Q-See QSD6204 4 Channel MPEG4 Network DVR

For someone who wants a basic standalone DVR system this is the one for you. I bought this DVR to tryout so that I can evaluate the quality of the systems from Q-see. This DVR is fairly straight forward to setup and I noticed that the board also had an IDE port which was not on the specs (not that it matters much since SATA is cheaper). It is constructed quite well and does not "feel" flimsy.

I did not test the networking functions yet but so far my only disappointment was the motion detection. It DOES NOT work well. Don't even bother trying all the different settings. I left mines on record all the time :(

A better buy would be the Q-See QSDR008RTC which is an 8-channel DVR and it is not that much more expensive.

Beware that this DVR DOES NOT have a VGA port so good luck trying to connect it to a computer monitor. Buy this product if you want to output to a TV alone (2 outputs are supported).

Sony CFD-E95 PSYC Boombox (Blue)

• CD, cassette, and radio boombox with rounded PSYC model fashion design (including stylish PSYC accessory clip and tag)
• 3-color backlit LCD display with customizable functions
• Compact, color-matched remote control
• Sleep/wake timer, jog dial for easy tuning and track selection
• Audio CD-R/CD-RW playback compatibility, Mega Bass low-end sound enhancement

I asked for a small boombox for Christmas of last year for my bedroom because my main system is in the living room and I listen to music constantly. I used to have a Sony boombox that I had to junk when I moved because it was too bulky, but something like 10 years later it STILL WORKED! At any rate, I thought that this would be a good buy cute, compact, still loud and Sony. That being said, I got this one for Christmas.

A few weeks ago (conveniently right when the "labor" part of the warranty ran out), the damn thing just STOPS playing CDs. So I thought, gee, maybe it's my CDs because they're scratched. Nope! I put A BRAND NEW CD in there and it still gave me that whole "No Disc" nonsense. One of the appeals of this thing is that it's also supposed to play CD-Rs as well, which some older systems have a hard time doing. Well truth be told, that is neither here nor there since it doesn't play ANYTHING.

The only thing that works is the radio and the sleep timer. I'm just annoyed because what on earth is the point of having a CD player boombox if it can't play CDs!??! I expect more, a lot more, from Sony and am extremely disappointed. I have to bring it in to be repaired, so that should be fun. (UGH!)

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After less than four months, the CD player failed by displaying the infamous "NO DISC" message. Sony should recall this product. Don't buy it! Its functionality is nothing close to its look. This is the second Sony product (the first one being a 32" TV) that has failed shortly after I bought it.

The better part of this deal was, when I called Sony customer service, I was told that I could send it for repair for $83 and they will cover the parts cost. And I was assured that it was not a joke!

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I don't recommend this device because the controls aren't well

designed and of course there is the "no disc" problem. However

I got mine to to play CDs by plugging it into AC power instead of

running it on batteries. I think maybe the batteries were too

weak to power the laser.

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I bought this in June 2003. In August it stopped playing cds. Luckily my warranty covered fixing the repair. However, upon return I noticed scratches on the unit. When I called to complain, they said that the unit came into them as "Fair". Considering I got the unit 6 weeks earlier and it has been on my desk the whole time, I would not considered it "fair". Whatever! This month, November, the antennae literally just fell off. Mind you, I usually listen to cds so I don't touch the antennae. Sadly, the warranty does not cover the repair. The unit seems to me to be very fragile. Not a unit I can recommend.

This a good boombox. The only problems I have with it though is that you have to use a remote to skip the cd. I use this manly to record cds on to tapes and it does that with no problems. I have had this boombox for a year now and it has not broken down on me.

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.

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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!

Sony Walkman NWZZ1050R 16GB Android MP3/Media Player, NWZ-Z1050 RED

• 16GB Capacity, Android 2.3 Powered, 4.3" LCD
• FM Radio, Voice Recorder
• TFT color display with white LED-backlight, WQVGA (400 x 240 Pixels), Screen Size : 4.3" WQVGA (800 x 480 Pixels)
• Sony's one-of-a-kind S-Master MX plus 8 other sound technologies maintain high sound resolution at any volume level.
• Package ContentsSony MP3 PlayerEarbud Headphones with S, M, L Silicone Ear BudsUSB cable

So easy to operate and has the best sound of any mp3 player I've ever had. I would recommend this product to music lovers.

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Very easy to use, it offers several options. This is a solid product. The sound is impeccable.

However, the battery does not last long enough. The software update is difficult.

Read Best Reviews of Sony Walkman NWZZ1050R 16GB Android MP3/Media Player, NWZ-Z1050 RED Here

Nothing wrong with the product,I like it,good for listening to music,and the price is not high.I buy many sony products.I like them.

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Pros:

sound is great.

Cons:

Unlike IPOD and Phillips mp3 play, Sony walkman cannot play audio book borrowed from library. Hope Sony can provide firmware upgrade to resolve it. battery doe not last long.

Mace 8-Channel 500GB DVR with 4 Color CCTV Bullet Camera System Kit MDIY-DVR084CKIT

I compared all 8 channel DVR/Camera kits in this price range and found this MACE product to have the best set of features for the price. The cameras are good quality and have a surprisingly good viewing angle. They look very nice mounted since the hole for the cables is centered under the mount and not visible. This is also one of the only 8 channel DVRs in this price range that has 8 audio inputs if you want to add upgraded cameras with mics. Cameras also use BNC connectors so it's easy to use cameras from other manufacturers. The user interface is pretty intuitive but the instruction manual is weak. I had to call and get some advice on setting up the remote viewing feature but it does work. Overall its a great system that's been up and running continuously for a month now.

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JVC HR-XVC33U Progressive-Scan DVD/VCR Combo , Silver

• Space-saving DVD/VCR combo player with MP3, WMA, and JPEG CD support and hi-fi VHS sound
• Progressive-scan video output renders seamless, flicker-free images on high-definition and HD-ready TVs
• Quasi S-VHS playback allows viewing of S-VHS tapes (in standard VHS resolution)
• Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel surround outputs for immersive surround sound (when used with compatible receiver and speakers)
• Multi-brand, full-function remote control operates the combo player and most televisions

The JVC HR-XVC33U is amazing! I've played several DVDs, store-bought videos, audio CDs, and a CD-R that contained audio and JPEGs. Everything played beautifully. At first I had some problems playing DVDs but after cleaning the DVDs it worked fine (whew!). After reading about so many lemons out there involving combo DVD/VCRs, I consider myself lucky! [knock on wood]

Some other nice features are DVD Zoom (very cool!), diff. FFWD/RWD speeds, bookmarking, index skipping, front A/V inputs, excellent remote that controls TV/VCR/DVD, and VCR timer recording (up to 1 month).

I did some serious research and price comparisons on several combo DVD/VCR players before deciding on the JVC HR-XVC33U. In the end I picked the JVC model because it seemed to be plagued by *less* problems than the other models, had a huge feature set, and was cheap compared to other models in its class.

The Sony SLV-D300P has almost identical features plus Flash Rewind and looks nicer but costs about $25 more. The Sony SLV-D500P has identical features and VCR+ and an illuminated remote but costs about $35 more. Other competitors in its class were: Toshiba SD-V391 (different model had very low rating on Consumer Reports bad sign), Panasonic PV-D4743K/S (can't record DVDs, about $10 more than JVC, but plays DVD Audio which is rare), and Samsung DVD-V3650 (the consistently bad ratings on every Samsung model told me to run away fast).

One thing you need to be careful of is that combo DVD/VCRs sometimes skimp on features you would expect in a standalone DVD or VCR player such as VCR+, front A/V inputs, VCR timer recording, and DVR-to-VCR recording. Also, I suspect that the many reviewers who reported DVD playback problems (I'm talking about for ALL combo DVD/VCR players not just JVC) didn't try cleaning the DVD first.

