognize the DVD Movie Writer, it refuses to burn the captured video to a DVD. So, I am back to using USB 1.1. Oh the shame.

I have ran into the frustration of not being able to burn copies of my copyrighted VHS tapes, and although I am a bit peeved about that, I have found that many of my VHS tapes are not copyrighted and, theoretically at least, should be able to be captured then burned to DVD. I have a handful of .mpg files sitting around that didn't get the honor of being burned to DVD as the burn process, I am sad to say, hung. And forget about pulling those mpg files in through ArcSoft Showbiz 2.0 and burning them to DVD as is, that won't work either.

I gave the product 3 stars because I have seen the results of what it can do when it works, the problem lies in its consistency. If you meet the minimum requirements laid down in the documentation, you should expect reliability regardless of how slow the process might be.

I suppose I will simply have to suffer along with USB 1.1 and a 33% chance for a successful burn. I am on that 3rd try right now, so someone wish me luck.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Motorola KRZR K1 Unlocked Cell Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, MicroSD Slot--Internationa

Motorola KRZR K1 Unlocked Cell Phone with 2 MP Camera, MP3/Video Player, MicroSD Slot--International Version with WarrantyIt's designed for use in Hong Kong and has a strange plug on the charger. It's awkward getting the Sim card in and out as the battery is in the way. For some reason it does not show when a missed incomming call has come in. It's really a pig in a poke. It will work in the USA but for the price you can probably get something more "mainstream"!

I recommend this phone.

It is everthing you'd want in most advanced cells. Extremely long battery life, plays movies, songs, even games. I use a sim card in my car sterio, this phone and my workout Ipod.

This is a non-mainstream phone that beats out it's contemporaries. For computer geeks, the equivalent is athalon vs. pentium. Better product without the name jacking up the price.

CON: This price is higher than I paid for mine I bought a non-warranty model for about 50 cheaper. Due to the great quality, I did not expect it to be an issue. But I ran it through the washing machine . . . it still works, but took some damage.

I may go with the more costly warrantee'd version because I am sure I will buy this exact same model.

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Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Olympus PA-3 Plug Adapter

Olympus PA-3 Plug Adapter"Converts a 2.5-millimeter mono plug to a 3.5-millimeter mono plug"

I have several "vintage" Olympus microphones that are 2.5mm jacks, and this PA-3 Plug works great when I use it to plug them into my DM-520. I was previously using a cheap Stereo 2.5mm to 3.5mm plug, but for some reason I would get loud, annoying, static noises every now and then, thus ruining my recordings. But with the PA-3, no static!

Monday, January 27, 2014

Panasonic PVDV953 MiniDV Camcorder with 3.5" LCD, 3CCD, and 16MB SD

Panasonic PVDV953 MiniDV Camcorder with 3.5' LCD, 3CCD, and 16MB SDpanasonic has a winner in the PVDV953 camcorder. it has 3CCDs and takes incredible video. at a list price of less than fifteen hundred bucks, this is an incredible value. comparable 3CCD camcorders from sony are at least five hundred bucks more.

pros:

excellent value 3CCDs for less than fifteen hundred bucks!

as expected from having 3CCDs, this camcorder displays excellent video quality in good lighting.

color reproduction is amazing having 3CCDs definitely make a difference here.

for a camcorder, this unit boasts high quality stills.

built-in flash for stills.

optical image stabilization and it really works.

large 3.5 inch lcd.

top-loading tape mechanism this means you don't have to remove your camcorder from the tripod to change tapes.

allows a great degree of manual control.

miniDV media is widely supported.

great connectivity options: firewire, USB, S-video, headphone, mic input, etc.

leica dicomar lens.

magic pix function allows video capture even for very low light situations (just don't expect quality footage).

built in pop-up flash for taking photos.

ability to record mpeg videos directly to SD card.

the built-in mic zooms to your target in coordination with the lens.

the price. 3CCDs at this price point is just a huge bargain.

cons:

the accessory shoe is not a hot shoe; this means that while you can get a third party video light, the camcorder will have absolutely zero interaction with the light. contrast this with sony, which has some video lights that will even adjust light intensity automatically depending on inputs from the camcorder. with the pv953, this is not possible.

very limited accessory list from panasonic.

no built in video light but you can get third party lights. oddly enough, when i emailed panasonic about an optional video light, they responded that they don't make video lights for this camcorder. very strange.

low resolution viewfinder

below average low light recording quality.

the included 16MB SD card is barely adequate. be prepared to shell out more money for more memory.

lots of functions are buried in the menu system.

it could be lighter dimensions are 5-1/8"H x 10-5/8"W x 8-1/2"D and this unit weighs 1.7 pounds.

i have to keep coming back to what an incredible value this camcorder is. this will apply downward pressure on sony products and that can only be good for consumuers. if you're considering a camcorder in this price range, the PVDV953 should be in your short list. enjoy!

