only a few channels worked and were fuzzy,sound never worked,
remote worked once then never again
cheap product dont buy it
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Showing posts with label dvr options. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dvr options. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Sabrent TV Tuner/Video Capture/DVR/DVD Maker PCI Card with Remote Control (Analog NTSC) TV-PCIRC
only a few channels worked and were fuzzy,sound never worked,
remote worked once then never again
cheap product dont buy it
Saturday, October 4, 2014
SVAT CLEARVU3 Web Ready 16 Channel Deluxe DVR Security System with 8.5" LCD Screen & 8 Indoor/Outdo
I purchased this system and also a couple of the longer range cameras for my business and had it installed by an electronics person. It worked okay for a couple of months and then started having numerous problems. I called and sent e-mails to the SVAT company for months but did not get a response until today and that was to inform me that they would not do anything because the system is no longer under warranty and suggested I spend another $700.00 to replace some of the faulty equipment I purchased. Of course I got no response from this company while the equipment was under warranty. VERY BAD EQUIPMENT and VERY UNETHICAL BUSINESS PRACTICES!I wish I could give them a minus 9 rating!!!!
Customer service is really good as well.Would highly recommend this item
Constanze RussellAt first i thought i would never get this product up and running, then i call SVAT and the tech support was fantastic; in les then ten minutes they had it up for me... i love this system and i have no regret buying it.
for all of you out that are looking for a great security system, PLEASE contact SVAT PLEASE and check out their new CLEARVU3 WEB READY; it is aaaaawsome.
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Nokia 2610 Unlocked Cell Phone--U.S. Version with Warranty (Black)
This is a great, simple phone for those who just want a phone for making and receiving calls and text messages. Reception is quite good and battery life is great -I go days and days and days between recharges. However, the plastic cover over the display is tinted and mirrored so that it is virtually impossible to see the display outdoors in the daytime. Most phones, especially basic ones like this, are difficult to see in daylight conditions, but this one is impossible. It is so bad that am going to be getting a new phone, even though I will have to pay big bucks to do so. This is my fourth (or fifth?) Nokia phone and the first one that has disappointed me.
First the GREAT things did with the 2610. They allow you to customize(assign)the navigation(arrow)keys to functions of YOUR choice. not theirs. They added a needed center button to the navigation keys. They replaced the infuriating proprietary NOKIA POP-PORT combination USB and HEADPHONE access port with separate STANDARD USB and HEADPHONE jacks. And they expanded the number and length of info that can be added to each addr book contact.
The killers for me? The USB port is not a PC Sync port. It CANNOT be used with Nokia's PC Suite sync software, or any other mfgs, to back up personal contact, etc info you so laboriously put into your phone. Nokia, if your reading this, without an IR or Bluetooth wireless connection on this phone, how is one to BACKUP their data on this otherwise excellent phone you put a USB port on??? Second, why to heck would you reduce the readeability of this phone in daylight by removing the ability to remove wallpaper(increases contrast) behind contact lists, remove the ability to choose a list in place of stupid miniuature unreadeable wallpapered icons in Menus, then add insult to injury by then decreasing the readeability in daylight with a non-removeable shade over the display.
FIX these things PLEASE so I can come back to you and this otherwise excellent phone.
Buy Nokia 2610 Unlocked Cell Phone--U.S. Version with Warranty (Black) Now
Pros:Simple Phone, not a lot of bells and whistles.
Good battery life.
Sound quality good, although, occasionally, you do hear your own echo faintly.
Comes with speaker phone which is an important feature for me.
Customizable top two keys. I've set it to alarm clock, so my most useful feature is right on the home screen.
Predictive text typing is good. Remembers the non-dictionary words you used in the past and uses them, so a self-learning vocabulary.
Lightweight and Slim, so it fits nicely in the pocket.
Displays day and date along with the current time on the home screen (if configured). A useful feature.
Customizable Navigation Key assignments. You can assign whatever function you like to use when you press one of the navigation keys from the home screen.
Sending SMS text messages to multiple recipients with a single message.
Cons:
Impossible to see the display in the outdoors during the day. (BIG flop)
4-way navigation keys are cumbersome. Top and down is okay but for going left or right, the keys are buried between other keys and very hard to press, you almost have to resort to using the nail on your thumb to press it. Also the center navigation key is noisy and makes this cheap plastic clicking sound when you press it. It is the most frequently used key, so you have to settle for some noisy key operation. (During a meeting you can't text your friends to tell them how bored you are, because it will be too noisy, for example.)
Although this phone has the feature of Multimedia Messaging (MMS), if you buy it unlocked, this feature will not work with AT&T service. Everything else works e.g. SMS, Call Waiting, Call Conferencing, switching between calls etc.
There is a mini USB port on this phone, between the charger and the headphone jacks, but this USB port is for maintenance personnel, and cannot be used to sync data between your phone and your PC.
Read Best Reviews of Nokia 2610 Unlocked Cell Phone--U.S. Version with Warranty (Black) Here
I'd never recommend this 2610 because of the single issue that the display is unusable in daylight & barely marginal for inside viewing. It's a shame because the sound is good. Maybe that's why AT&T gives them away free hoping to get rid of them!Want Nokia 2610 Unlocked Cell Phone--U.S. Version with Warranty (Black) Discount?
Nothing fancy about it but, that's what he wanted. It's a great phone. Simple operation, which is also what he wanted.Tuesday, September 2, 2014
WD My Book AV DVR Expander 1 TB USB 2.0/eSATA External Hard Drive
Connection is about a 5-minute job, but initial boot-up takes awhile. Western Digital instructions are incomplete and fairly useless--just diagrams.Unplug the Tivo power cord. Connect the SATA cable between WD Expander and Tivo. Power on Expander (check for white light in front). Plug in the Tivo power cord. Go to Settings menu on Tivo, then External Storage, then Add. Then, BE PATIENT! It took my unit about 25 minutes to boot and reconfigure everything. A couple of times I thought something might be wrong but I continued to wait and it finally completed and worked. You can also find instruction on Tivo's Web site. These are basically the same as given here.
The Expander box only shows compatibility with Tivo Series 3 and Premiere. But, that is wrong. I suspect that reviewers who say it does not work with a Tivo HD unit had a defective unit or cable, powered off and on in the wrong sequence, or were impatient and bailed out while the Tivo was still reconfiguring during the initial boot-up.
I bought from a local Best Buy store. Their price is too high ($150). But, I wanted the convenience of easy return in case the reviews saying the Expander would not work with a Tivo HD were correct.
I hope this helps anyone with a Tivo HD that is considering the WD My Book AV DVR Expander.
August 25, 2011 Update:
Several months ago our Tivo started randomly rebooting. This got progressively worse. We started having recordings interrupted or skipped entirely. Over several months dealing with Tivo tech support we finally eliminated all possibilities except the DVR Expander. Once I uninstalled it we had no more random reboots. The unit has a two-year warranty so we had plenty of time left on it. I returned it to Western Digital for a replacement which we have now received. Their return process is very customer friendly. I did have to pay about $17 for shipping return, however.
During one of my many conversations with Tivo Tech Support one person advised that these frequently go bad. They said you are better off buying a Tivo with a bigger hard drive to begin with. But, when we bought our Tivo a larger internal drive was not offered. Since this was a techie, I doubt he was trying to up-sell me. From his standpoint, obviously troubleshooting is easier if you have fewer peripherals attached to the system.