I would definitely recommend getting the JVC!!

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I bought this unit from Circuit City about 5 months ago. The first one I took home had a problem with DVDs skipping until the display read "no disk" I tried every DVD I had, even new ones. I took it back and CC seemed sceptical, but grudgenly replaced it. The second unit played DVDs fine, but sometimes the remote would switch to VCR and sometimes it wouldn't. It always plays the DVD in the unit when you turn it on, and if there is no DVD in it, it says "no disk" and sticks there until you turn it off and back on, with a disk. You cannot get it to go to VCR so you can tune the TV with the unit, and it makes using the remote more difficult. It is impossible to get it to play a tape now. I don't know what the warranty is, but I really do not want to screw with CC again. I am kicking this unit to the curb and going to look at what Sony has to offer tomorrow. JVC, do better.

Read Best Reviews of JVC HR-XVC33U Progressive-Scan DVD/VCR Combo , Silver Here

I haven't yet had a problem with the DVD player on this unit. The VCR seems to work OK too, and I figured out how to program timer recording easily. A cool feature is that it reads your tape and tells you how much time you have left on it to record when you aren't sure if you have room for a program. The only real drawback I had was the hookup instructions. They were needlessly complicated and could have been written a lot simpler than they were. Once I figured out what I needed to do, hookup was a breeze. But the reading the directions made it harder, not easier.

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I have owned this unit for about 15 months now. I bought it as a bedroom unit. I wanted a good DVD player and a VHS to transfer TiVo content onto tape. I was especially interested in getting a high-quality DVD as I have a high-end Panasonic 20" LCD TV in the bedroom. I am very happy with the picture quality of the DVD player to say the least. I watch 4-5 movies per week due to a large DVD collection and NetFlix. In fact, I do the majority of my DVD viewing in the bedroon, not my main LR HT setup. I watched "The Incredibles" on this player a few nights ago and it looked stunning. I appreciate the front AV connections to connect my TiVO to the unit to transfer recordings onto tape. I have had no mechanical problems with this player in all the time I've owned it. The remote is good, there is a good setup\adjustment menu. It gives me everything I want and I get it for a very inexpensive price!

-Mike

I have owned this unit for over 4 years now and I can say that it has not failed me yet. In fact I am buying another one for my Girlfriend to replace her Sanyo Combo unit. It has great features and wonderful video and audio quality. I highly recommend this unit.

HP KS523AA USB TV Tuner

This tuner has proven its value for me as a college student. The tuner allows you to connect a coaxial cable directly from the jack (supplied in most college dorms) to the tuner, allowing you to transform your laptop into a tv. Making this a good solution for not owning a tv. This was easy to install. Using the antenna (not cable) the tuner was able to recieve 9 local channels including abc, nbc, cbs, and fox. It is also useful for recording shows directly to the computers hard drive. I have also used it to connect my xbox 360 to the laptop(through s-video). Through quickplay the graphics weren't amazing, but lag was bearable (as long as the playback feature was disabled)...Definitely worth considering if you have access to cable, but no tv.

If you're using Vista as an OS, skip the rest and BUY this ONE!!! I have an HP laptop and this installed and integrated effortlessly. I struggled with another manufacturer's version of this device and absolutely could not get the driver installed. I returned that one and purchased this. I highly recommend this tuner!

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for win7/vista machines, using the ms "windows media center" makes operation with this TV tuner easy. don't be misled by the quick setup guide, which points to hp MediaSmart or hp quickPlay.

happy with operation with windows media center!

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I debated long and hard about this product due to a of a few negative reviews by computer novices at Amazon. My fears were unfounded.

I'm running Vista SP2 on an HP 1.8mHz dual core laptop bought for under $500, (2 GB memory). Using Vista's included Media Center I get crystal clear HD quality, a great FREE channel guide that shows programs 2 weeks ahead, and the ability to record over the air TV just like the cable companys DVR that I'm replacing.

The remote is solid and useful and works well. Set up was easy and quick out of the box. If you use the Windows Media Center Guide, you can add sub channels.

The included antenna was just a little weak for my area (12 miles from stations) so I purchased an indoor multi-directonal table top antenna for over the air recording for about $20. However, the great thing with HDTV is that once you get a channel through a better antenna, you get it in absolute clarity.

Buy it. You'll get more than your money's worth.

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I bought this a couple of months ago. I use it to watch live TV and record. All off the antenna. This is fabulous. It was really easy to setup..had it working in minutes. the antenna works great too better than the one I have for my HDTV (have not tried yet but i think i can plug this one in). I love having my laptop work as a DVR also.

Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 Suite

• Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 Production Suite enables HD video
• And audio production with tools for professional-level sound design, video effects and transitions, and more
• Edit video in nearly any format including high-definition HDV and AVCHD;
• Work simultaneously with standard-definition and high-definition video and the same project
• And Blu-ray Discs using beautifully designed themes or custom menus and graphics
• Use the included tutorial DVD or the exclusive Sony "Show Me How" interactive tutorials to help you get started fast

O.K.

So I wrote a review for the last incarnation of this software package (version 9) and a lot of people found it very helpful.

There was one BIG problem with Version 9 it had bugs in the video rendering section, which were never fixed with the software updates. It appears that Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 has fixed the obvious encoding/rendering bugs which plagued Version 9.

You can now safely encode video to all major formats used worldwide, creating your own custom templates if you wish.

Version 10 now includes working templates for anyone who uploads HD or SD WIDESCREEN 16:9 Videos to YOUTUBE. The OLD version of Vegas Movie Studio only had a template for "old fashioned" 4:3 aspect ratio, which meant you had to create a custom template to make a 16:9 video.

What does Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 Suite come with?

*Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 the video editing program.

*DVD Architect Studio 5.0 the DVD creation software.

*Sound Forge Audio Studio 10 an audio recording studio.

Highlight Features for the above three programs:

*Vegas Movie Studio has so many features from the Vegas Pro version, it's not funny. That's what I love the most about this software package it's full of professional grade tools and effects. If you can think it, then Sony Vegas can do it. Many other retail video editors come no where near Sony Vegas, they are like toys in comparison, seriously.

*Vegas can handle all the latest video formats (Input & Output files), especially HD (High Definition) video, which is becoming the standard now, provided your computer has plenty of RAM (2GB at least) and an independent video card driver with its own memory.

*Easy compression of your videos, ready for upload to YouTube in Widescreen format.

*Vegas comes with a large amount of NewBlue Transition effects and Video Effects, which you can tweek to your heart's delight.

*Your ability to edit video on the timeline is amazing however this will take time to master. I taught myself over the last year and a half using the Help Index, How To Animations and just pure patient experimentation.

*The DVD Architect Studio works seamlessly with your Vegas projects, and is fairly easy to use.

*Sound Forge Studio 10 has heaps of effects you can filter your audio recordings with, to create amazing sounds.

*My favourite feature in Sound Forge is the "Recording your old vinyl or tape collection into Digital Format". This part of the program has been upgraded now and is much easier to use. One BIG tip: Click Options, Preferences, Audio and then change Audio Device to Windows Classic Wave Driver this will make Vinyl to Digital Recording work without getting a headache.

Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 is not for the novice who gets easily exasperated. If this is you, then stick with Windows Movie Maker.

If you like to experiment, have patience in learning new things, and really enjoy using Professional Tools to create a Professional Look, then go with this software package. I have yet to come across a limitation with this software "creatively speaking".

I highly recommend existing users of older versions of this software, to make the upgrade due to the additions and fixes.

The price of this package or the upgrade for existing users is unbelievable, compared to the Pro Version.

