Humax DRT800 DVD-R/RW Recorder/TiVo Series2 DVR Combo

• Digitally records up to 80 hours of programming onto the 80-GB hard drive
• Playback for DVD, DVD-R/RW, CD-R/RW, A/V CD
• Control live TV by pausing and rewinding it, and create slow-motion and instant replays of any channel at any time
• Season Pass function automatically records every episode of a favorite program all season long
• Browse up to 14 days of program data with the Electronic Program Guide

I don't want to go through all of Tivo's features, but they really are amazing, and aren't over hyped at all. This Humax unit has all of those features, plus a DVD-RW drive perfectly integrated into the rest of the Tivo interface. Burning a DVD is as easy as sticking a disk in the drive and selecting from a list which shows you want to transfer to DVD. Every show has a percent listed after the name, indicating how much of a DVD the show will fill up, and the top of the screen indicates how much space is left on the disc. There are no editing features on this, or any other Tivo based DVD-Recorder. If you pick a show to copy to DVD, it copies all of it.

While the disc is burning, the unit can still record another show and playback any show (except for any show being written to the disc).

I'm not 100% sure I like the image quality on this unit as much as on a standalone Tivo. I think it's slightly different, as the format it's writing has to be compatible with DVD players (obviously), whereas the "normal" Tivo format could be slightly more tweaked.

The remote is a slightly improved version of the normal Tivo "peanut" remote. The thumbs up/down buttons have been shrunk slightly (makes sense), and a few things have been slightly altered to allow for the new features this unit has.

Oh, I guess it's worth mentioning that ALL Tivo units don't really give as much recording time as they say on the box. This is an "80 hour" unit, which really means 80 hours at the "Basic" quality level, which is pretty poor (might be useable for news shows, stuff like Charlie Rose, etc., but it's not good enough for anything with much movement). Above that is "Medium" quality which gives about 55 hours recording time, and is also pretty bad. "High" quality gives about 27 hours, and is significantly better, as is "Best", which yields only 18 hours. Of course you can set up different shows to use different qualities-mix and match on both the hard drive and on DVDs, though you'll probably use "High" for most shows.

Pros:

*EXCELLENT interface, both for watching/recording TV shows, and for burning them to TV. I'm almost 100% certain there's nothing on the market that's easier to use. Unlike other DVD recorders or PVRs, this unit (and Tivo units in general) explain what's going on, and what different options mean IN ENGLISH, on your TV.

*The front screen displays the time if you want it (normal Tivos don't), and tells you what percent of the DVD has been burned if you're recording one.

*While you're burning a DVD the unit continues to record any scheduled shows, and you can watch any previously recorded shows. So the unit can actually be doing three things at once, all with no effort from the user-recording to DVD, recording a show from TV, and playing back a show. (The exception being you can't watch a show while it's being recorded to DVD).

Cons:

*This Humax, like *ALL* Tivo and ReplayTV units runs 24 hours a day. There's no true "off" or standby mode. Although it's quiet, this could be an issue if you plan to put it (or any Tivo/Replay unit) in a bedroom.

*Image quality appears to be different, possibly worse than stand alone Tivo units-probably to facilitate compatibility with other DVD players. I'm not even sure if I like it as well as the Sony VCR I bought this to replace.

*DVD-RW drive can use DVD-RW 4x media, but it only records to them at around 1x. That means that a full disc takes a little under an hour to burn. (But keep in mind that at "High" quality, you can fit 2 hours on a DVD, and it only takes >30 minutes to record an hour show-at "Medium" quality you can fit 4 hours, and it takes a little under 15 minutes for an hour show, etc.). Also bear in mind that you can continue using the unit for almost anything else while it's burning the DVD (a lot of competing products tie up the unit while they're burning a DVD)

Buy Humax DRT800 DVD-R/RW Recorder/TiVo Series2 DVR Combo Now

We've owned one of these for a few weeks now and love it! We already had TiVo but decided that being able to record DVDs was worth getting this machine.

At medium quality you get four hours' worth of shows on one disc. Other settings give you more or less disc space accordingly. When TiVo burns a disc it creates a DVD menu for all the shows on the disc. It allows you to burn the shows in the order you want and name the DVD as well.