December 20, 2011 Update:
I received the warranty repaired or replacement unit several months ago. I delayed reinstalling it because of having recordings on the Tivo I did not want to lose in the reinstallation process. When I finally did reinstall the MyBook, I only had three recordings stored on the Tivo and did not care if I lost them. To my surprise, I did not lose anything with the reinstall.
The new unit has been up and running for a week now. Everything is good. I have another year left on the warranty. Hopefully, I will have better luck with this one.
Unpack, plug into back of DVR with included eSATA cable, plug WD HDD into wall outlet, turn on DVR and TV. See prompt on TV about new attached storage. Look for and find remote that kids misplaced. Then Press A on remote to format. Wait 30 seconds. Now when I press List it shows 5% Full (used to be 40%). It didn't even interrupt the current recording. No more taping over my World Cup matches. How easy is that?
So far no heat from new hard drive and it's whisper quiet. Drive also comes with a USB cable (not needed for this project as the Scientifc Atlanta 8300HD supports eSATA only for adding storage.) From WD's website this drive is on the list of supported drives for Time Warner SA8300HD but it was still a relief to see it immediately recognized.
Buy WD My Book AV DVR Expander 1 TB USB 2.0/eSATA External Hard Drive Now
I received the item and unpacked the HD. Plugged the power supply into the surge protector and the other end into the drive. Plugged in the eSATA cable into the FIOS DVR and the HD. Turned on the FIOS box and tried to get it to recognize that the drive was plugged. I noticed no lights on the front of the WD HD. I then rechecked the eSATA cable it was goodthen I had that sinking feeling (oh no bad HD). I then rechecked everything again and discovered an ID10T error (Idiot error from my time working on a help desk). I had not plugged in the power adapter all the way into the HD. Fixed it and followed the onscreen directions to format the drive. It is working great.So what you see in the directions is what you get. HD, USB cable, USB converted, eSATA cable, felt pads and power supply. This HD can be mounted either vertically or horizontal. The unit comes with stick on felt pads for horizontal mount. You need to remove the felt feet from the backing and stick to the HD.
From Verizon FIOS at the time of this review:
Which Verizon FiOS TV DVRs are compatible with eSATA devices?
The following FiOS TV DVRs are compatible with eSATA devices:
* Motorola QIP 7216
* Motorola QIP 7232
* Cisco CHS 435 HDC
Does the eSATA device I use require a minimum or maximum storage limit for FiOS TV?
There are no minimum or maximum storage limits for FiOS TV. However, Verizon recommends the following model types:
* Western Digital WDBACS5000EBK-NEVZ 500GB
* Western Digital WDBACS0010HBK-NEVZ 1TB
* Western Digital WDBABT0010HBK-NESN 1TB
Read Best Reviews of WD My Book AV DVR Expander 1 TB USB 2.0/eSATA External Hard Drive Here
We have had a TiVo Premiere XL for about 2 months and got this pretty quickly as an accessory along with the wireless-n adapter. This 1TB HD works great and combined with the 1TB internal drive on the Premiere XL I now get 301 HD hrs/up to 2637 SD hrs (I have the SD recording quality set on highest so I actually get 447 sd hrs capacity). Installation was easy as I was used to hooking one of these external HDs up to the cable DVRs (we still haven't gotten rid of them all yet-still waiting for the "tuning adapter" just for this TiVo). The directions are on the TiVo website, but you basically unplug the TiVo, plug the HD eSATA into the TiVo, then plug in the HD and wait for it to spin up (about 20 secs), then plug the TiVo back in and the on-screen menus will take care of the rest after booting back up. No problems whatsoever with the exception of one time watching a show where there was a hiccup in the recording-not sure whether the recording was on the TiVo HD or the external HD-and rewinding to get it to play again sent the TiVo to do a reset. Only has happened once in 2 months. Very quiet, virtually no HD noise (you can hear spinning if you stick your ear up to it). Looks pretty nice with the single pin dot although you can just as easily hide it behind components if you want.I was a little hesitant because I have had mixed success with WD externals. One, a 2GB My Book Studio II works great as my main backup with firewire on a Windows 7 x64 PC. Another, an older WD My Book 500gb had lots of issues with the controller card inside and eventually it failed-but I cracked it open (literally because this version at least was not user serviceable) and was able to remove the 500gb HD and put it into an Antec external enclosure and now it works great as a media (audio/video files) drive.
Want WD My Book AV DVR Expander 1 TB USB 2.0/eSATA External Hard Drive Discount?
Three things1. Your DVR set top box needs to be one of the following models
Motorola QIP 7216
Motorola QIP 7232
Cisco CHS 435 HDC
Only these Fios Models have a eSATA port to plug your device into.
2. Check your System Information. You find it pressing Menu and then Settings then System Information
You need Release 1.9 or higher. As of May 8, 2011 this release is just being rolled out. Even if you have one of
the above boxes the box will not recognize the external drive until you are upgraded to Release 1.9. The upgrade will happen automatically when Fios releases the upgrade in your area.
3. Not sure if this is just with Fios or for everyone. This device will only work with one DVR. If you want to use it in a different room or loan it to a friend, when attached to the second DVR you will get a message that the drive needs to be reformatted. This will erase any shows you have on the drive.
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GoPro HD Hero Naked
This is close to being a perfect example of a wearable/mountable POV camera. But unfortunately, close isn't quite good enough.The pros:
Video is awesome, in all of the modes.
Stills are very good quality, the timelapse feature is fantastic.
It's waterproof.
The mounting options are (almost) limitless.
The cons:
It's awkward to set up. Menu is like something from 20 years ago.
Firmware issues have yet to be addressed by the manufacturer. This is inexcusable as the camera has been available for sale for nearly a year.
Audio is useless. They could have saved weight and cost by just not including a mic. The only instance where it even sort of works is when mounted right near a loudish sound you want to highlight, such as an engine.
There are too many instances where "Macgyvering" is required to get the desired result. The quick release mount rattles so you need to tape the base plate, the non waterproof back allows too much wind noise, so you need to tape over the openings, the shutter button rattles, so you need to tape over that. Moral of the story: BUY TAPE.
The support by the manufacturer is not quite adequate. I realize it's a small start up company, but for all the issues with the use of the camera and the handling/editing of the files, they really need to release some conclusive videos or articles to address these concerns.
People who might find this camera useful:
Auto racing enthusiasts
Mountain Bikers
Sailors
Hobbyist videographers looking for those unique shots
People who will likely be disappointed and frustrated by this camera:
Pretty much anyone who thinks they'll be using it as a camcorder.
People who aren't really tech savvy and/or have an older computer
People who don't like to tinker and engineer solutions to make it do what they want.
******UPDATE******* ******UPDATE******* ******UPDATE******* ******UPDATE******* ******UPDATE*******
As of September 7, 2010, Gopro released the new firm ware for the camera. It seems to have fixed most of the bugs/issues. It also provides the option for upside down mounting.
The only reason I have not given it a full 5 stars is the difficulty in reading the small status screen with all the various modes it has. The same issue I have with the standard definition HERO. The icons that tell you if you are in burst, still, timed, or video mode are very small across the top of the display. The numbers to tell you the number of pictures or videos taken are much larger. It is just difficult if you have the camera mounted on top of your helmet and you try and look in the mirror on your bike to see if the camera is on and what mode it is. You have to use the select button on the front to both turn the camera on and select the right mode. The shutter button is on top and is easy to operator even with gloves. It is not difficult to read the display if you are holding the camera in front of you, but much more difficult when mounted on top of your helmet. You can unclip the camera from the mount, but that can be difficult when it is on top of your helmet.