If you are worried about whether this program will do what it says, then do the smart thing and DOWNLOAD the FREE TRIAL at Sony Creative Software website, where you can try it out for a whole 30 days!

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:

There is something that people should be aware of. High Definition Video Cameras are advancing technologically faster than the everyday home computer can deal with. HD Video made with the Super High Quality setting selected on your camera, produces a massive file. So if you expect Vegas to edit large High Definition files properly, then you are going to need a fast computer with plenty of memory. Intel i5 and i7 CPU's are a good choice, or any of the AMD Phenom II range CPU's.

If you are on an old computer, Vegas is not going to work. Rendering video, especially High Definition video, can suck every last brain cell out of your computer and ask it to travel beyond light speed, while pondering the creation of the Universe.

So buy a new computer and retire your dinosaur, before attempting to become a Video Enthusiast this will prevent experiencing a "Meltdown".

FINAL NOTE:

The vast majority of people who are leaving 1 star reviews, are blaming Vegas for problems that they do not understand properly. All of the issues raised, had/have easy solutions. An example is this: If you can't install Vegas at all, log in as The Administrator and change some settings in your Virus Protector program then it will install no problemo. I guess some people are very impatient and give up too easily. So don't be scared off by the one stars they just didn't find the right doctor.

All the best with your creations.

Dex :)

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I have tried out Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 Production Suite and decided to purchase it. I compared it to Magix Movie Edit Pro Plus 16, Pinnacle 14, Corel Videostudio Pro X2/X3, and Cyberlink Power Director 8 and it comes down to one major factor. Vegas actually runs without crashing. I own Videostudio Pro X2, reformatted my PC to start fresh and tried to reinstall VS Pro X2, as I had done a couple times previously, and this time it would not install. I called tech support, which graciously tried to help without charging me they even called me back to see if the their idea worked which, unfortunately, it had not. I downloaded VS Pro X3 as I could upgrade for a lower price than buying new. It worked fine a for a day but then started crashing non-stop to the point where I couldn't use it without crashing.

I tried Power Director 8 which in some respects has a really good interface (not in all respects though there are too many tabbed options and the graphics on the tabs don't make it obvious what they're for so you have to hover over then to see what they're for). However, it started getting choppy in the program and also started to crash.

I then decided to give Sony Vegas a try. I had tried them before purchasing VS Pro X2 but it was not intuitive software and VS Pro X2 seemed the better choice. So far, I have experienced good performance the bestin fact, from Vegas Movie Studio HD. I spent some time on the phone asking questions, watched their useful Show Me How tutorials and read the Help file in the program. I now like it the best. It is a really powerful program that, on the surface, may seem complicated, but after you spend a little time with it, it becomes more intuitive than some of the others I tried.

Not ready to just buy the 3rd program I tried, I then tried Magix Movie Edit, which worked decently in the software. However, the video it created seemed to be choppy where none of the others were, when I was able to create a video before they started crashing. I also tried Pinnacle 14, all 1.9 GB of it's download. I found it, surprisingly, not as intuitive, and fairly sluggish, though stable to the small extent I used it. The import function is a pain in Pinnacle. The explorer view available in Vegas is the best in my opinion.

Summary:

Corel Videostudio Pro X3:

older version, Pro X2, stopped working for me and wouldn't reinstall

Pro X3, while decent interface, I can't do anything in it, after I created 1 video. It now crashes before I can do anything

Cyberlink PowerDirector 8:

Crashes

Choppy video while editing

Limited Soundtracks included, you have to purchase more if you want them. Videostudio and Sony includes lots of options (though I wasn't able to test the ones included with Vegas as the trial does not include them but there are supposed to be 400 in the full version of the software)

Magix Movie Edit Pro 16 Plus:

Ok interface

more stable than VS Pro X3 and PowerDirector 8, but resulting video is choppy during playback, not acceptable for the final output

Pinnacle 14:

huge program, sluggish

import feature is a pain

Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD Platinum Suite:

so far, very stable

very full featured, powerful software

can be intimidating at first; use the Show me How tutorials, the online tutorials, Quick Start Guide download from their website, internal Help these quickly made me more comfortable in the program

did I mention stable

Includes DVD Architest and SoundForge Audio Studio with Vocal Erase Plug-in haven't tried but could be really useful

My recommendation is Sony Vegas. The pre-sales help call that I made was very useful. He really took the time to help answer all my questions.

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Software has a small learning curve but it's simpler to learn than Final Cut Express. I have used Acid 3.0 for years and some of the interface/tools & commands are pretty similar. Comes with DVD Architect & Sound Forge 10. Haven't fully dived into but so far I created a 2 minute video that looks pretty good. The best thing is so far it reads multiple files. A producer gave me files he transferred from his Sony HD Cam to my hard drive using Final Cut Pro. No other software would open these files; not even AVS4YOU. Kept saying I needed a APCN Codec, well SVP 10 must have it because it worked and audio/video is great. Definitely worth the $94!

Kg

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I finally decided to learn how to video edit. A stripped down version of Cyberlink came with my new HP, but I didn't care for their upgrade options (too confusing), so I went with Sony Vegas. After tinkering with it for a couple of hours and watching online and included tutorials, I managed to put together a great six minute video (if I say so myself) of a family weekend, complete with fade in/out, four video tracks, pictures, videos, two audio tracks, credit roll, pan/crop, and other effects. I learned how to import media, put it on the timeline, edit, and output to a mpeg4 HD. Now I can't wait for the next reason to create another video! It's so much better than a boring photo album. I thought maybe that it was going to be overkill, but it is good for an amateur like myself. It's so new that I can't find books written yet, but there is a online manual so I probably don't need another software book lying around.

Following an adequate experience with its predecessor, 9.0, the lure of a built-in stabilizer and a secondary color corrector attracted me to this version of Vegas Movie Studio. The initial experience was good, so I decided to transfer my 9.0 files over to HD 10.

The first really bad aspect of this product, as with all previous versions, is the lack of documentation. The only third-party printed reference book lacks an index and is almost as superficial as the slim "quick start" guides that come with the installation disc. I am not a novice, but my overwhelming notion about this software is that it is loaded with features that few will ever even suspect are there, because they are either unexplained or, under "show me how" and "help," still very inadequately explained. That is too bad.

After a month working with HD 10 I can truly say I had not had such trouble with error messages and program crashes since Macintosh 800K. While rendering a 2-minute clip, 3/4 of the way it will give me an error message and specifies the reason for the error could not be determined.

During the past two days I have experienced yet another really annoying quirk. It reminds me what we used to say at Cray Research in the days when it was the only supercomputer builder in the world: If the customer finds it first, it's a bug; if we find it first, it's a feature. One of the conceptually great features of this version of Vegas is that windows can be tiered like vertical shades that can be pulled out as needed. This is great until it starts to do things unexpectedly, actions that no help menu addresses and can only be stopped by uninstalling and installing the program again )at which point it will not recognize its own project files, and you have lost all work that has not been rendered). Suddenly and inexplicably, the windows, in this case the Media FX window, will stop appearing on the left side of the screen, where the user can easily adjust effects while looking at them in the preview window, but rather where the preview window usually sits, covering it and making it impossible to gauge the effect of changes as performed with the FX sliders. An attempt to remove the window will bring in the audio mixer panels, but the preview window will not come on again until its tab is clicked on. Then you can't see what you did with the FX until you click the FX again. Being able to see the impact of changes as they occur on the preview window was one of the best features of Vegas. It would be nice if it were left where the user puts it.

The secondary color corrector is great--if the user can figure out how to use it and through guesswork come to do something. The help menu explains everything except how the droppers come into play. This is not meant for novice users, definitely, and two of my less experienced colleagues who have used it are still wondering exactly how to work it.