Speed of burning depends on the speed rating on the disc; R/W discs take twice as long as R in our trials. The quality of the DVD recording reflects the quality the show was recorded at, so if you record at basic then that's what you'll get on the DVD as well (so don't be surprised if the DVD you burn is not "DVD quality" -it's just a storage medium reflecting the TiVo recording quality).

You can mix quality-level ratings on one DVD, and the manual says that shows needing more than one disc will be automatically created to span DVDs if necessary (although we have not tried this capability yet).

The DVDs we've burned played fine on both Windows and Macintosh computers as well as a Sony portable DVD player.

When watching a DVD with this machine, all the regular TiVo remote buttons perform the same, including the 8-second back-jump, which is great for catching a line or two of dialog just missed.

No drawbacks found so far. Highly recommended.

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I've owned an 80hr Series2 Tivo for years and just picked up the DRT800 shortly after it got released this past fall. I've never heard of Humax prior to owning this unit, but so far I've been quite happy with it.

Overall, when considering this unit, I think it depends on what you're looking for primarily: a Tivo or a DVD-recorder.

If you're primarily looking for a Tivo and would like the "added bonus" and convenience of a built-in DVD-recorder, the DRT800 is fantastic! It's everything everyone loves about Tivo, plus it makes it easy and convenient to dump your programs to DVD.

However, if your first priority is getting a DVD-recorder, and Tivo features are secondary, you might want to look at some stand-alone DVD-recorders. Or at the very least, weigh your decision a bit more carefully. The DRT800 (and the same probably goes for any Tivo with an integrated DVD-recorder) lacks some basic editing features for your programs, which might make a stand-alone a more suitable option for you.

Differences from a Series2 Tivo:

external display

The DRT800 features an external display. When playing a DVD, it displays the typical chapter and time information. When burning a DVD, it displays the percentage completed. Otherwise, it displays a clock. You can choose to make the display, dim, bright, or just turn it off.

DVD control buttons

Below the display are chapter skip, stop, play, etc buttons found on typical stand-alone DVD Players. These only control the DVD functions and do not control the Tivo software. Which brings me to the next cool addition...

front-mounted joystick

This is probably one of the neatest additions! Although, granted, I don't use this a whole lot, it's always irked me that normal Tivos don't have any buttons of any sort on the actual unit. This basically means that your ability to control the Tivo is entirely dependent on the remote control. But woe be the day that you misplace it, lose it, or break it (although you can always order a new one). The joystick is the equivalent of the directional control on the Tivo remote, and pressing the joystick inward acts as the Select button, giving you full control of the Tivo from the units front panel.

Composite Video Outputs & SPDIF Digital Audio Output

My previous Series2 Tivo didn't come with these and I don't know if regular Tivos come with them now, but these are clearly a must for any DVD Player. If your TV and/or receiver doesn't support these, you still have the standard A/V outputs at your disposal.

A/V, S-Video, & Firewire inputs

Hidden behind a drop-down panel are a set of front-mounted A/V, S-Video, and Firewire inputs with a second set of A/V & S-Video inputs located on the rear panel. These allow you to record from external devices (such as a Camcorder or VCR) onto your Tivo, which can then be burnt to DVD. This makes it perfect for digitizing old tapes and home movies or any other type of unprotected media. The Tivo allows you to assign a Title to the incoming recording. However, you cannot add a program description, which would have been nice.

DVD functions

This is probably the section you have the most questions on.

DVD interface:

A new "DVD" menu item now appears underneath the "Watch Live TV" option in the main menu. The on-screen display of this menu item changes, depending on what (if any) media is inserted into the disc tray. When you insert any disc into the tray, it is immediately scanned by the Tivo and the display is changed to DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RW, VCD, Audio CD or whatever appropriate format. Within the DVD menu selection, you will find appropriate play/record options.

Playing Disc Media:

The DRT800 supports DVD, VCD, CD, Photo CD, and MP3 CD. So far, I've played DVDs, VCDs, and standard redbook audio CDs with no issues. I haven't had the chance to try out any other formats yet. Playing DVDs and VCDs will look and feel exactly like watching any Tivo recorded program, with all the same playback features. My only main issue I have with playing Audio CDs is that, even if your Tivo is hooked up to your broadband connection, there is no attempt made to do a CDDB lookup to get track and artist information for the CD you're playing. Therefore, when you play an Audio CD, each the tracks will appear as "Track1", "Track2", etc and no information for artist or album title. This is a rather big disappointment.