I am looking forward to the expansion port options being available, like the LCD screen to view the videos in the field. I am also thinking of investing in the chest strap mount so I can get different view over the handle bars as will as making it easier to see the small status display. Other than the small icons telling you which mode, this is a very nice camera that takes very high quality action videos. It is very small and light and easy to use when you have it in the right mode. I would highly recommend this camera to anyone wanting action videos of their bicycling, motorcycle, or skiing activities.I bought this HD camera to replace a VholdR Wearable Camcorder (Black) which didn't survive getting run over by my SUV. The Hero is a well constructed camera, very solid feeling with quality construction.
Pros: The camera has four modes video (in several resolutions), still pictures, self-timer still pictures, and interval photos (pictures every few seconds). The lens gives a tremendously wide wild view which is nice for HD's 9:16. It will shoot 1080p, 960p 720p (at 30 and 60 frames per second), and 480 (at 60 frames per second) line resolutions. It uses standard SDHC memory cards and has an internal battery which recharges via a USB cable. The recorded audio is very good both inside and outside of the motor sports waterproof case that came with my kit. Video is relatively good, not as vivid as a dedicated camcorder but the resolution is good. My kit came with a variety of mounts and a suction cup mount for windows and car body use. The waterproof case comes with two backs, one that is watertight and one that is not for better audio when waterproof use isn't required. The kit comes with connectors for connecting the camera up to an HDTV monitor (component video) or a TV monitor (composite video). A neat feature in the menu is that you can flip both the video and still photos so you can shoot with the camera upside down without a problem.
Cons: The quick release mounts have a bit of wiggle to them. The back of the waterproof case can be difficult to lock closed. The menu system is a bit troublesome to use as there are only two buttons and three LCD characters to use. Once set you'll not have to go into the menu very often.
Future: There's a connector on the rear that GoPro plans on using for an external battery or a monitor. Neither are available at the time of this review but they are being worked on.
In use on the trail the mounts worked very well. I used the suction cup primarily to mount the camera to my windshield, bumper, side body panel, and side window. Across rugged rocky trails the camera held firm and the video came out very well. The simple interface was easy enough to use. One button to turn the camera on and select the mode and another to stop and start the recording.
Read Best Reviews of GoPro HD Hero Naked Here
the good...Great package. Plenty of accessories for customized mounting. nice small and simple design. strong housing, yet clasp can be broken easily if not properly aligned and forced to close. Amazing picture quality. setup menu a little dated.
the bad...
Was bought for its waterproof qualities in preparation for a Fiji trip. HOWEVER, contrary to what GoPro touts, it is not great for underwater. The reason is the housing curvature over the lense curvature combined with water defraction creates blurry images. this is only found in the GoPro FAQs. very misleading. do an internet search on this. had to buy a special housing with flat lense from eyeofmine.com at $80. Now picture quality underwater is the same as above water. this is where my two stars came from.
If you want it for underwater and don't mind buying a new housing for $80, then I recommend, if not, don't buy.
If you are using this not for its waterproof qualities, then I recommend.
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I am extremely happy with this camera. I use it on my GSXR-1000 in the twisty roads for great action HD video as well as mount it to my radio controlled sailplane for great HD video of the flying area. The picture quality is astounding and shake free. The video is eye watering on a plasma TV or wide screen projector during playback.The kit is very complete with a large assortment of mounts. I'm surprised that there are so many mounts and that they don't try to charge extra for them in an "additional" kit. Supposedly the camera is waterproof to 180 feet and comes in a waterproof primary case (that can be removed).
Overall, I don't know how they can deliver so much product for so little cost, I am completely happy....get your own :)
UPDATE 09/05/2010
I am having an issue that appears to be fairly common with other GoPro HD users. When you finish a video and hit the shutter button to stop recording, the video gets corrupted due to some issue with the camera, the SD card, or a file allocation issue with the firmware. I am using a high quality Class 4 SD card and know it works fine with other hardware. I am seriously unhappy that after a weekend of great video, the SD card is corrupted after multiple reformats and everything else in the book. I understand a firmware is in progress but has been so for a long long time. I recommend this camera AFTER they get the issues fixed.
UPDATE 09/06/10
Instead of updating the 09/05/10 report, I have found somewhat of a solution. I found that you must format the SDHC card with the GoPro HD(which I was doing) BUT pay attention to the red status light by the lens when the format is complete. If after the format the red light does NOT blink red three times then the format was successful and the videos won't get corrupted. In my case, every time I formatted the 32GB SDHC, I got three red blinking lights at the end of the format. The camera acted like the card was OK by displaying OOO for the video but it would corrupt 100% of the time. So, in my case, the 32GB SDHC was faulty. Pay attention to the status lights, this information was not in the manual that I could find.
ANOTHER UPDATE :( 10/18/2010
The same problems resurfaced. I would go out and take awesome videos, the camera acted like everything worked well. i plug in the camera to the computer via USB and it says "You must reformat the card" I DON'T RECOMMEND THIS CAMERA until GoPro fixes this issue that appears quite common (researching the issue on the internet), extremely frustrating... YMMV (Your mileage may vary)
UPDATE 11/1/2010
GoPro finally sent me a replacement camera and it works fine, I think there is a significant number of defective cameras in the system but they will work with you and eventually send you another one.
UPDATE 2/14/11
I thought that the new GoProHD camera sent to me to replace the original defective one was working. It did for about a month. Once again, it started corrupting videos and costing me lots of grief. Imagine if you climbed Mt. McKinley and got to the top, take your "hero" pictures, go all the way down, and discover that your camera screwed up, that is the kind of frustration I'm talking about. The camera hosed me on too many shots like that to put up with anymore. I'm probably going to take this thing to the shooting range and blow it to pieces. Buyer beware.
++++ ANOTHER UPDATE 5/25/11
LESSONS LEARNED: I did update the GoProHD to the latest firmware (v01.01.54) I also tried yet another SD card. Perhaps the combination of new firmware and the Patriot 16GB Class 6 SDHC did the trick. I learned that this camera is extremely picky about SD cards. If you're are having trouble with your video getting corrupted, update the firmware and try another SD card. Once you get the right card, the corruption issues should stop. I have been using the camera a lot for two weeks since the new firmware and Patriot 16GB SD card and have had no issues. I changed my star rating from a one to a three.
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Friday, August 29, 2014
Sakar Spongebob Squarepants 3-in-1 Digital Camera Yellow Blue - Sakar 88062
Junk. I'm a tech person and the camera & software are of the poorest quality. Should have bought a fisher price one instead. Nickelodeon folks should not even endorse garbage like this.
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Got this for my niece for Christmas a year ago and it's still working great. Not the greatest pictures, but the camera is durable and does a pretty good job for something that can take a beating from a toddler daily. Arrived quickly and happy with the purchase!I was very pleased to receive the camera in two (2) days, in time for Christmas for my grandson! However, the packaging had a highly offensive odor, smelling like urine. It was on the inside of the padded mailing package and all over the plastic package the camera was enclosed in. I was very dissatisfied with that.Want Sakar Spongebob Squarepants 3-in-1 Digital Camera Yellow Blue - Sakar 88062 Discount?