Overall I really like this camera. It takes great video and is fun to use.

Pros:

* 3CCD for great resolution and color separation

* Gorgeous LCD screen image

* Manual as well as automatic settings

* Fades sound in addition to picture

* Auto focus from wide angle to macro

* Mic directional angle and sensitivity vary as video zooms

* Automatically position to end of tape

* Create titles and overlay them on video

* Convert/Shoot video as MPEG4 for the web

* Low light mode preserves mood without altering picture brightness

Cons:

* External microphone, headphone, remote, and external A/V in/out use the same jack, so no two can be used at the same time (a real design screw-up).

* Camera can show date and time over the image in the display but does NOT record it.

I will comment on features and facets that I think are significant or that are not done justice by the detailed specifications. Of course, you can find out all this and more by downloading the pdf of the manual.

* The camera has three modes: Camera, VCR, and Card. In Camera mode you acquire video through the lens. In VCR mode you can record on and playback from the tape through a cable. In Card mode you can work with still images on a memory card. In particular, you can take a 3 megapixel digital picture and store it on the card.

* Camera starts recording approx. one second after pressing record button. Record lamp appears to not turn on until camera actually starts recording. Record lamp can be disabled.

* Camera takes approx. 6 secs to position tape and prepare for next shot after pressing stop recording. It makes a whining noise while doing so. This has not been a problem so far.

* Many functions are accessible only through menus. The menus display on the LCD or viewfinder.

* Date/Time display is turned on and off through menu, but I cannot get it to record as an overlay to the video.

* Audio: 12 bit or 16 bit. Audio dub mixes with 12 bit and replaces 16 bit.

* Video insert: This may be a DV feature. Recording over an existing recording inserts the new audio and video without damaging the recording that follows.

* Counter is frame accurate. Can position to any already-recorded frame when in VCR mode.

* The eyepiece viewfinder is rather small, but is color. It can swivel up and pull out. I use the LCD monitor.

* The LCD swivel allows turning the LCD toward the people being taped so they can see themselves. The image automatically rotates to be right side up and can be mirror image or not.

* Filter diameter is 43 mm.

* Hot shoe does not appear to be "hot," but it does allow mounting an external light or mic.

* Optical Image stabilization removes the little shakes and makes possible reasonably steady handheld telephoto shots as well as steady handheld moving the camera around.

* The infrared capability seems to be only for using the camera in VCR mode with the infrared remote.

* The cable-attached remote functions are record start/stop, zoom and photo shot.

* Digital still can be 640x480 or 2048x1496. A still shot can be recorded to the memory card or to tape (DV resolution) for 7 seconds.

* Camera can convert A/V source (camera lens, recorded tape, or cable input) to MPEG4. It creates an ASF file on the memory card. ASF is a format used by Windows Media.

* Camera can connect to a PC so that the memory card appears as a USB drive. Then can drag wanted files to the PC.

* Create titles that overlay on video by selecting Create Title from menu and pressing photo shoot button to take a picture of text or other two-color image. I print black text on white paper using PowerPoint. Then set the image or background to black and the other to the desired color. Video will show through whatever is black and the other color will overlay. Store one or more titles on the memory card, select the desired one, and when ready, push a button to make it overlay, push again to make it go away.

* A cable is provided to do stereo audio and composite video in/out, which allows showing videos on a TV, copying them to VHS, copying VHS to to DV, etc.

* Other cable included is USB.

* S-Video jack can be used for input and output (cable is not supplied). Must use the A/V IN/OUT cable at the same time for the sound.

* Battery type is CGR-D16 (lithium). A battery and charger are included.