The formats for rendering do not remain in place, as they did in 9. If the user sets rendering for an NTSC DV widescreen 24p in one session, next time it may have reset to something completely different. I had taken it for granted that the format setting would remain the same once I set it to something: I have had to re-render six different files over the past two days after noticing that the previous format changed.

If your user status is novice to mid-level, I would not recommend you use this software. If you are impatient or work on deadlines, I do not recommend this program. If you are not able to waste two days of work trying to figure out why something is happening with the software and how to work around it rather than with it, do not use this software. If you do not like manufacturers who do not provide free updates for their faulty software as it becomes available, but rather expect you to buy the next version hoping it works better, do not use this software.

Hauppauge 1196 WinTV-HVR-1250 PCI-E x1 TV Tuner 1196

Pros:

One of the lowest cost Hybrid Tuner Cards out there that can do both Analog and Digital Tuning. It works well, can view a clear picture on the computer, smooth, NOT choppy nor freezes. Includes WinTV7 which is needed to watch digital channels (ATSC or clear QAM), Windows Media Center only supports Analog (NTCS) Channels. The card is small (1/2 Height with 1/2 Height headers that can be swapped on) and its PCIe so it will fit a PCIeX1 or PCIeX16 slot.

64Bit supported just as well as 32Bit, running this on Vista Home Premium 64Bit.

Cons:

Does NOT have a MPEG Encoder chip, so no hardware conversion of the Analog signal, your CPU will have to work harder to do a software MPEG conversion. With weaker CPU's that might be a problem, my Athlon X2 6000+ runs at 40%-50% utilization while watching analog channels. I'm pretty sure Digital Channels do NOT need a MPEG Encoder chip, the digital signal is already streamed as MPEG, and watching digital channels my CPU utilization is 15%-30%, more often at the lower end near 15%.

Like mentioned, WinTV7 can crash suddenly, but restarts and runs fine after a crash. Its NOT to often, but enough that its more than a fluke. Runs just as well 64Bit as 32Bit. Remember, you can't watch Digital Channels in Windows Media Center, only analog, you'll need WinTV7 or another 3rd Party Program to watch Digital Channels.

Other:

Windows 7 will support Digital Channels in Windows Media Center.

If your cable company offers clear QAM, Comcast in my area has a digital alternative for every analog channel as well, so I can get every channel they offer in digital, then there is NO reason to pay extra for a Tuner Card with a MPEG encoder chip onboard, its NOT needed for Digital Channels. I'm pretty sure its NOT used at all for digital channels.

Remember, this card is PCI"e" NOT PCI, it will NOT fit your PCI slots, its for PCI"e"X1 or even PCI"e"X16 slots.

I purchased this card to be put into a MythTV (Linux) home-built DVR. I previously was only recording standard definition non-digital cable channels. I recently purchased a HDTV for my bedroom/office and wanted to be able to take advantage of that. This card works perfectly with MythTV and Linux. The tuner found all of the digital channels in the air that my TV was able to find with the antenna connected directly to it. This card seems to lock onto signals very well, as I havnt seen a single issue in any of the recordings made from it yet. You can't beat free over-the-air high definition of the local networks!!! I'm thrilled. Buy it!

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If you have Windows 7, there's really no point in delaying the purchase of this TV tuner. Windows automatically identifies the tuner, installs the drivers, and then it's only a matter of opening up Windows Media Center (WMC) and letting it guide you through the steps. I was concerned that just having a direct cable connection (no cable box...obviously) would limit the channels. But I get pretty much all the cables I do normally plus the HD channels. Having an HD monitor and a large hard drive (HD recording takes up about 5 GB/hour) makes this capable of taping full seasons and plenty of movies without batting an eye. Movies on all cable and basic channels are categorized for you. You can browse titles in an iTunes-like view and BluRay movies are even marked as such just the way they would in the store. I use iTunes for a lot of things, but not anymore. Why pay the money for shows and movies you can record yourself? Why wait patiently for buffering and annoying commercials on Hulu when you can just fastforward? WMC has really come into its own, and this Hauppage tuner really allows you to exploit its full potential.

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This TV tuner card works great in a Dell Dimension desktop with Vista. Highly recommended when combined with Windows Media Center. Note that the card will fit in either a PCI Express x1 or x16, but not in a regular PCI slot. I did not set up the remote as I did not need it, so I can't speak for how it works. It looked somewhat cheaply built, though, so if the remote is a selling point, you may want to look elsewhere.

If you want a cheap and easy recording option in Vista, go with this card.

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The card works well on my win 7 media center system with QAM Clear channels from Comcast (no cable box). Here are some concerns.

o The remote supplied seems to not launch media center from the desktop like another Hauppage remote (USB) that I have. It appears you need to have Media Center Launched, then the remote works. A minor inconvenience.

o The cable tv receiver is not as strong as my TVs. When my signal was weak, my TV would receive the channel, but the 1196 was getting dropouts.

o I put a Wireless N PCI express card in the slot right next to the 1196. It was causing a dropout of the cable signal every few seconds. I tried to build a shield, but that didn't work. I had to take out the wireless N card and the 1196 worked perfectly after that. Definitely confirmed interference between the PCI express Wireless N card and the 1196. I'm not sure which card to blame. I have a small form factor PC so I couldn't try separating the cards more, so I don't know if that would have helped.

o Many clear QAM channels scan in the setup as if they are locked and scrambled, but if you select them, many can be viewed. After finding them in setup, you need to manually set them up in the guide so that the system knows what shows are on what clear QAM channel. That is a bit of a pain to do but worth the effort it makes it very easy to record shows. In my area Comcast offers HGTV, History, Comedy Central, CNN, MSNBC, PBS, Fox News, CNBC, Golf, Style, and many more through clear QAM.

All in all, I like using this card with Windows Media Center and not having to have a cable company's DVR or cable box. Comcast offers plenty of basic channels through clear QAM, but you can't get premium Comcast channels or encrypted channels through this card. You need to set up a cable box and use an IR blaster to get those to record on this card.

Edit 7/4/2012: Comcast has moved most of the basic cable channels off Clear QAM now, forcing subscribers onto their cable box so the use of this DVR is limited to local TV and PBS. There was no good reason to do this except to gain control over the viewers equipment (especially after they promised the digital conversion would have no impact). There was no impact when they broadcast in clear QAM, but then they forced everyone off their own TV's remote and DVRs and onto Comcast's equipment for the same channels (impact: extra rental costs, loss of use of personal equipment, and their ability to monitor all my activity). I filed an FCC complaint on this (Comcast offered me one time discount, but has no intention to change). I'm using internet channels now more than ever and hope that Comcast eventually realizes the folly of this and makes our TVs work without a box in between (if it isn't too late....based on the number of people leaving cable).

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VideoSecu Outdoor Infrared Day Night Security Camera 1/3" CCD 420 TVL 3.6mm Wide View Angle Lens CC

This unit was by far the best price I could find for this type of camera.

Easy to mount...great image.

Yeah like the title says not bad for thirty bucks. But be aware they sell a 540tvl camera same body color for thirty bucks more and it includes a power supply. The difference in picture quality is significantly better with the higher res camera. So much so that we don't use this camera for our bar surveillance, can't tell what the bartenders pouring and currency being used. So instead i use these cameras at my house. For the price, their worth four stars.

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OK resolution in the day but kind of fuzzy resolution at night. You need a 1.5 mm allen wrench to tighten the bezel down, after screwing the base plate into whatever you're mounting the camera into. You also need to purchase a seperate power supply because the camera requires one but doesn't come with it.

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I really like this camera! I have 2 outputs on my dvr: VGA and Monitor. I have it connected to both and the image is very good on both. When the night vision kicks in you can see everything very clearly even in total darkness. So far this is the best low budget camera I have found. I have seen this camera on another site that had an original retail of 192.00. I don't know how true that is but it really does work well and at this price you can't go wrong. I just ordered 2 more from Amazon and then I should be all set.