Recording to DVD:

The only type of recordable media the DRT800 supports is DVD-R and DVD-RW.

A "Save to DVD or VCR" option conveniently appears in the information view of every recorded program on your Tivo, but you can also access recording features via the DVD option in the main menu. Prior to burning the DVD, you can select and order your programs and also add a title for your DVD. When you finally burn your DVD, the software will add a menu interface which looks almost identical to the regular Tivo interface.

Burn speed is pretty slow at 1x, but the upside is that while it's writing your DVD, you can continue using your Tivo for watching other pre-recorded programs. However, you cannot watch the program that is currently being recorded.

DVD capacity depends on the recording quality used for the original Tivo recording:

1 hr Best Quality

2 hr High Quality

4 hr Medium Quality

6 hr Basic Quality

This is basically the territory where you might not be too happy if you're looking for a good DVD recorder.

Negatives:

No program editing!

You can only burn the Tivo programs AS-IS. That means that you can't edit out commercials or any unwanted footage.

No resampling or re-encoding of program quality

I pretty much record everything at "High Quality". What that means, however, is that if I record a program on my Tivo that happens to be 2.5 hours, I would not be able to burn it onto DVD, because at that quality setting, the max capacity is 2 hours. It would be nice if the option were available to downsample a program to make it fit onto a DVD, albeit at a lower quality. Coupled with the inability to edit out unwanted footage like commercials (which might have made a 2.5hr program fit into 2hrs), this severely limits the DVD burning feature.

and for people with Home Media Option:

Can't burn programs recorded on another Tivo

Home Media Option (available at an additional cost) allows you to transfer programs from one Tivo to another. However, the DRT800 cannot burn programs created on another Tivo. This is apparently an encoding issue.

Other than that, the Tivo offers pretty much the same great features as all other Series2 Tivos. The peanut-shaped remote control layout is identical, but some of the buttons have been repurposed for DVD-related functions. If you connect your Tivo to your home network, you can look at pictures on your PC or stream MP3s from your PC.

Problem-wise, I did have one crash during the first week. While burning a DVD, the unit froze up and I had to unplug its power to start it back up again. But I haven't had any other problems during the months after.

If you do get this (or any other Tivo) and you have a broadband internet connection at home, I highly suggest getting a USB network adapter for your Tivo. I use a Linksys USB200M. Tivos are pretty finicky about which adapters they work with so make sure you check the tivo site if you decide to get a different brand. By default, Tivo uses a dial-up modem connection, but if you have a broadband connection, you may as well take advantage of it.

As a basic roundup:

PROS:

1) It's a Tivo!

Everyone says it and everyone's right: You gotta get a Tivo.

Once you get it, you'll never be able to live without it. :)

2) Convenient DVD-burning/playing

3) Easy recording from external sources

Easily record home movies onto your Tivo or DVD

4) Front-mounted control

CONS:

1) Hard Drive is LOUD!

This is definitely my biggest shocker. I don't know if it's just my unit, but this thing grinds like no other. My other Series2 was never this loud.

2) Limited DVD-recording features

I'm gonna guess it's by design, but the DRT800's greatest feature (DVD recording) is also its greatest weakness. The inability to edit out commercials (or at the very least resample your programs to make them fit onto disc) probably will ward off a lot of potential buyers.

3) Only comes in 80hr version

You can never have enough space and I wish this unit came with a bigger drive option.

Basically, it comes down to my earlier comment regarding what your first priority is. The DRT800's DVD-recording features aren't the greatest by far, but it's the a great extension to the already-awesome features of Tivo.

Personally, the DRT800 suits my needs perfectly. I don't record a lot of DVDs, but when I do, I appreciate the convenience. If the unit had a multi-disc changer, I would let it replace my current DVD player at the drop of a hat. Overall, I'm completely satisfied and don't regret buying it for a second.

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I bought my DVR 800 in November. The Tivo service is awesome but the Humax Box is terrible. There was a problem with the IR Sensor on the DVR. I had to push the remote control buttons several (10+) times before it made a connection. I called Humax, the customer service rep. said they are having problems with the IR sensor. She asked me if I had the latest software version on my machine...I did. So she sent me a new remote control. The remote was not the problem. I called back and they sent me a replacement (new or used) DVR800.

The problem still exists. With the replacement unit I have to press at least 5 times and I have to be physically close to the unit. It's very frustrating. I should not have to press the remote buttons more than twice to initiate a command.