* In-camera digital effects: Multi-picture (display 3x3 grid of pictures and tape them), P-in-P (overlay moving picture with small still picture in any one corner), Wipe/Mix (horizontal wipe or dissolve, both from still captured at end of last scene to new scene), strobe effect, gain up, trail, mosaic, mirror (right half of image is mirror image of left), negative, sepia, Black and white, solari (painting-like effect). These must be set up through a menu.

* Has a tripod receptacle.

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When I purchased this Camera I was looking for the absolute best camera for under $1500. Well that is exactly what I got. The video quality of this camera is Oustanding with the 3CCD's at 800K Pixels each!!! I spent $3000.00 on my Sony 3CCD Camera and this Panasonic produces video just as good if not better. Here are my Pros and Cons:

Pros:

-Fantastic video quality, far better than any closely priced model.

-Great stills for a MiniDV CAM.

-Price is Unbelievable.

-The zoom is easy to use and it is adjustable.

-Additional lenses are fairly easy to find(on the internet) and inexpensive.

-Battery Life is good considering the 3CCD.

-The video Stabelizer actually works and it works well.

-The 3CCD produces colors that you just can't get on other cameras.

Cons:

-Larger than other MiniDV Cams but compared to others in its class it is actually quite small.

-16 MB SD Card is inadequate, barely takes 15 pictures.

-The camera is not quite as rugged as others in its class. You have to be careful with it.

Overall the PRO's of this camera far out weigh the Con's. This is a Super Deal on a Super Camera. I recommend it for anyone who wants professional quality video for under $2500.

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic PVDV953 MiniDV Camcorder with 3.5" LCD, 3CCD, and 16MB SD Here

I recently purchased this camera from a company in New York for less than 1600 US. The deal included shipping and a ton of extras (pro pack it was called). Anyhow, aside from the lousy manual and useless software, the camera is fantastic. The video quality is stunning to say the least and the digital stills I am taking are impressive. As for the manual, I quickly remedied this by going online and hunting down reviews for the camera (DVD-Spot had the best/most thorough). I am still working on software for converting my home movies to dvd, but I will get that accomplished over time. If anybody knows how to disable the pop up flash (very anoying when taking pictures in adequate light) I would greatly appreciate it.

Overall I recommend this camera whole heartedly

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I have had this video cam for over a year. The picture clarity is the best and it is extremely easy to use. I have had the still pictures developed at Costco/Walmart and they rival any good digital camera.

I have created many a family movie with Microsoft's free movie maker software. For the guy who said he can't get it on his computer, all you need is a firewire cable and movie maker (which is free with Win XP~ plus movie maker2 is downloadable free from Microsoft's website) Plug the camera in and the XP system will identify it. It worked great for me!

Love my video cam!

Monday, January 13, 2014

Hidden Camera Smiley Face Covert Spy Button 2GB DVR Audio and Video

Hidden Camera Smiley Face Covert Spy Button 2GB DVR Audio and VideoFirst of all, if you are paying more than $19.99 for this you are being ripped off.

Cause that's currently the price for this "spy camera" on eBay. With free shipping.

Camera works. That's the BEST thing I can say about this "product".

Not the greatest video or photo quality though, more like something that a couple of years old mobile phone would produce.

But it works.

MP3 player also works. Earphones are dirt-cheap though AND they feature a 2mm plug as in smaller than your average plug.

Web-cam option works, but the USB cable it comes with is barely long enough to be of use when connecting it to a laptop.

Battery doesn't.

It doesn't work (more than couple of minutes), it doesn't charge (after hours of charging), it doesn't get replaced (as it is soldered on to a couple of very thin wires)...

It doesn't.

Battery is a built-in, soldered-on, 3.7V no-name, ~2x3 cm wad of something that claims to be a lithium-polymer battery.

So, good luck changing that on your own without a soldering iron and a multimeter.

Instruction leaflet (which is clearly designed for some other similar device apparently a watch with a camera) claims up to 2 hours recording on a single charge.

Maximum that I got it to record after 4+ hours of charging was about 5 minutes of video.

Maybe it's yet another case of a Chinese "monkey model".

Maybe there is an actual item somewhere out there that looks exactly like this one AND works as advertised.

Maybe that hypothetical Smiley-Cam actually IS worth more than $19.99.

Or maybe I'm just making optimistic guesses here.

But good luck determining what you are buying over internet, even if my optimistic guesses turn out to be correct.

Notice how this camera has no brand name whatsoever? Yeah.