Monday, August 18, 2014
Sharper Image 720P HD345 HD Camcorder with 5.0 MP CMOS, Interpolation to 12 MP, MPEG-4 Video, 2.4-I
I ended up returning this item. It was not very user friendly and the manual that came with the product was a joke. I felt like I was trying to figure it out on my own because the instructions didn't explain things very well, and I became frustrated and just sent it back. I would not recommend this item and will definitely not purchase another product from this manufacturer.
I might buy another one if they drop the price to $14.99.
Seriously, this is what its worth in my opinion.
Besides, with the built in memory, you can only take like seven pictures.
and good luck finding an 8gig "SD" memory card, not SDHC, SDHC can be found everywhere.
Try finding an SD card with more than 2 gigs go buy a lottery ticket, because it will be your lucky day.I've always loved this camera, the only trouble I have is keeping track of the charge cord. (my own fault)
I didn't even look at the manual personally, if you're used to cameras and tech it's fairly easy to figure out. I've also found it's quite durable, I'm not exactly easy on the things I carry around in my purse and it's still alive and fine.. As for picture image quality, if you have good lighting it comes out perfect. It's not the camera made to fix your lighting problems.
Friday, June 27, 2014
HD Video Camera Pen
My primary complaint about this product is that it came with very poorly written and confusing instructions. I decided to figure it out on my own but because my computer didn't recognize the Pen, I was unable to see either way if I was using it correctly.I also had to download the driver twice. The first time failed to install correctly and my second attempt installed without error, but my computer still didn't recognize it. Because of this I was unable to view the quality of the video.
I contacted the manufacturer tech support but it took too long to get a reply; and the reply I did receive was of no help to me. I also visited the website to see if there were drivers and a manual available, but none existed for this product.
I returned the pen because it isn't worth the trouble. If I had received the proper support then I would've kept it. The pen is nice looking, a little on the heavy side, and the parts are of good quality. Unless you're already familiar with this type of device, I don't recommend it.
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Sunday, June 15, 2014
eFashion 4GB Waterproof Watch DVR Recorder Video Camera 3 Circle Style
This is a piece of crap because the watch doesnt keep time. The whole point of buying this watch is so i can video tape awesome sites on my tours and keep time if my camera died.
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Thursday, June 5, 2014
Seagate SV35 3TB 7200RPM SATA 6-Gb/s NCQ 64MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive for Video Surveill
Hard drives are darnedest things to evaluate, since they are rather intolerant devices, and they will usually give you little or no warning before they fail (SMART technology not withstanding). I had a specific purpose for this particular hard drive, and that purpose has included massive transfers of video data files of the streaming variety. It worked like a charm right from the start, and it's still working that way. In my humble opinion, Seagate has come a long way in their design features and quality control. I would buy this drive again for myself, and therefore would recommend it to anyone else. Enjoy.
I need ten more words, so apple, bat, cat, and dog.We are a CCTV distribution company and we have sold thousands of DVR's and NVR's. These are the only hard drives we will put in our units. Out of the thousands we have purchased, we have had less than 5 fail. We have also purchased WD Green's, Blue's, and Black's, as well as WD's AV-GP. All of those models have failed and I would not recommend any other hard drive other than the SV35 for surveillance. DVR's really put a toll on hard drives with the constant reading and writing, especially if you are recording on motion detection. Dont skimp out on a cheap drive.Installed them on a QNAP NAS 569. One failed in January/13 the other one In March/2013. Not recommended, at least for this application.I purchased these to replace the failing 1TB drives in a video surveillance system. These were not listed on the "approved" drive list from the vendor, but they installed and functioned flawlessly.
The system has been running with these installed now for a little more than a month and have had no issues. The system writes over the drives as soon as they all fill up, but to date the system has not filled all of the drives (the old capacity was 9TB, now it is 27TB).
The price for these drives on sale was actually cheaper that the replacement 1TB drives.
If anything changes I will update the review.
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Friday, May 23, 2014
Samsung DVD-V3650 Progressive Scan DVD/VCR Combo
- Space-saving full-featured DVD player with built-in hi-fi VCR
- Component-video output terminals with progressive-scan output offers flicker-free images on HD or HD-ready TVs
- Plays DVD-Video, CD-R/CD-RW, MP3 CD, Kodak Picture CD, and JPEG image CDs
- Front-panel audio/video inputs accommodate a camcorder, digital camera, or gaming console
- EZ View letterbox eliminator lets you enjoy full-screen pictures on 4:3 aspect-ratio TVs
Buy Samsung DVD-V3650 Progressive Scan DVD/VCR Combo Now
I'm glad I didn't listen to most of the reviews here. If you are just a normal person who isn't expecting to get a $600 Combo Unit for this price, you'll love it.I purchased a Panasonic Home Theatre system 3 years ago and have had nothing but problems with it. It got so bad, in fact, that we needed to buy a new DVD player because the Panasonic would only recognize ANY DVD about 25% of the time.
Enter the Samsung DVD-V3650. We had an old Phillips/Mag VCR which had its nasty quirks, too. It made sense to get one unit.
I don't care much for the Samsung DVD-V3650's color. But that's not the important thing. I digress. We thought our TV was giving us "Wavy refresh rate things" going up and down our screen, but found with the new Samsung DVD-V3650 we no longer had them.
I like the fact that it has digital audio out jacks (optical and component). When I record a show, I like that I have a 30 second FFW button. I like that I can record and watch a DVD at the same time. Easy set up, yet pretty thorough.
We are very happy with this Samsung. My first with this company.
Read Best Reviews of Samsung DVD-V3650 Progressive Scan DVD/VCR Combo Here
It took me a while to make up my mind about this unit. In general, I've had good luck with Samsung products (printer, cell phone) so I thought I'd give the DVD-3650 a try. I wanted to add DVD capability to my family room system, but didn't want to add another box. So this unit went in, and the VCR I was using went to the bedroom.At first, I liked the unit overall; I'm fine with the remote; the buttons aren't too small for me, and I have big hands. The picture on the DVD is as good as necessary for a 30" TV. The VCR picture with pre-recorded tapes is OK. I like the access to manual tracking adjustment on the remote. And I haven't had any functional problems with it (over 3 months).
But little things bug me. I use VHS index search a lot, since I make compilations of several kids films on one tape to reduce bulk on trips. On the Samsung, you have to go deep into the menus to get to index search, instead of it being directly on the remote. When you finally do get to it via the menu, it is only available as introscan fwd or rev; you can't set it to search, for example, two indexes forward and start playing. Plus, it only searches at about 8x playback speed, so it's not much faster than just using scan during playback and searching manually. Its a totally lame implementation of what should be a standard feature.
Other minor quibbles; two vertical ribs on the VCR tape door that are apparently for aesthetics make it HARDER to insert a tape correctly. Not a big deal for an adult, perhaps, but a major frustration for a 4 year old, and there is NO good reason for them to be there. When the remote is in the VCR mode, the mute button becomes the VCR audio input select button. Since I use the VCR tuner for watching TV on a regular basis, this is a pain; I have to switch the remote back to TV function, press mute; press it again when the commercial is over, then press VCR again if I want to channel surf. And how often does the average person want to switch the audio input on a VCR anyway? Ever? THAT is something that should be in a menu.