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Coby CXR190 Digital Voice Recorder with Integrated Speaker (sliver)

This device will work fine for someone who is accustomed to tagging and working with raw sound files. The windows software works, but it is very no-frills and you have to do your own tagging, downsampling, etc.

For those people who don't know what 'tags' are, and are not comfortable with doing file conversions and that sort of thing, this device may not be your best choice. For those people I would recommend a cheaper recorder to avoid the whole USB situation, and just listen to everything on the device with headphones... Or if you want to get the tracks on your computer, maybe find a recorder that comes with better software, if such a thing exists.

Here's my story:

I purchased this recorder from my college's bookstore, because out of the 2 models offered, this was the one with a USB connection so I can get the tracks onto my computer, where I can burn cd's for people or transfer them to my iPod or whatever I want to do.

Well, I *can* do those things but it's not easy. Here's my list of beefs with the device and its software:

-> The raw sound files are a proprietary format, so you must use the packaged software if you want to work with them on a PC.

-> The device does not name the files anything useful, such as the date on which they were recorded. The files are named things like "ICR027" which makes it difficult to figure out which file is which.

-> This naming system causes problems when the numbering starts over, and you already have a file by the name of the one that you are trying to send to your PC. You can't change the name of the file on the device, so you have to change the one on your hard disk, fix that in your mp3 library, and so on.

-> The software will transfer the raw file to your computer as a .WAV if you want it to. However you cannot choose a bitrate for this conversion, so you get a gigantic file that must be downsampled with a different program.

-> The firmware on the device itself is rather unfriendly. I still haven't figured out how to pause and resume a recording, even though the "pause" "play" and "record" buttons are clearly labeled. Changing settings in the thing is a headache, too. This is pretty standard for voice recorders, though.

So my main complaint here is that the process of transferring a file to my pc, getting it in my iTunes library, resampling it, and tagging it, takes too much time and effort for my liking. I can do this, but it would have been much nicer if they'd created software that would at least take care of some of these steps for me.

3 Stars because it works like it's supposed to, but they could have aimed much higher on convenience.

I returned this item because it is difficult to use. Fast forward and rewind during playback only work in 30 second increments. Presumably one could do more with the bundled software, but it did not install correctly on my Windows platform. I could not read the files over USB with my Macintosh. I managed to get the files off the device, but could not find software to convert the format (SP) to something more useful to me, such as AIFF or WAV. The Voice Activated recording feature does not have a sensitivity adjustment, so the device records constantly if ambient noises are present.

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I bought this recorder because it's the cheapest recorder listed on Amazon that allows for SD cards and has a USB port for downloading recordings from the device to my PC. That works fairly well for me, but I use the VLC Media Player as my go to media player, and it can play just about any file you throw at it.

My gripe is with the SD Card Slot. Maybe this is my own inexperience with using SD Cards, (I've only used them in my cell phones) but it seems as if I need to tape the card in place. In my cell phones that make use of SD cards, they click in to place and are ejected by pressing on the card. Putting a piece of tape over it seems to help, but really, who wants to do that?

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My husband needed the recorder for his voice over work and he really likes it. It is small and compact, but easy to use

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the product is ideal for people who need to record interviews, music or other activities of daily life. Can be easily carried anywhere by their size

mediaxpo 1,000 Black Paper CD Sleeves with Window and Flap

I've ordered 1000's of sleeves because we split it among 3 of us.

These sleeves are of heavier construction and looks much classier than

your normal 'white' tissue paper.

I ordered these sleeves to hopefully get a little more organized. They are made very sturdy. Since they are all black they will also look much more professional when I sell or give away picture CDs.

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When I look for a CD sleeve (I use hundreds of them) I want a heavy paper and the window to be made well no wrinkles or creases. Those from CheckOutStore always meet my expectations!

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I went against my better judgement and chose the little bit more expensive option for this product thinking that if it was being sold by Mediaxpo then it would be the better product. I hope this isn't the case. The paper is decent, but the plastic "window" is very cheap. If I had to buy this product over again I would strongly consider going with another brand before I bought from this seller and this version again.

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I once bought black CD envelopes (from a different company) but the plastic middle was sort of crunched. This time plastic was smooth. The envelopes is also very good quality. I'm glad I got it!

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Panasonic PV-GS90 MiniDV Camcorder with 42x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

I purchased this camcorder to document the vacation of my lifeime. And I have been extremely pleased with its performance. Panasonic has addressed several design flaws in previous models to make this one sweet little unit. They've also added a few new improvements.

The bottom line is that it takes good video overall. Quality is very good in outdoor lighting. Indoor performance is good; low light performance is minimal, but much better than expected. Considering what you pay, video quality is on par with units costing hundreds more.

Pros:

1. Great video for a single CCD camera. Great for outdoor shooting.

2. Amazing 42x optical zoom. Picture stays crisp & clear.

3. Advanced Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). Panasonic has a reputation of having the best. This allows you to zoom in and move the camera with minimal screen jitter. Better than other brands costing $100's more.

4. Uses inexpensive miniDV cassettes. These can be purchased just about anywhere if you need one in a pinch.

5. Lots of software available to do video editing. You'll also need a firewire cable and card to transfer the video to computer.

5. Built in lens cover; it slides open and close by moving a sliding button. Say goodbye to dangling or lost lens covers.

6. Firewire port has been moved to side of camera under the foldout LCD. You no longer need to remove the battery to get to it. The AV output is on the front right side.

7. A usable built in LED light. It won't light up a room but just enough helpful illumination for a subject 3 to 5 feet away in dim areas.

8. Lots of manual control. User can switch from Auto to Manual modes at the touch of a button. Controls include focus, white balance, iris, f-stop, and others.

9. Shoots and displays video in widescreen 16x9 and standard 4x3 formats.

Cons:

1. Poor battery life. Battery included barely lasts 1 hour. Using the viewfinder instead of the LCD helps a lot. You'll definitely need to buy an extra battery.

2. Expensive replacement batteries. I found that the batteries for previous Panasonic camcorder models work just fine, and are a fraction of the cost.

3. Poor low light performance.

4. No slot for memory card. Takes video stills. Plan on using your digital camera for regular pictures.

5. No way to use accessories such as lighting kits or extra lenses.

Basically what you get is a minimalist digital camcorder that takes good video. The limitations of this camcorder are hardly "cons" considering how little you pay for it. MiniDV is on its way out, but is currently still a viable media. If you need a camcorder that takes HD quality or good low light video, this is not the camera for you.

But if you are looking for a great first time camcorder, or an inexpensive little unit to document that once a year vacation or occasional event, you'll be pleased with this one.

I bought this camera first at Best Buy first in order to record a very important event. However, after the event, I noticed, while reviewing the video, that there was a distracting dead pixel (greeen spot always on) right in the middle of the image. After verifying that it was on the CCD and not on either of the two viewfinders, I returned the camera for a full refund. I would have exchanged it but every store was out of stock. The techs verified the defect and waived the "resocking fee." :-)

Next, I purchased the same camera, used, from Amazon.com. This time the unit appears defect-free and I am very happy with it.

The picture is great, the interface is intuitive, and the optical image stabilization is wonderful when you take advantage of the 42x zoom. I haven't played too much with the digital zoom because it degrades picture quality, but it seems to work as well as digital zoom can be expected to.

The only reason I can't give this product 5 stars is because the package is incomplete. It comes with no transfer cable, so if you want to load the video into your computer, you will have to run out and buy an expensive firewire cable (about $30). It also comes without any software. However, you won't need additional software if you are happy with the free movie editing software that is included with Macs and Windows.