Avoid.

Not worth $0.99, unless you plan to just use it as a decoration.

Or a very inconvenient web-cam.

Not happy with the device over all...or the supplier who shipped. The supplier states the device comes with a 2GB micro memory card...it did not come with a card. I ended up purchasing a card at a local store later.

The device has a decent picture quality. No complaints here. You will discover that the image is clear even in low light. The sound is also pretty good. No static and no background noise. All good.

The reason I give this device two stars is due to the fact that there is no way to know if and when you are recording. So, if you think you are recording...you may not be. This happened to me twice when I tested the device. There is a tiny light on the inside/ side of the unit. The light changes from yellow (during charging) red (during audio) and blue when the device has a full charge. There is no indicator during the actual recording process. It would have been nice to have the light on during recording. You might think that the light on would be noticeable... You would not. The light is so faint and so tiny (as well as the lights' location) that you would not be able to notice. It would have been nice to have some type of indicator so the user knew the device was recording. I even turned on the unit as it charged and turn off the light to see if I could tell. I could not. When I tried to use the device, I did not learn until after the fact that nothing had recorded. This is upsetting and it defeated the purpose.

I would also suggest wearing the device on something that is somewhat stable. Not a T-Shirt, which will move around a great deal during use. In addition, test where you will attach the unit to be sure it records at the correct height. You cannot turn the button around to adjust the angle. There is a clip on the back which you cannot adjust easily to suit your angle from left to right. It would have been nice to allow the face to twist around in a circle, or to have the clip itself to turn.

All in all, the quality is good especially for the price. The audio is excellent, and the smiley face itself is pretty undetectable. For the price, you will be happy... just don't be surprised to find out later that nothing recorded.

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as soon as i got this i was so excited. i read the manual top to bottom and still diddnt understand it. the instructions are very confusing and make no sense. then i decided to try it out. after three hours of trying to charge it and make it work it diddnt work im giving this 1 star

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I got this for a friend of mine; I tried it out first, I think it works okay. The buttons are small and it's hard to know what mode it's in. I suppose it takes some getting used to.

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Friday, January 3, 2014

CIB K808AV500G8753-8403 8CH Network Security Surveillance KIT w/ Eight CCD Ca...

CIB K808AV500G8753-8403 8CH Network Security Surveillance KIT w/ Eight CCD Ca...The product is very good and support from USA Security has been excellent. I basically wanted cameras to film the wildlife around my cabin (bears, racoons, cougars). I do not get a lot of people out where I am at, so I was not too concerned about facial recognition.

First off, it came as advertised. Plus everything worked. I had to run longer lines than the 65' that came with the system. I found that cat5 with baluns works very well for at least 300 feet.

The setup was easy. I am running things on a Mac and found that the software that came with the system did not work. However, support at USA Security emailed me the Mac program. The support was very fast and very friendly. They put up with some very lame questions since this is my first experience with CCTV.

The cameras come from China so they of course come with mounting screws that are not worth a darn. I cannot understand why the Chinese will make a decent product and then add some junk to it. So toss out the mounting screws and use some decent ones. The actual camera mounts are sturdy enough. The manufacturer just saved one tenth of a penny by including mounting screws that are worthless.

Using the system is a breeze. My wife and I can playback at will at the same time from our laptops while the system continues to record. That is really cool! I have not tried the telephone feature.

I did not want to place the unit in my living quarters so I bought a Logitech 310 wireless mouse Logitech Wireless Mouse M310 (Silver) to control the DVR. The mouse works great going through at least one wall. The system does come with a remote and a mouse but I wanted a more hidden installation.

The motion detectors are very sensitive (good!) and are easily programmed in the DVR. You can easily control what part of the camera view will trigger an alarm. This makes it very easy to eliminate false alarms from foliage moving. The 500 gig hard drive gives ample room for recording since all eight cameras are always recording. You can even customize the resolution of the recording from each camera.

Anyway, my wife and I are very happy with the system and are glad we ordered the eight camera system rather than the four camera system.

Little bit hard to configure... and some problems with CIB.

1. The very cheap Remote Control one button doesnt work!

2. The 8 High Resolution Sony Camera (4Domes 4 Bullets) The Bullet Camera gives you a High Resolution image but the 4 Domes it only gives CIF Resolution) NOT GOOD!