Also, not a problem for me, but could be for many purchasers are the very limited number of TV brands controllable via the remote, far fewer than most other multibrand remotes I've seen. It would be a good idea to download the manual from the Samsung site to make sure your TV is listed before purchasing if you want to use this feature.
More significantly, I've recently discovered the VCR seems to be abnormally sensitive to anti-copy schemes; tapes I made from a DVD on another VCR using a Sima video stabilizer that play perfectly on that and every other VCR I own, have horizontal purple stripes on the Samsung.
All in all, if it played copied tapes properly, I'd be willing to put up with its other weaknesses. But as it is, even though I'm now stuck with it (didn't discover that problem until after Amazon's return time limit expired), I regret this purchase.
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It didn't work. The remote did not respond, despite my changing the battery twice, and the controls on the front of the unit were not responsive. I did everything I was supposed to do, read the manual, hooked it up properly, etc., but it just didn't work! So, I returned it and bought a Sony. The Sony works fine.Tuesday, May 20, 2014
eMedia Piano and Keyboard Method v.3
- Over 300 easy-to-follow lessons from distinguished Juilliard instructor, including more than 70 video demonstrations
- Interactive Instant Feedback works with both electronic keyboards and acoustic pianos, and shows you when you play the correct notes in a melody
- Songs and exercises are enhanced by live recorded audio, variable-speed MIDI keyboard tracks, MIDI accompaniments, and an animated keyboard
- Over 100 popular classical, blues, pop, and rock songs, including hit songs from artists such as Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, and Elton John
- When using a MIDI keyboard, personalized reports show your rate of progress, including scores for specific songs
It includes short videos of a person playing piano so you can see proper posture and such. Each song comes with (optional) accompaniment, which can make it funner to play (especially with the simple songs). You can also slow the songs down while learning them. The software grades your playing with a percentage score, and gives you details on your errors (if you want them).
This is a great program if you really want to learn to play on your own.
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I'm a musician but not a piano player, and I've had 4 piano lessons with 3 different people. It turned out to be very hard for these piano teachers, who learned as little kids and mostly teach kids, to understand the needs of a musician adult who is learning piano as an additional instrument. They don't have the appropriate method books, they don't know how to assess what I don't know, they don't know how to make appropriate assignments. I learned very little in those lessons.This method is just fantastic for me because I can skip over all the things I already know, and I can take the same lesson over and over and over again if I'm having trouble with it, never trying the patience of the computer (unlike the humans!) I've been using it maybe two weeks? and I'm amazed at all the things I've learned, and all the songs I can play. The teacher's videos add just the right touch, the singing on the songs is lovely. There's an accompaniment track for the songs so you can get up to tempo and have fun playing with them. Guitar chords are provided (!) which means I can add the chords I know on selected simple songs to make the lesson more challenging. It's a heavily song-based curriculum, lots of Baroque music, but I'm also working on Piano Man by Billy Joel.
My feeling is once I finish this disk, I will be ready for piano lessons with a human. And I will be playing piano pretty darn well by then, too. I just can't recommend this highly enough.
Read Best Reviews of eMedia Piano and Keyboard Method v.3 Here
This software is great to begin to practice, I have studied piano before, you always need a teacher and a schedule and practice, but nowadays without the necessary time, this tool offers a simple practice you can enjoy with around 300 lessons, being the first 70 very easy ones ( one handed slow pieces ).Every time a lesson or song begins you can hear the teacher giving an insight about the song, which I particularly enjoy, it's not only practice but also about music periods, authors, styles, and the soft gives out that information to the student, to enrich the music experience.
Also you can see hear the teacher playing the piano and singing the song, and as the songs have the lyrics on them, you can practice singing along as well.
I look forward to continue practing and once I dominate the beginners songs , I will definetely go for the intermediate advance piano software offered by emedia.
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I am a newbie and have been learning to play the piano for the past 3 months on my own, using the alfred's all in one adult course book and no teacher thus far. So far so good, and i decided that i needed to see if my tempo and count were correct, I decided to add this program to my learning tools. I have to say, this is a great program to see how much you have progressed on your own. I found the exercises helped to reinforce the beat, the sight reading of the left hand and music theory. Actually, I really recommend you learn from the text book and then come to this program, as you will get a lot more out of it than just using this program on its own:it does go a little fast.The program offers music theory, sight reading, ear training tests, lots of little tests to see how much you have learnt thus far, video to explain the positioning of the hand, audio explanations; the finger tracker, which is the best part of the program as it tells at the end, the percentage accuracy of your playing. And if you get frustrated at not getting above 95%, for the perfectionist, you can hit a key that plays it back to you on how it should be played! Note that if you hit a wrong note that also counts against you as well as not hitting it or holding it for the right amount of time! You can go back to a previous lesson again and again, which helps to reinforce the point. There are so many little helpers on each lesson, like video or audio pointers.
There are over 300 lessons, so I am looking forward to plowing through them along with the Alfred's course, which compliments this program beautifully. You will need to have a MIDI cable to connect the computer/laptop to your digital piano, which Amazon also sells at a very good price. So worth the money in lieu of a teacher. I will update every couple of months to comment on this program.
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I have this software also. The previous reviewer is mistaken.It says right on the box that it CAN be used with an acoustic piano. You need to use a microphone so the program can 'listen' to the piano.
This WILL work with an acoustic piano, as well as a digital piano or a keyboard with a USB/MIDI cable.
The software is really good! Like the previous reviewer, I use it with the Alfred's Adult All-In-One Course.
Friday, May 2, 2014
Samsung SCL860 Hi8 Palmcorder Camcorder
This is a very good camcorder for the price, but the PAL60 output does not work.
Buy Samsung SCL860 Hi8 Palmcorder Camcorder Now
I think this is a great camcorder for someone on a tight budget, but I don't like the fact that there is no cartridge to play the Hi-8 tape in the vcr there is a cord you hook your camcorder to the vcr with and use the camcorder almost as a vcr to play the tapes and you hae to record the Hi-8 on to a vhs from your vcr in order to not have to use your camcorder. The only good part about that is that you can use the Hi-8 tape as many times as you need to and then jsut record it on to a vhs and reuse the Hi-8 tape.Read Best Reviews of Samsung SCL860 Hi8 Palmcorder Camcorder Here
The scl860 is good camcorder, but viewfinder has no color. There is a longer-life battery, so, why does it included the cheap one? It cost around $$$ for the longer-life battery. Other brand batteries cost less. Who's gonna record more than 60mins, right?Want Samsung SCL860 Hi8 Palmcorder Camcorder Discount?
Got a great 22x optical zoom.Its a good basic camcorder and easy to use. Tough I find using of digital special effect a bit difficult. It has a good battery life as long as you dont touch that zoom. Had good playback , comes with charger and AV cables.Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB - 4-channel External Cable TV Tuner Device for CableCARD
I purchased the Ceton Infinitv 4 USB as soon as it was released. Set up with Windows Media Center was very easy. Bit of advice, download the latest drivers from Ceton's Support site prior to installation. I had a couple of problems and Ceton's support was quick to answer my questions. The problems were not with the device, but rather the user. Activating the cable card with my cable company Comcast was difficult. It took three days to actually get it working correctly. The problem was not with the device, but rather the cable company. They had to make sure the Cablecard was in their inventory as a one-way card then they actually had to activate as a one-way instead of a two-way card. Once they had it activated it worked flawlessly. I am running Windows 7 with 3ghz processor and 8gb of ram and have no problem recording up to 4 shows and watching tv through 3 xbox media extenders at once. This device works great and now my wife is no longer bugging me to buy 3 tivo's with lifetime service to replace the cable company's sub-par dvr. I highly recommend this device if you want true control over your tv. I have 2 3tb drives for my recordings and can store over 600 hours of hd programming. The combination of Windows 7 Media Center and the Ceton Infinitv 4 USB give you great customization options and works flawlessly.