I bought a 40hr Tivo unit for a relative and it works great. So I know it's not the Tivo service or the remote control.

The Hard Drive and the DVD "recorder" works great I was able to burn movies on a DVD and record shows with no problem. It's just that the unit does not pick up the remote control signal easily.

Not sure what I am going to do.

I've had this unit for a couple of weeks now, and it works as advertised. TiVo service is great, the interface is great, and the DVD burning of stored shows is great, too.

My biggest disappointment is the picture quality of the live programming. I'm using cable (granted not the cleanest source) and the picture is dark and grainy. The same cable run through my JVC SVHS VCR or eight-year-old JVC 32" TV is noticeably better. It's as if the tuner in this TiVo isn't as good. Either that, or the conversion of an analog signal over to digital causes your picture to deteriorate. However, another TiVo Series 2 box that this unit replaced produced a better picture than this HUMAX.

Overall, this is a great concept, and has allowed me to turn three components (DVD player, TiVo box, and DVD recorder) into one unit saving me space. However, considering the price, you'd hope that a regular TV picture, something this unit spends most of its time presenting, would be better.

Neewer Mini Microphone Recorder for iPod Touch 3rd Generation

• Mini Microphone Recorder for iPOD/iPhone (iPod Classic 120GB version is not compatible)
• Plug and Play device
• 3.5mm Nikel plated non-corrosive plug minimizes loss and enhances output quality.
• Plug Type: 3.5mm

I bought this product so that I could record research interviews with my 3G IPod touch. I wanted to be able to record them and save them as sound files so that I could transcribe and analyze them later.

This product works amazingly well when it is held within 1 foot of the speaker and is also able to perform at longer distances. It is able to pick out sounds that are closer to the mic, therefore you can still hear yourself on a recording if the TV is on in the background. I'm not sure how well it would work for recording lectures, especially if your professor is a soft speaker.

I did not have to download any extra software, but I did need to update my IPod to the newest version of Voice Recorder. It works great, although I do have to pull out the mic to hear my recording. This mic also works well with other apps that record and even take dictation (type as you talk). Very useful!

Only time will tell how long it lasts. Will be sure to update, as I have only been using it for 3 days thus far.

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I bought this microphone thinking that I could use it to talk to people on skype. I tested it out and saw that you cannot hear anything or anyone while the microphone is plugged in. The microphone plugs into the headphone jack. The really thing I found this app to be able to do is record voice memoes. If you're lookong for a microphone that you can interact with people with then buy a pair of headphones that have a microphone.

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Works as advertised for my iPod touch 3rd generation. Came quicker then i expected. I rate this five stars only because the product fulfills everything they claim and because i had already read the reviews and knew the drawbacks. i.e ...to hear your recording you must physically remove the mic from the auxiliary jack manually every time you want to hear something you recorded because the mic and headphones/speaker cannot both operate simultaneously, not even with an aftermarket audiosplitter running headphones in one jack and "Neewer mini mic" in the other, i tried! The black plastic part of product however DOES seem

like an inferior plastic hence the price, and seems as though it could easily be crushed and the seam where it comes together looks like it could easily be broken apart, but like with all small delicate electronics the key is to be GENTLE and this should last you, maybe not forever of course, but on the upside if you do break it it can affordably be replaced. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003IQ2L64/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_img http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003IQ2L64/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title

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I ordered this little microphone from SF Planet not expecting much for 3 dollars. I was originally planning on having to buy a voice recorder for at least 50 dollars. I was wrong. The mic works great. I would also like to point out that the original mic wasn't working. I just got very unlucky to get a malfunctioning one. Well i told SF Planet about this and they immediately responded letting me know that a new one was on the way at no charge. It arrived a few days later and works great. Thank you Amazon and a BIG thanks to SF Planet for the prompt and courteous customer service!

The mini microphone works great as a microphone. I have a 32gb 3rd Gen iPod. The title included (warning) because it took me a while to figure out that when the mini microphone is in, there is no sound output. The external speaker does not kick in. It took me a couple of times before I thought to pull out the microphone, and then I could hear the recorded messages. It would have been nice if the iPod could tell the difference between an external headset with microphone and an external microphone without output capability. That issue aside, it worked really well, and I have been using it for short dictations/memos for later review.