3. The manual is not very clear in many things... so have to learn how to configure DVR by your self!

4. Client Service is not good... about one month ago I ask them for help for some configurations, still haven't contact me about it!!! NOT GOOD!

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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Canon ZR500 MiniDV Camcorder with 25x Optical Zoom

Canon ZR500 MiniDV Camcorder with 25x Optical ZoomTrue hi-resolution widescreen mode, mic input, built-in lens cover, and surprisingly good low light performance make this an outstanding product among the "base models" of the four camcorder brands. The styling in my opinion is quite elegant, and the joystick operation is pretty easy to understand. The widescreen LCD is beautiful and "future-proof". Unlike Panasonic or Sony, Canon doesn't seem to cripple their base model too much to differentiate the pricing. Omitting the SD card slot and having no "photo" button makes it a pure video camera, while desirable features like the LCD and the video processing circuitry has not been downgraded. Made in Japan, the quality shows in every aspect of product, accessories, and packaging (the adapter is a bit bulky, though. I was hoping for the kind that came with the SD series digital cameras, but no).

According to camcorderinfo.com, low light noise has been greatly improved from ZR100, better than any of last year's models or brands in the price range (which all share the same sensor dimensions 1/6" diagonal). Having used a Panasonic 3CCD camcorder, I'm pretty satisfied with the performance of this tiny sensor. However, the tape mechanism is a bit loud, compared with the Panasonic GS120 or JVC GR250 I used I guess every brand has their unique "whine". Connected directly to TV (via composite, no s-video port available) the picture is a little dull, but on the LCD and on the computer monitor (via IEEE1394) it's great. If you burn it to a DVD on the computer the colors should retain their accuracy.

The battery is tiny, the same type used in the Canon Rebel XT (another clever cost-saving, cost-sharing idea), but I was able to fill up a 60 minute tape including framing/standby amazing.

If this is your first camcorder purchase, I fully recommend it! If not, then it's a good example of how refined the budget camcorder have become, a very capable replacement or backup.

Since the repair shop won't give me back my primary camcorder, I bought a Canon ZR500 to finish a project. After working with the TRX series of Sony Handycams, it took a bit of perspective-adjustment to accurately rate this camcorder. I read all of the reviews I could find on the camcorder before purchasing it, and I can now agree that the ZR500 is a nice place for those serious about getting into video but new to the field to start at. My biggest complaint is the noise that appears in lower light settings, but I find that to be a problem common to entry level camcorders. (So far as I've seen, the cheapest camcorder that really begins to get past that problem is the Canon ZR700.)

This is a great little camera for someone who wants something small and compact to keep on hand for experimentation or as a back-up for amateur video production. It's not much bigger than my still camera--and I love that about it! It fits into a side compartment of my camera case just right. One review I read complained that the size led to fingers getting in front of the lense. Well, I *tried* to get a finger in the picture, and I couldn't even *reach* the lense! I'm not sure how that user could get even a pinky in the picture while holding the camera!

Another complaint I've come across is one concerning settings. I'm not sure where that complaint arose from either, since the ZR500 has the nice little feature of a button battery that provides extra power to the camcorder, ensuring that it saves your settings. I've never lost any settings, including "wind screen off," after powering down. The only way you could lose your settings is if you let the back-up battery die, and one lasts about a year.

However, if you prefer to use the viewfinder, this may not be the camera for you. The viewfinder on the ZR500 does not extend away from the body, so youhave to press your face against the back of the camcorder. If you want to use a larger (longer-lasting battery), then the viewfinder is pretty much unavailable. However, I never use the viewfinder on any of my camcorders, so it's all a moot point to me. The LCD panel works great. It has a back-lit option to help you see it better under a variety of conditions. The menu buttons and "joy stick" are set into the edge of the LCD panel frame. Once you get used to them, they're extremely convenient.

The ZR500 provides a nice introduction to the world of manual controls. It offers a lot of presets for the newbie, but also allows for manual adjustment of focus and exposure, amoungst other things. I was particularly impressed by the high-end exposure, and the background focus options. One problem I've frequently encountered is an inability to move from focus of a foreground object to focus on a background object. (And visa versa.) The ZR500 allows me to do so while recording. Though this results in a clicking sound occuring on the sound track (the actual sound of the button being clicked), I almost never use the original audio from a video, and so haven't found it to be any kind of a problem. As for the exposure, I tried both the presets (including Night Mode) and manually adjusting the exposure. Night Mode creates the delightful blurring of movement that allows you to create wonderful light effects against a dark background. For those of you interested in captureing natural motion in a dark space, I suggest manually changing the exposure. That will give you a brighter image without any blurring.