The Ceton PCIe unit has been by far the easiest set up, most stable and the best card of the three. It has never had a glitch, it was set up and running in no time, the cable company techs had very little difficulty getting it going and it has never ever shown so much as a single pixel of picture faults. No "tiling" and no slow downs. No over demands on the computer. The only cons with the Ceton PCIe card are the heat inside the box and the lack of tuner pooling. Until I could get the other tuners up and running I was sharing the PCIe tuner with two other PCs running Media Center which worked flawlessly on a wired network. However, without tuner pooling I had tuner conflicts like no tomorrow!! 4 tuners are not enough for cable recording. Not even close without pooling. You should think very seriously about heat dissipation if you are considering putting two of these inside your computer.
The HD Homerun Prime was more (a whole lot more) difficult to set up, but that really is more a function of Charter Cable's difficulty in keeping two CableCard installs straight at the same time. I can't fault the picture quality, though it seems to be ever so slightly more grainy than the Ceton PCIe. On the Panasonic VT-25 the picture was very, very good though just a bit more grainy than with the Ceton PCIe. However, on the Sony touchscreen computer (VPCL234FX/B) in the kitchen there is a significant diffidence in picture quality which, I think, is more due to the Sony's NIC than anything else. (Though the Ceton PCIe streaming to it never had any issues and a clearer picture.) Whatever problems that people had on the roll out of the HD Homerun Prime are no longer an issue with the latest firmware installed as of 12.28.2011. Once the Charter people got all their ducks in a row the 6 tuners have been running like a charm. Did I mention that the tuners pool!!
The Ceton USB tuner has proven to be a bit more difficult to set up. It shares the same cable feed as the PCIe card, but I regularly experience SDV error 1 codes. The Charter tech measured the signal and said it was a very strong signal. When looking at the card on the Ceton diagnostic tool it claims that the signal is too weak. The result is that the card is unable to resolve tuning. Moreover, when I can get card working it has significant tiling. Also to note is that the USB version is very hot... like a small space heater hot. While it is good to get that kind of heat outside of the CPU box, know that it is not at all cooler running than the PCIe. Though I continue to have problems with the card, so much so and so regular that I decided to turn it off after Charter got it properly paired up, I should say that it is very well made with an impressive metal casing. It is worth noting that I have been using the USB off the same cable feed and through the same computer as the PCIe card. Additionally, I'm using all the latest Nvidia drivers and up to date USB 2.0 and 3.0 drivers. The CPU is a quad core 3.0+ Ghz Phenom. Nothing about this computer is even mildly taxed with all 14 streams, but the USB still struggles.
I think that it is worth noting the complications and tribulations of getting a CableCard properly installed. I have used the Charter techs and also picked up and installed my own CableCards. Sometimes it works like a charm and other times it is a two day task of seeming total impossibility. First, the billing side of the house must be in order properly. This is to say the card must be correctly coded into your account. Then the various numbers must be all correct when you call to activate or the card will not pair correctly. In my case I have experienced various different errors which are almost always due to a clerical error on the part of my cable company. Just keep making the techs come back until you get the right one who is smart enough to ask the right questions. Better an actual Charter tech than a subcontractor as they seem to have more access to the advanced video help back at the mothership. I can't fault any of these manufacturers for set up woes... All the tuner cards are actually incredibly simple to set up and use. The only issue between you and HD cable recording bliss is the total lack of knowledge on the part of the cable company. Know what you are getting yourself into before you buy one of these cards as making it through the gauntlet of the cable company could be very difficult. Reserve three days and hope for ten minutes of set up time.
Buy Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB - 4-channel External Cable TV Tuner Device for CableCARD Now
This product works like they said it does. Had to call Comcast twice to pair the cablecard, second time worked. They had left the data number off the first time. Can now watch TV and record 3 programs at once. Quality of the picture is as good or better than with Comcast's DVR. Great product.I have one Ceton 4 USB running on a Windows 7 64-bit Media Center with Comcast providing service. Be prepared to get what is a Cablecard when ordering since most have not embraced this technology. I have had experience with a previous vendors offering for many years on RCN and was very excited to see the Ceton handles switch service without any addition hardware and four HD channels at once. My initial install was on a Windows 7 32-bit installation and setup was a snap; with the longest time allocated to time on the phone with Comcast to pair the Cablecard with the Ceton. Once up and running a problem did develop with the device disconnect/reboot for no reason while recording or watching programs live.My Windows 7 32-bit install was a carryover from a SageTV/DirecTV/HDPVR configuration and with tweaks for that configuration which I thought might be the reason for my stability problems. A residence change resulted in my change to Comcast and this configuration. As a result of the disconnect/reboot issues with the Ceton I performed a wipe and rebuild on 7 64-bit to prevent any possible conflicts. My initial findings on 64-bit were very promising with stability for 10 days before the problem occurred with disconnect/reboot.
Based on other reviews here on Amazon I opened a trouble ticket on the Ceton support center and described my problem with a request for the updated firmware. I received an almost immediate response with a link to download the update and instruction on how via the Ceton diagnostic tool. All seems to be smooth, and have not had the problem since.
Since the problem is correctable I would not hesitate to purchase another, or recommend to a friend.
4-Stars for the product; there is no mention of the problem in the knowledge base and should be listed as a potential problem, but correctable
5-Stars for Ceton support for quick response and resolution to the problem.
Ceton InfiniTV 4 USB
** Update 19 March 2012**
My unit had dropped twice on the new firmware after Microsoft Updates in Feb 2012; after report to Ceton the recommended the following:
Power Options:
Sleep:
Sleep after: Never
Allow hybrid sleep: Off
Hibernate after: Never
Allow wake timers: Enabled
USB Settings:
USB selective suspend setting: Disabled
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I had been hesitant to purchase this type of device because all the reviews seem to speak highly of it, but each says they had to jump through multiple hoops (usually with the cable card company) to get it to work.However, I went to a Comcast office here in Atlanta (on Cobb Parkway in Marietta) after an online chat said I could pick up an "anyroom dvr" at that location. After a thirty minute wait they told me they had to come out to install it, I gave up and ordered this device.
It arrived promptly (we have Prime) and came with a quick start guide which I simply followed. I won't repeat the steps here, but I just did what Ceton suggested.
I installed it and then went to Comcast Saturday afternoon, waited less than five minutes and picked up the CableCard to use with my "Tivo" as the online advice had recommended.
The only issue I had was that Comcast said that it showed pairing on their end, but through MediaCenter it continued to have the "thinking" spinning wheel. I exited out of MediaCenter and pulled up the Ceton diagnostic tool which showed that the CableCard was paired, all green check marks, but number 10, "entitlement," wasn't checked but it said it could take up to ten minutes. I hung up with Comcast, restarted MeciaCenter, and all was good.