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Panasonic PV-GS90 MiniDV Camcorder with 42x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

I have purchased the Panasonic PV-GS90 from Big Value Inc. through amazon.com and the product is pretty good for the price. I have had Panasonic Camcorder (the PV type) before. If you are a MiniDV tape fan, this product is a good choice. Like other reviews, I expects this product to perform minimum picture quality when taping inside my house. I was right! The in-house picture was grainy, because there was not enough lighting inside the house. I was not upset because I expected this problem to happen. You can try to have more lighting inside your house when recording. Maybe that would fix the grainy pictures problem. For a little over $180.00, this product is supper. Out-door taping is excellent for the price, once again. I love miniDV tape because the movement of objects I am taping is recorded clearly, not jerky like other memory-card camcorder or DVD camcorder producing. I have never seen the quality of hard-drive camcorder; I imagine it would not product jerky movement of object when recording, but the price of hard-drive camcorder is too high for my checkbook. Overall, Big Value Inc. delivered what it promised and I am happy with my purchase.

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My Sony is getting old and I didn't want to lose the ability to play my mini DV tapes. Got this camcorder and like it lots. Image quality is fine for my needs. Great zoom range and the anti shake works well. Have not tried (and don't really care) about super low light or HD.

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I still use the first two from 2002 and 2007. I love the mini DV tape models. I actually bought this one because not only am I still using them on vacations, I use them to create DVDs I can play on my TV. After editing in Final Cut Pro, I pass through the camcorder to a DVD recorder to burn the DVD. I did not want to get orphaned, so I really bought this unit as a back up. It does have a higher zoom but a weaker low light record.

Archos 704 80 GB WiFi Portable Digital Media Player

• Portable media player with 80 GB hard drive stores up to 70 DVD-quality movies
• Integrated 802.11g wireless networking for connectivity to desktop PC, downloading videos from online stores
• Bright 7-inch LCD touchscreen for input from fingers or included stylus
• Plays MP3, WAV, WMA and protected WMA music files; also compatible with JPEG, PNG and BMP image files
• Measures 7 by 5 by 0.75 inches; weighs just 22 ounces

I like this player a lot. 3 minutes out of the box I was connected the home WiFi. 2 minutes later it found my Infrant ReadyNAS (ReadyNAS NV+, 1.0TB (4 x 250GB pre-installed Seagate Barracuda ES SATA HDD), X-RAID, 256MB memory, Silver, SFF desktop NAS) and was streaming MP3s and video to the player flawlessly.

Size:

It's thick and heavy. It has a similar footprint to a Sony ebook reader, but much deeper and heavier. It's just about as wide and tall as a DVD case, but again, much deeper (almost 3/4 of an inch deep).

Formats:

I do not have any media formats that this won't play. I did purchase the optional .VOB codec from the Archos site. It plays my WMV (including DRM stuff), Divx, AVI, MP3(all kinds).

Accessories:

It comes with a nice woven nylon case and a 120V power adapter. It has headphones (with inline volume) and USB in and USB out.

Connections:

It has audio out (headphones), power, USB (mini in, mini out, two Archos plugs for docking and that's it. Everything else needs a dock to work.

Screen:

The touch screen is vibrant and very bright. I have big fingers so I do better with a stylus for controls. The high resolution is amazing.

Sound:

The speakers are "OK" but headphones could be louder. I took this on a plane yesterday and the included headphones were not loud enough to hear over the engine noise. I had to use my Sure E5c headphones to hear anything on videos and MP3s (Shure E5c Sound Isolating Earphones).

Internet:

It comes with Opera and surfing was fine. A great device for webmail or shopping (it comes with am eMusic 50 free MP3s certificate). I will take this (instead of a laptop) on my next vacation.

Sync:

The platey can snyc (USB) as a Windows Media Device or a USD hard drive. I love that option (it asks you each sync).

Issues:

1. I would have liked a place to "plunge" the stylus in the device for storage (the case has a tiny pocket).

2. I would have liked Svideo out without buying a dock.

3. Audio out should be louder.

Wishes:

1. I would love to see this use a bluetooth phone as a DUN to the hit the net.

2. I would love to have and SD Card reader on board to help move media on the road.

Other Issues:

1. Be careful with Unbox video. The resolution of this player far exceeds most mobile players. One of my goals was to start buying Unbox videos instead of ripping my DVDs all the time. Problem: the "mobile" size of Unbox video looks very poor on the screen (please try an inexpensive one for yourself)due to low resolution. And Unbox does not allow you to sync (no snyc rights) the larger video that you download. So I have a video that I "bought" that I cannot use on this device because the low version looks so bad, and the high-res version has DRM restrictions that won't let it play on the 704 Wifi. Not terrible, but it will keep 704 owners from renting or buying from Unbox for sure.

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I orignally purchased this as a companion to my A504 so I can watch videos from a further distance while at a hotel (I travel A LOT). The first thing I learned is that the screen is a fingerprint magnet so using a stylus is the best bet. The included stylus is okay (one extra is included) but I've been using a pen/stylus combo that works just as well and isn't as liable to get lost. The case is acceptable, but could use a little more rigidity for my taste.

Video clarity is pretty good; not as good as the A504 but it is still decent with less glare than the A504. The screen is also nice and bright and can be seen under most lighting conditions (except direct sunlight which I encountered while flying to southern California recently). I was also happy with the embeded speaker volume as it didn't need to be jacked up 100 to be heard in a mildly noisy room like the A504.

Video & Audio out are just as good as the A504 while using the DVR station. One little nitpick would be the adapter for the DVR station could be a little deeper to make the connection more secure.

PC connection is very good as you can use a cable from another AX04 unit or a standard USB mini-plug with the choice to sync as a Windows device or use as a hard drive. I generally use it as a hard drive as the files I transfer are all Xvid or Divx and I don't want WMP11 to re-code my files. The only gripe here would be the lack of USB charging. All other 4th generation Archos units are USB chargeable, but this one isn't.

Using the unit as a web tablet was a real suprise. I didn't think that I would use it in that capacity very often, but I found (on a recent trip) that I could do almost everything on the web with the 704 that I can do with a laptop. It came in very handy during a recent conference where I needed to get to some .PDF files off my corporate website to show a customer. It isn't the fastest unit in town, but it works quite well in a pinch. I've found myself using it at home with my wireless connection almost as often as I use my laptop. One thing I would like to see is the ability to connect a small keyboard for data input as trying to write an email using the onscreen keyboard is a bit of a pain. Also, trying to access streaming video off of a webpage is an effort in futility.

Battery life is very good for a unit this large. I turned it on and let it run through my video folder (at brightness level one which is the default and at 75% volume) and it took just over 4 1/2 hours to deplete the battery. I haven't noticed if using the WiFi drains the battery any faster but it doesn't seem to.

All in all, I am very happy with the unit. I'm a huge Archos fan (except for their customer service, but I digress...) and I look forward to getting the spare batteries as soon as they are available.

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I've eagerly waited for a device that could do all the things the 704 says it can do. And believe me I've had all the devices out there. 1st gen I=pod to Video I-pod and the Archos 704 Wifi blows them away. If you are a true techie like myself you'll have to agree that nothing comes close to this little baby. The screen is excellent especially if you have Divx files, not to mention that it can handle almost any video file out there with the plugins of course. Mpeg, VOB, WMV, Divx and even Apple Mp4 files without a hickup. I used to own the Archos 504 but when I saw this baby, wow was I sold. Connecting to my home wireless network is a breeze and using it as a file server took a bit longer than I expected, but once I was up and running it was easy! What I'll be looking for next is the ability to watch streaming video or music and then I'll die happy! In a nutshell, an I-pod is nice to have if you're just into music and paying for one at $299 is not the best way I like spending my money. I hooked it up to my plasma and it was like renting a DVD movie, clear and sound was pretty good. I also hooked it up to my LCD projector and was surprised that the quality was also good.