The plugs are well-placed and the mic input is a welcome addition. I've had no trouble uploading video through a firewire onto my PC. The camera doean't come with software, but that's fine, since I use only Adobe Premeire Pro and Final Cut, anyway.

All in all, the ZR500 is a nice point-and-click camcorder for new videographers, or as a back-up. My only fault is the somewhat grainy quality in low light settings, but as the grain doesn't obscure the image, I can deal with it. The only extra feature I could ask for is a still camera function.

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The look and feel of this camcorder is very good. Unfortunately my camcorder use is limited to low light indoor activities. For example, evening party, indoor school activities, kid drama and orchestra. This camcorder is not at all suitable for these activities. Earlier I had a Sony DCR TRV140, which was way better than this camcorder.

This camcorder has a very small sensor and hence such a low price. One easy guide to evaluate the sensor size is to look at the optical zoom. Most of the camcorders with more than 10x optical zoom has small sensors. These large optical zoom camcorders will perform poorly in low light.

If you are planning to use this camcorder in low indoor light, I do not recommend it.

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This camera was bought to replace a JVC MiniDV that suffered from mysterious condensation errors that would reliably take the camera out of service for key events like my son's birthday and the holidays. The JVC also took a lot of dark or washed out videos unless the setting was in direct sunlight.

That said, I was blown away by how well this camera does in low light. For a low end camera it provides a great picture. From my review searching before I bought the camera, I learned that Canon skimps on extra features, but not quality for their low end cameras. This is nice because sony and JVC seem to skimp on quality but offer more features on their cheaper models. I don't really care about a zillion and one features, I just want to capture good memories on film with a picture that isn't painful to watch.

This is a great point and shoot video camera. Definately not pro-grade, but for home use it's perfect.

If you want a camera that can double as a digital camera, this is not the product you want. This is fine for me because I have a digital camera that I'm quite happy with already. But to some it may matter.

Also, this camera does not offer a USB connection just a ieee1394/Firewire style connection. Again a non-issue for me since I have both USB and firewire, but if your PC only sports USB then you may want to look at newer models.

I've got to hand it to Canon. Their digital photo and video equipment has left me impressed and didn't eat my wallet to badly either.

Pros: Small, Easy to use, great price, nice picture

Cons (to some): Does not capture stills, no USB interface

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I did some research before buying this camera. I think within this price range this camera is among the best. There were some reviews that complained about recording of motor noise and that was the biggest concern for me before making the purchase. In fact, I have been recording for a month now and never experienced any motor noise in the recorded video.

This camera does not have still pictures capturing feature, but anyway that does not matter to me because I have noticed that still pictures taken by video cameras are in no way comparable to those taken by a digital still camera. I would strongly recommend this camera to anyone interested in making home video within this budget amount.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

GSI Super Quality Digital Voice Recorder With Micro SD Card Slot, Built In Microphone And Speaker,

GSI Super Quality Digital Voice Recorder With Micro SD Card Slot, Built In Microphone And Speaker, Earphones Includedi was 1st suspicious about this company, since i never heard about them, but for $25 i thought let me give it a try, i use a lot of recording for my classes, i can honestly say i will never buy a Olympus or canon or any other brand, this is as good if not better, why spend the money just for the name? thanks GSI

I was trying to use it as a voice recorder only. The sound replayed by this thing is terribly distorted, both when played through build-in tiny speaker (which makes things even worse), or through headphones. Changing between "LP" and "HP" sound quality modes does not make much difference. My 20-years old microcassette voice recorder sounds ten times better. Back it goes.

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fast shipping but, It doesn't work. After inset SD card, it only shown "error 03"

I tried many different kind SD card, it still doesn't work

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Has servered awesomely for the past few years, definately would recommend to a friend, records well expandable, small covert and a great can be hidden in a back pack or pocket.

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Excellent item...this voice recorder really have a good voice quality when playing a recorded audio file...and having a micro sd card slot makes it great for long time voice recording when needed...thanks...