Four digital tuners, all channels. It was truly easy and I thank all the people who put up with a bunch of hastle with the PCI version so that mine went flawlessly. No second calls. No repeated install, uninstall, etc. I have Avast antivirus and that didn't require any attention either.
Of note, you can't tell from the pictures, but the device is actaully beautiful. It is a brushed aluminum or something that is very attractive.
Now, the only thing Ceton needs to do is use the same enclosure to house a MediaCenter Extender for $99, and all will be good. Seriously, can someone get them to do that, please?
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Sunday, April 13, 2014
Sony DCRTRV340 Digital8 Camcorder w/ 2.5" LCD USB Streaming, & Memory Stick capability
After looking at what Sony had to offer on their digital camcorder line, I decided to buy a TRV340. I was impressed with all the features it had to offer. After playing with the shelf model for a while I purchased the TRV340. Once I opened the product at home and inserted the tape there was a hum or buzzing noise while recording or playing back a recording. In a quiet environment, this buzz is also picked up in the recording. The location of the buzzing sound came from the tapes drive mechanism. I returned the product two times and all subsequent camcorders aired this buzz. If you are looking to buy this product play with a shelf model WITH THE TAPE IN. This way you can judge if this will be a problem for you.
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The Camera: Super. Very simple and straight forward to use. Use of the "digit" zoom (700x) is a bit precarious without a tripod but the "optical" zoom (25x) provides excellent video. Its size makes it easy to manipulate and the features are conveniently located. Quality of the video on playback is near DVD quality.
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The Software: When you buy the camera grab yourself a copy of "Video Explosion Deluxe" (approx. [$$]) and throw away the software that comes with the camera. The supplied software is cumbersome, not well documented and provides little (I'm being generous) meaningful help via dropdown menus.... The "Video Explosion Deluxe" (VED) installs in just a very few minutes and is well documented, expecially with the online tutorial (extremely well down) and the dropdowns. VED allows for complete control of the camcorder via the PC during video capture by use of the Firewire. The granularity of the editing feature pretty much removes the need of a memory stick and the video can be edited (and images captured) on a "by frame" bases. A really terrific piece of software.... My hat is off to the developers....
Buy Sony DCRTRV340 Digital8 Camcorder w/ 2.5" LCD USB Streaming, & Memory Stick capability Now
After trying and hating the JVC camcorder my Dad lent us, we decided to go with this Sony Digital8 camcorder. Easy to use, and loaded with lots extra goodies, this camcorder is fabulous. It has the following features:*MPEG movie maker (w/ Memory Stickallows you to email
your videos to friends and family
*ILINK interface (to edit your movies on your PC)
*Super Steady shot (for even the shakiest hand)
*Super "Night Shot" (for low lighting and night taping)
*Digital Still Memory Mode (to load and send still pics via
We have been very pleased with this camcorderno complaints here. Once you learn how to use the editing and emailing features, you'll be sending your videos to everyone you know! A good investment, especially if you have young children.The first thing that I think you should consider is the weight and size of the camera. If you like a smaller camera, go with a MiniDV, but if size is not a big deal, go with the Digital 8, mainly because it is more versatile epspecially if you have older tapes. If you plan to use this for trips, i recommend MiniDV, however I bought this to make Short films with, so size was not a big factor. One great thing about this camera is that you pay ...for features worth over 1400 dollars on a MiniDV with the same quality. However this model of the Sony left me with mixed feelings. I have used both its older brother the 740 and its younger brother the 140. THey are both excellent cameras. The 140 is great, it skimps a bit in features, but for 500 dollars its a great deal. Also the 740 is great with its megapixel ccd, but you will pay an extra 100 for it. This is a nice balance between the two, however the picture feature was subpar. I decided not to return it because I got an excellent deal on it. Great features of the camera include:
The super night shot (people complain becuase it is green, but it will record in 0 lux, and seriously, who needs to record color in 0 lux?)
The night shot is great (Color in 4 lux!!!)
The super steady shot (GREAT!!! NO TRIPOD REALLY NEEDED IF YOU HAVE A DECENTLY STEADY HAND)
Memory Stick (decent pictures if you need to send on the internet?)
... The quality on still pictures cannot be compared.i've owned the Sony TRV-340 for a few months now and so far have no complaints whatsoever. i've taken quite a few videos with it in various circumstances and light situations and have been very pleased with it's over all performance.
the menus and controls are very user friendly and easy to handle.
it shoots with amazing brilliance and picture clarity.
it's unfortunate that others find that the built in microphone picks up some motor noise because i have not experienced any of it. infact, the sound quality was one of the first things that i found remarkable about this camera. the mic is very sensitive and yet free from any unwanted hum you normally get from a camcorder recording. and believe me, having worked as a proffessional in the advertising industry, i am not easily pleased.
perhaps my only regret is that they didn't include a built in backlight or pop-up flash with it. but, you can always buy one put it on the provided intelligent shoe. oh and the software that comes with it is useless. it's horribly primitive!! if you want to maximize use of this great camera, i suggest you buy software that will give it justice!
if you are thinking on getting the TRV-340, don't hesitate. it's a wonerful camera that's priced just right!
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Sony HXR-NX5U NXCAM Professional Camcorder
I went straight to 720 60p and have not shot in anything else since i bought it... Its just so clear and sharp... I'm so happy with the image quality (out of the box), i have not even felt the need to start tweaking, plus i think i'm now a AVCHD convert too, seems to handle fast motion really well.The real kicker is its just so nice to pop the SDHC card out and be able to instantly view the footage on my laptop, without the whole tape download/cineform convert/render thing ....
To export footage into computer is a breeze, but time consuming. I use Final Cut Pro 7 and it took no time to get the footage into bins directly.
F-stops/shutter/focusing is manual, which increases the quality of the picture shot. Zeiss lens is incredible. Low light is beyond believe and we pushed the grain as high as possible, and the range is quite big. Great for low light situation. We pushed it as far as a night shoot in a moving car with only the inside light on, and you could still get definition on the blacks. Granted in the end the image is way too grainy, but this is an example of how far you can push the camera.
You can use up two mics at the same time. Cards are regular SD cards for media.
Overall an INCREDIBLE camera for most indies and even a b-camera for bigger projects. It's light and portable. Only negative, if you can say that, is that you can't change the lens but then again for under $4,000 this is FAR SUPERIOR to the EX1 series (obviously not as good as the EX3).
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I am not a professional videographer but have been creating and editing training videos in digital since 1998 or so. The camera is surprising light for it's size, easy to operate and has a wonderful variety of configurations for audio. I recorded some samples using a 32GB SD card (very cheap!) using the highest FX 1080i setting. when you go straight to a TV via hdmi to view footage it is absolutely stunning. Even with no lighting except indoor flourescents i found the video sharp and bright. Editing was a snap using sony vegas 12. It handles AVCHD files extremely well (hello, sony) and gives a staggering number of ways to render your master video. I found that even when things are compressed considerably (9mbps for DVD quality) the regular DVD produced is still remarkably good (for DVD mind you) What I like is that I can take the highest resolution video and use it to create either blu-ray or standard dvds. I also purchased the sony uwpV1 wireless lavalier mic and though it is pricey (500-600 bucks) it is easily the best wireless mic i've ever used. Works easily with the camera with the receiver mounting to the camera shoe. You can also use two sources at once (audio) and alter the levels. The camera is just a joy to use and even if you're not very sophisticated you can pretty much point and shoot using the standard presets. I like the dual SD slots too. If you use both slots and two 32bg SD cards (you can get two for under 100 bucks) you could record at the highest possible resolution and bitrate for something like 7 hours or so and transfer couldn't be easier, just pop out the card and pop it into a usb card reader and boom! I'm very pleased with the purchase so far!Read Best Reviews of Sony HXR-NX5U NXCAM Professional Camcorder Here
DV tape is a thing of the past. Tons of recording formats to choose from, personally love the 720P quality. Operating in full manual is a bit tricky but not bad. There are 8 preset buttons, 2 XLR inputs, plenty of outputs, which together make this camera AWESOME.Want Sony HXR-NX5U NXCAM Professional Camcorder Discount?