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This is a great device. As previous reviews mentioned, it took me less then 2 minutes to get on the internet, check weather and read the latest news on the BBC. The browser works a lot better then I expected.

Displaying pictures is extremely fast, even large jpgs of 4-5 MB load under a second. This was for me the main purpose as I often do extensive trips where I take lots of pictures. Bringing 30-40 1gig memory cards is just not practical nor is bringing a heavy laptop.

I had no problems playing DIVX files and jumping to the middle of the movie was extremely fast, better then my current PC. The sharpness of the screen could be improved a bit, but it is far better then my old AV400 (which I am replacing because it only has a 20GB HD) and above all it is nice and large.

There are a few things I wish they would fix/add.

1)viewing PDFs is slow since only one page is loaded at the time, even for very small PDF files.

2) No way to view or type up a quick text file

3) The device is Linux based and has a browser, so I wish they would release some limited utils/games for it. A text/notes editor, Sudoku, solitair... Or at least allow the user to point to the 704's drive to pull up self made web pages.

Oh and I almost forgot, it played my MP3s flowlessly.

I can't wait for my next vacation trip and really test it out!!!

Let me start out buy saying that I have always been a huge Archos fan. This is my third one and it is GARBAGE. It arrived borken (from Archos). Instead of taking the broken unitback and sending me a new one, they insisted on trying to fix it. It came back still not working. I was told to wait 5-6 weeks for a firmware update, that would fix my issues. When the firmware did finally come, it did nothing to address any of my issues. So called them. Still wouldn't send a new one; wanted to try to fix it again. I paid, again, to have it sent out. Came back broken again. Keep in mind, each time you send it to their horrible tech and customer service, it takes 4-5 weeks to get back. So now I called them and told them I just want to return the item for a refund. I was told I was past my 30 days! hahahhaha. I told them I haven't had a working unit for 1 day and the only reason I have held onto the unit is because you guys told me your firmware would fix it. So I now have mailed the unit back a third time and it has been sitting in limbo with them for 4 weeks now. I ordered this unit the day it was released. It is now months and months later, and I still have no working item; even worse, the nest generation 705's will probably been weeks away when I finally do get a wroking unit. This customer support is pathetic. I am a huge backer of Archos, and I am telling people to avoid this company like the PLAGUE. They got to big to quick and can't keep up with what is going on around them. They don't care what their customers think as long as they haveyour money. You will hear a ton of people say that "mine works fine I don't know what he is talking about". Trust me. Go to any Archos site dedicated to Archos, and there is just one horror story after another, talking about broken units and zero help in getting them repaired or replaced. If you happen to get on of these lemon units, the company will acts as if it is your problem and you must have done something to cause it. As stated...I have always been such a huge Archos fan and have heared the horror stories, but now that I am on their side of the fence, I know completely what they are talking about. STAY CLEAR OF THIS COMPANY. Purchasing anything from them is like putting $500 down on black in roullette -you have a 50-50 chance of hitting with a winning unit, but if you don't your out %500. Because they will not give you your money back and it will pretty much become a second job getting it fixed (they put you on hold fo HOURS at a time and then they eventually just let the phone system disconnect you. At which point you have to call over and get back into the waiting line which will take hours again). Please do yourself a favor. Look at Cowon or some other company.

Motorola SLVR L6 Unlocked Phone with Video Player/Recorder--International Version with No Warranty

I have only had Nokia phones prior to this phone but decided to branch my wings out after my Nokia fell in a puddle. Purchased the phone off of ebay and it was easy enough to set up and use with TMobile....

Pros:

Sleak style

clear and colorful screen

loud speaker phone

Good camera

In car option

Bluetooth capable

Size

Cons:

Battery Life is horrible, lasts only a day.

Screen is small

menus are slighly confussing

no screen saver with clock only function

screen blacks out really quickly to save already bad battery life

texting with one hand difficult because phone is so skinny

weird predictive texting that is not as user friendly as Nokia

Dropped calls

Poor antenna

cant hold with shoulder and talk... muffeled voice

horrible manual

Overall, I think I am a nokia person. I like the look of the phone and the size is sweet and I like the ringtones and clearity of phone, but I was so disappointed with the batttery life and reception. My old nokia's battery would last for three days and could find a signal anywhere. Maybe its just because I'm not used to Motorola's but overall I'm underwhelmed.

I intended to purchase a true 4-band cel which I could use in any place, and I trusted Amazon description which states "Unlocked for use with your existing GSM 850 MHz, GSM 1800 MHz, GSM 900 MHz or GSM 1900 MHz".

But when I inserted the SIM of a 850 MHz network the cell did not work, after some searching in the cel menus I found out that Amazon description is wrong, since it is intended only for 900, 1800 and 1900 MH.

So be careful if you need to use it overseas..........

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This phone is awesome! All I pretty much needed was the blue tooth and it has it so that serves the purpose. Only thing I am dissapointed with is the fact that the phone service does not transfer over to AT&T. It only stays on for cingular so I often get dropped calls and no signal. That can be a problem if I am in an area where the phone picks up no signal and I have an emergency.

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only problem is that it is easy to drop and the scrren smudges easily

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I PURCHASE THIS PHONE FOR MY DAUGHTER FOR XMAS. AND IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT SHE WANTED.I ALSO WAS VERY PLEASE WITH IT.

Pyle Home PTCDS1U Classical Turntable with AM/FM Radio CD/Cassette and USB Recording

• Phono/Radio/CD player/USB record/CassetteAM/FM Radio - Ceramic stereo cartridge - 2 speaker
• Front loading,single CD, drawer type - Auto return - AC Power
• CD/MP3/CD-R/CD-RW discs compatible - Audio output power: 2.5W(max) - Dimensions: 20.08"X13.39"X8.86"
• USB record - 3.5mm Aux in jack
• 3 speed turntable 33-1/3, 45, 78 RPM - Remote control for CD/USB

My husband got me this for Christmas. It's wonderful~! It's small but the sound is not. The quality of the sound is really good. I have collected tons of music over the years and most of it was collecting dust. This does it all~! I really love mine. The turn table looks like it's a bit cheap, but I've listened to LOTS of records on it without any troubles. If you're looking to hear it all on one machine I'd say this is a great buy. It's not too bulky either. The only complaint I have is that the antena for the sterio isn't very good...but that is a small thing that could be added too. Also I've been able to take my records and capture them onto a USB device and then burn them on my computer.

This is a follow up on this product. It is 2 years old and hasn't been used TONS...I do use it regularly but the CD player is dying. It's making a lot of noise and has started skipping around when I play a disc. The turntable still works well, as does the radio and tape player. Really bummed that the CD isn't working much anymore. It's out of warranty and I doubt it would be worth the cost of fixing it (assuming that anyone is willing to work on it.....most electronics are unfortunately made to be disposable these days). I haven't attempted to contact the manufacture to see if it's repairable. BUT it does say in the paperwork that IF it's sent in you have to send a $30 check to have it mailed back...so shipping on both ways would be spendy not including the repair and replacement parts. Boooo.

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I've had a number of devices to attempt to capture all my old media. Everything hooked into my computer, and every one had a flaw of some sort. Email notification, error dings, etc. got captured with the music, making me have to start over. Well, this little jewel gives me EVERYTHING I wanted. With five xerox boxes full of cassette tapes and a 40 year collection of LPs, there's a lot of conversion to be done. Well, now I have what I want, and I'm delighted with the results of the first five tapes.