Behringer MIC2200 Component Rack

• Discrete mic/line input stages with soft mute +48 V phantom power
• Ultra-wide bandwidth from 2 Hz to 200 kHz for open sound
• Two fully parametric EQ's with adjustable center frequency, bandwidth and level
• Built-in high-quality vacuum tube for outstanding, ultra-musical tube sound
• Fully tunable and switchable 12 dB high-pass filter

I operate an alternative broadcast studio, we create music related content and broadcast it on the internet. We needed some stand-alone microphone preamps and after searching the internet I decided to give this Behringer unit a try.

This single rack space unit provides two independent microphone preamps, each of which is equipped with a single band of sweepable parametric equalization to adjust the timbre of the final output. Before I even tried the piece as a preamp I opened it up to look inside.

DO NOT EXPECT TO CHANGE THE TUBE

The tube is mounted in such a way that it is probably impossible to change it out for a different one.

Fortunately the preamps sound good with the stock tube. There is no schematic provided so it's really impossible to say how the tube is implemented in the circuit and how much it actually contributes to the tone of the unit.

HOW DOES IT SOUND

The preamps sound very good, full, rich, crisp highs, deep lows, it's a function of the microphone you connect to it as far as I can tell. For comparison I A-B compared this preamp to our very expensive API 3124+ preamp which is a 4-channel unit that we paid over $500 per preamp-channel for, that is 10-times the price per channel of this Behringer unit. I'm not going to say the Behringer beat the API but they were a dead heat in most listening tests. My female partner who is not too technical (but has great ears) thought the Behringer was just as good as the API. We also have a Grace m801 which is another over-$500/channel preamp, she definitely liked the Behringer sound better than the Grace (personally I think it was the EQ on the Behringer that affected her choice when comparing to the Grace).

If my API or Grace preamps go toast I will definitely have them repaired. If the Behringer dies, it's going in the trash and I'll buy another one. It's simple economics and at $100 for two preamps that sound as good as they do these are really nice. They sound good. They have an industry standard packaging. The input and output connectors are excellent. It even has a line input mode so you can add a little tube distortion to a line-level signal (I have not tried this because we don't need it).

We broadcast between three and ten, live one-hour shows per week using this preamp for vocals. NOBODY in our listening audience has ever complained and none of them know we switched from our high-end pieces to this very inexpensive preamp. Now our expensive preamps are back over in our production studio and are used for recording tracks that play behind our live performances during the shows.

RELIABILITY

We have not had any problems with this unit. It is warmed up for an hour before each broadcast, I've never heard any noise or bad stuff come from it. We have A LOT of Behringer gear in our studio, it lives right along side gear from Neve, API, Allen and Heath, UA, Meyer, Lexicon and Apogee. Out of 103 pieces of Behringer equipment I've bought we've had two pieces that had problems and those occurred right out to the box. I had much worse reliability with Crown amplifiers than Behringer products and I really like Crown amps, regardless of the problems, they just sound so good. In my experience the Behringer products have provided professional results for an amazing low price. That's a win-win in my book.

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This is a microphone preamplifier. I love the thing and don't own a microphone. You see, it is also a line preamplifier, and it says so right on the front panel. Put this item together with a Behringer EP 4000, a source such as a CD player, and a set of high capacity speakers and the result is an old fashioned stereo (yes, you only have two ears) system that is remarkable and remarkably affordable. I put an Ultragraph Pro in the rig between the preamplifier and the power amp as I thought I might like some equalization (newspeak for tone control). This thing rocks out. The Crown and Phase Linear systems of the past were anemic in comparison. It's hard to buy good two channel gear for listening to music in this day of mp3 mania and "high quality" earbuds. My young friends who have heard this configuration have been impressed and amazed. Behringer equipment is really good and easy to buy.

Read Best Reviews of Behringer MIC2200 Component Rack Here

I originally bought a Rode NT-1 microphone and the AVID M-Box Mini for connection to my digital audio workstation (DAW). Maybe I chose my components poorly, but the AVID M-Box Mini didn't seem to have the guts to properly drive the signals from the Rode microphone. It could be an impedance mismatch. It could be that the M-Box Mini didn't supply a true 48V phantom power to the microphone (since the M-Box Mini is powered only by USB connection). It could be that the pre-amplifier of the M-Box Mini just doesn't have the horsepower.