Product Highlights3 1/3" CMOS Sensors
1080i/1080p/720p AVCHD (@24Mbps)
Native 1080/24p, 720/60p
Wide Angle 20x G-Lens
HD-SDI & HDMI Output
SMPTE Time Code In/Out
Dual XLR Inputs
Simultaneous HD/MPEG-2 SD Capture
Uses Memory Stick PRO Duo / SDHC Cards
Built-in GPS
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Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Emerson EWR20V4 DVD Recorder/VCR Combo
I sent my unit to Funai (support for Emerson) two months ago. I still have not received it back. Someone was supposed to call to let me know the status. Has not happened. Unit was great when it worked,but it stopped keeping time. Buy if you are sure you will never need service.
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This is a horrible thing to spend your money on. Especially if you actually want to record on DVD's. Mine has only recorded on one and evidently that was an accident. Do your research. Google Emerson DVD/VHS recorder and look at how many people can't use theirs. It's pitiful. I already had a DVD player and now that's all I have in this unit.Read Best Reviews of Emerson EWR20V4 DVD Recorder/VCR Combo Here
i hated it. i even returned it and bought a Toshiba DVD recorder. with one of theirs, you can make discs that play anywhere. This one, i never found a way. so that's why i say, don't buy this recorder, Toshiba is a good way to go.and later, when i went o emerson's website to look at it there(maybe i missed something) i couldn't find ANY dvd recorders. so i'm not sure if they'll help you there.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Pyle Home PDH14 14-Inch Portable TFT/LCD Monitor with Built-In DVD Player MP3/MP4/USB SD Card Slot
- 14'' High Resolution TFT LCD Screen with adjustable viewing angles; screen rotation - Wireless Full Function remote Control
- Compatible with DVD/DVD-R/DVD-RW/VCD/MP3/MP4/CD-R/CD-RW/JPEG/DIVX/AVI/MPG/VOB Formats - ID3 Tag Compatible
- High Resolution: 1366 x 768 - Support USB Key/SD/MMC MS Card
- RCA Audio/Video Line Inputs; Output - Supports Multi Regional PAL/NTSC
- Built-In Rechargeable Battery Power Source for Portable on the Go Enjoyment of Music; Video Average Battery Life 2 hours - Dimensions: 14.56" x 10.23" x 1.96"
However, this is a PORTABLE DVD PLAYER, and must be evaluated as such. After the initial charge (took several hours), the player was shut down and detached from the charger. The next day, 7 hours later, I tried to use the player, but it would only turn on momentarily, then shut immediately off. After several attempts, I realized the battery was nearly dead. It would play unremarkably while connected to the AC adapter, except the remote wouldn't work (more on that later). So, I referred to the owner's manual again, and discovered that there is a switch on the right side of the player that must be in the off position in addition to shutting it off with the standard power button (momentary switch, circle with line through it icon). So I reconnected the charger, waited until it indicated it was again fully charged, and powered the player down ensuring the side switch was also off. Three hours later, I powered the player up only to discover the battery was nearly dead again!? After repeating this cycle two more times, it became apparent that the battery was not going to hold a charge, or there was a parasitic drain on the system that would not allow it to be unplugged for more than a short while without discharging. Bottom line: when immediately played after disconnecting adapter, the player could be watched untethered to a wall outlet for 57 minutes--SCRATCH PORTABLE FROM THIS PLAYER.
Second problem with the player I received was the remote was inoperable. Albeit, a minor problem with this player since no control features were exclusive to the remote, and all could be accesses through the player's MENU interface. It should be noted the player did not come with batteries; so, I installed new batteries, ensured correct polarity, and... nothing. With batteries in remote, I tested voltage into the remote and it was 3.31 volts. I then viewed the remote's LED while operating with my IR camera that visually reveals function of remotes--also nothing. At that point, I didn't bother attempting to further disassemble the remote (split the case) as the major problem with the player's ability to be portable had already been discovered.
In all honesty, had the player worked as stated regarding portability (been able to watch a full movie while not connected to a wall receptacle), I would have overlooked the bad remote. I contacted the selelr (Quality Car Audio), repackaged, and return-shipped at my expense, and was refunded the price of the player. I've since read more than a handful of reviews stating remotes weren't working. I'm always looking for a good deal and I'm very pragmatic/frugal--but this Pyle Home PDH14 DVD Player wasn't it. I cannot recommend the PDH14 based on my experience with it.HUGE CRISP SCREEN!!! ***The BEST portable DVD player out there ! LOVE all the functionscomes with everything!... Nice & solid ,swivels to any angle-SUPERIOR qualitycan't believe I never heard of PYLE b4 ! WoW !!! U will certainly be impressed !!!:)Fun little DVD player! It hooks my train ride up with action, comedy and basically helps me time-travel through my commute. You can use a DVD with it, or a USB thumb drive if you so choose, it does both. Has great battery life, often lasting for two days before I give it a recharge. Charges fully in about an hour. Great for the hour commute each day. The remote control is a fully functional one, meaning you can select any menu feature with it that you can directly on the unit.
The compact size is perfect. Very lightweight, and folds flat around the size of a laptop. Very dependable.I thought it was pretty light but works great. don't know how long the battery will last. I do wish there was more volume out.
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I just traveled from NY to Brazil with 4 kids and AA airlines do not offer any videos for kids. This was the smartest idea to take with this DVD player. The battery like is like all DVD players about 3 hours. I also bought an external battery for extra life. The unit is very clear and good quality. The good thing about this is that I put on some family videos on a USB drive and they watched those videos as well. Overall I think this is a great product especially for the price. I like the idea you can tilt the unit monitor. The unit also comes with a strap to add to a car headrest but I did not try it yet.I also bought a external battery pack that works great with this product Lenmar DVDU923 Universal Li-Ion Battery for Select Portable DVD Players (Electronics).For long flights this is a great help
Monday, March 24, 2014
Hughes HDVR2 DIRECTV Series2 Digital Satellite Receiver w/ TiVo Digital Recording & Remote Control
I just learned the hard way that DirecTV no longer is activating older DirecTV Tivo units that don't have an 'RID' number on them. Bought my unit through Migelectronics here on Amazon (the listing for the unit made no mention of RIDs) and when I tried to activate, was informed that only units that have the RID number (sometimes imprinted by the access card slot, sometimes on the back of the unit) will be activated as of July, 2010.So I have a semi-working DirecTV Tivo unit that can't be activated (pretty useless). If you are thinking of buying a unit through Amazon or eBay, make sure you get the RID number from the seller FIRST and confirm with DirecTV that it will be activated if you buy the unit.
Jim
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