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I got this for my wife for a Christmas present as she had been asking for something like this. There are many different options for a classic old style looking turntable which also plays CD's, mp3's, cassette's and the radio. I did quite a bit of research before finally selecting this one and neither my wife or I have been disappointed. The unit is very solid and well put together. There is not a lot of cheap plastic where there shouldn't be. It plays old vinyl records and albums just as you would expect and you can adjust for different speed settings for each. I was also able to connect my iPod to this unit and play it through the AUX connection and that was very easy to do, but you will need a specific cable to do this which you can get here for a few bucks http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SE6IV8 CD's also play great on this unit and we were pleased with the overall sound. We have not played any cassette's but I would assume that it would function as it should. Overall I am very pleased with this purchase and would recommend this product as it is a good unit for the price.

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BUYER BEWARE! After a month of reviewing items, I finally settled on this product b/c of the look and multi-functionality of it. I wanted a record player for my classroom but I never even set that portion of the equipment up b/c the CD player broke after about the 8th use. Will not open nor eject. Sending back to Amazon. I read about similar issues, but figured, "What are the chances?'

Aside from that issue, the gold plate and all buttons are plastic, the plate itself is crooked on my unit, the wood has had a feeble wood putty job, and the speakers (connection) is scratchy on the i-pod. Please also note, PYLE REQUIRES YOU TO SEND IN $30 FOR ANY REPAIRS, so thank God for Amazon and California state law on refunds! I'm going to buy a standard record player made in USA, Japan, or Germany. You get what you pay for!

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I bought this for my parents who needed an all in one stereo, and, after having had to replace one unit which was shipped with a defective CD player, the new one works very well. The sound out of this unit is surprisingly full even though the speakers don't appear to be heavy duty. FM reception was good, the CD player works well, and it also allows my folks to play records as well on a record player which, though it isn't amazing quality, seems to work well enough. The cabinet size and design are nice for that "old-timey" feel. As a whole, it's a solid machine.

Bedol Digital Message Center

On searching for something on which I could record short messages, most items I found that could do that were single message gadgets, 10 seconds or less per message. This little wonder allows 4 stored messages of up to 17 seconds each.

It comes well packaged, the design is well thought out, it looks good, and it feels very solid. So why, says I, is the price so low on this. I learned the answer with the first message I recorded. The playback has distortion in it. I presume the distortion issue is what forced Bedol to sell these things so dirt cheap. It's a shame. It's a really nice unit.

That said, the distortion is not so bad to where one can't understand what's been said. I didn't buy it for its fidelity, so for me it does exactly what I hoped it would do, record thoughts for future reference. It's a very effective message center as long as you don't mind the sound of distorted (but reasonably easy to understand) voice. I will say though, less garbled would be nicer. Also, it's quite possible that mine is defective.

Hi there,

I received these products they work well thank you very much all of them will be presents for family!

Thanks,

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Sony ICD-BX800 2 GB Flash Memory Digital Voice Recorder (Silver)

I know I have to do this justice because I've been looking for a decent review of this product for the last hour. This is my first digital audio recorder and it's pretty amazing this simple gadget has so many functions.

I like the VOR function where it will automatically stop recording once the person stops talking. I'm using this for audio dictation so it's useful when the person talking will pause. It also has 534 hours of recording time which is much more than I can use but happy to have access to. For a first time user, this rocks because I used to use tapes and they suck. Now that I've gone digital I can have access to clear audio with all the cool functions I may need.

I promised I wouldn't go crazy over a fancy one because my needs were very basic and it didn't justify to over $100 price range.

The only drawback was lack of a USB port to connect to my computer but in fact I don't need it because I'm using it for my own dictation which do not demand a audio to text application. Also, the audio does not need to be shared through a digital file.

Overall, if you are looking for a budget recorder and don't want to buy into the salesman upselling you, then go for this one. You will not be disappointed.

I purchased mine at Walmart and after learning all it's features I have to say I'm extremely impressed.

1) This can connect to your PC via a mini male RCA pin on each end of the wire. The same wire you would use for an MP3 player.

2) Connect from recorder's earplug to your PC'S input on laptops (sound-card on Desktops) and Record "What You Hear". Of course you can control the bit-rate of the recording if you choose to.

3) You can also play it through your car stereo if it has an auxiliary input, many cars today do. Use the same wire you would use for an MP3 player.

4) You can make a recording and set an alarm to it to go off daily, weekly, etc. I made one screaming at myself to get out of bed and get to work. Even if it's off and the hold key is set to hold, the alarm still goes off daily.

5) I recorded a live 50's band just having the unit on our table and was really surprised how clear the recording was when I played it back in my car, the drums cymbal's were surprisingly accurate.

6) I enjoy the different folders and once you use them they're great to have.

7) You can also connect an auxiliary stereo microphone and record stereo and it will play back in stereo using an auxiliary source that's plays stereo. Make sure you have an RCA mini stereo plug.

8) When recording do not place it near anything that generates radio frequencies such as a PC or cell phone when transmitting, you will hear background noise if you do.

9) Batteries appear to last forever and in closing, I find this mini recorder absolutely amazing and considering all the features it has and its capabilities it truly is an amazing little recorder for its price.

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For several years now, Sony has offered several audio recorders in this style, and also more expensive versions like the ICD-PX820. One of the most important features has been a USB port that allowed you to download recordings to your PC using Sony software. It's a very logical feature, much the same as being able to download images from a digital camera to your PC. After I got the ICD-BX800 to the office where I use it, I was shocked to see the USB port was gone. This means you have no way to permanently store audio recordings. I can't imagine what the engineers at Sony were thinking. I may have to take this back and spend a lot more money for another recorder that allows me to keep copies of my recordings. This is really a critical flaw. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this product at all.

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This recorder is not the most sophisticated one on the market, but it does the job very well. I needed a basic recorder and this one is just that. The recordings are clear, even when the speaker is not a loud speaker. As long as you do not need to be able to load your recordings onto a computer, this recorder will be quite efficient for recording lectures, conversations, or what ever else you need the device for.

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Bought device to record conversation in meeting. Did not think would pick up other person's statements. Recording device was in side pocket of purse by me and on floor--in front of large wooden desk about 9-10 ft away from the other person. Obviously I am heard well, but can hear other person clearly when volume turned up. Surprising since the desk was closed on front and sides, and other person was not a loud speaker. Do not have volume turned up before recording. Tape player can come on when picking up purse if something hits play button---luckly this happened about 2 minutes after leaving that office.

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Flylink 16GB Popular HD 1080P Night Vision Recording Waterproof Watch

The company is useless. As everyone, the instruction is translated on Google, and they printed it. Their products are very cheaply made but they want to sell it directly in US market through Amazon and make the direct profit. But, their product does not stand up to the US market standard, and specially not having office or support in US. The worst part you cannot return their products for a refund. The pictures look great, but their product actually only suitable for the dollar store. Amazon should let all these factories sell their crap to US customers....

great watch, the night vision is not that good its not like the night vision displayed on the box

although it does not really matter , the night vision is good in close range , it has like a purple glow

as if a light is coming out of the watch but you cannot see with your eye.... the quality of day recording is great,

although it only records in 20 minute intervals , you can probably make 8 20 minute videos before the battery wastes

in turn i recommend a 16 or 8 gb one, there is a 32gb but for that one is better off using it as a usb for file transfers. the downside of it is that its confusing to know that its turned off or on.

at times

but i think that its still a good watch, its good if police harass you or to record a conversation etc

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I have purchased other video watches, and this one by far has the quality build, and stealthness needed to made it useful. I purchased this watch and was hesitant at the time because of all the bad reviews. I can assure you that this watch will do exactly what it says it will do. The night vision puts a purple glow on the video, where it does make easier to view night time video. The only thing I don't like is, I cant fix the time to read correctly. Other than that its a solid product!

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