Regardless, the problem I was having was that I had to nearly max out the gains on the M-Box Mini just to get an acceptable input level into the DAW. When setting the gains this high on the M-Box Mini, the result was that I was getting far too much "P" and "T" pops, even with a high quality pop-screen. Having the gains maxed also resulted in every room imperfection showing up in my recordings.

Solution? Add a more substantial microphone pre-amplifier in line between the Rode NT-1 and the M-Box Mini. The Behringer Ultragain Pro MIC2200 fit the bill. Now, moderate gains on the Behringer allow for minimal gains on the M-Box Mini and MUCH cleaner sound quality going into the DAW. The lesson learned? As in all things audio related, your best bet for sound quality is to keep the gains as low as possible or you risk introducing noise from a variety of sources.

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This is a wonderful product for the price! Ive used other tube preamps that cause terrible humming at low input gain. A little difficult to set up properly, but if you are running an eq separate, then you only have to adjust the input and output. I dont care much for the tube display with led lights behind it, but it doesn't bother me either. Behringer makes great products at incomparable prices.

Save 23% Off

I was so surprised at what I got for such a great price. This is a must have for any studio. When this breaks down, I will buy another!!! Thanks, Amazon!!!

Polaroid ID450-WHITE Wi-Fi Digital Video Recorder (White)

I got this to do a homespun Youtube project. While the video quality is better than I would have expected, and the wifi feature is a great idea, this little gadget is just hard to hold onto. There's no real handle, and you have to hold your fingers around the width of the device while recording. It does have a tripod screwhole at the bottom, which would have been a godsend if I had had my tripod with me the day I used the camera. The other thing is, when you depress your thumb onto the record button, it's easy to obscure the lens with your index finger on the other side. You have to slide your index finger down, which is bit awkward. The touch screen menu has easy to understand functions, but it is tough to select the icon buttons, because they are very small. But it's inexpensive, has very good video and sound quality, so if you don't mind the other issues, it may be a good choice for you.

takes great movies easy to carry took it on a trip to st martin got some great movies of the island

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I have only been trying it out a few days. I'm not finding the quality very good with low lighting. Did not want to use it for the holidays because was not happy with the few test photos and video I took. I am still testing the cam but so far not happy with it.

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The Seller was great and got the product out right away, this review is about Polaroid and their customer service. I purchased the iD450 in white as a Christmas gift for my daughter. I thought that even though the white one cost more, it would be appreciated more than black. Once opened, we went through the instructions and set it up. Unfortunately after 20 minutes of use, it died, never to come back to life. Even when plugged in to charge, there were no signs of life, no lights, nothing. Thinking the battery might be dead, we left it plugged in for several hours via the regular outlet and then several more via USB, just in case maybe the adapter was bad. Still nothing. Called Polaroid later the next day and technical support couldn't figure it out and said to ship it back, which I did, at my expense. Several weeks later I was sent a black one. Upon calling Polaroid again, was told I was sent the black one because the white one was on backorder and because they sent a camera back, the case is closed. At the end of the day, I paid more for a white camera that was broken, only to send it back at my expense and receive the less expensive black one. Polaroid is not customer centric and will never receive my business again.

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This camera looks great from the outside but it has some serious problems. The fist problem I had was with the back. It falls off all of the time and after 20 or 30 times doing so, the last time it was lost. Normally you'd contact the company and buy another. Polaroid never responded to any of my request and as a result, I have a backless ID450 and both the memory card and battery are hanging in the breeze. Problem number 2 is the touch screen. In a word, it sucks. Plan on hitting everything 4 times to make it work. Problem number 3 is that you can play the HDMI out to watch or record to a recorder but you can not hide the video controls that are constantly displayed with the picture. That means you can only put clean videos on a DVD via a computer and a DVD making program that can work in the AVI format. Simply put, it is a pain in the ass...

I'd advised against purchasing this camera but if those problems not bother you, the best of luck...

Smart Black Box Drive Recorder

Edit: I've now had this recorder over two years and it's still going like a champ. They now have an improved BX1500 model out. Twice a year the thing beeps because it does not initialize the SD card upon start up but turning the key on and off has cleared it each time.

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Edit: I've now had this recorder over one year and it's going like a champ. Excellent!

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If you don't know, this device is used to record video while you drive your vehicle for accident evidence purposes. One lie and you could be paying thousands of dollars when somebody else is at fault or worse yet be seriously hurt and having an insurance company not living up to its promises.

This review is based on my first impressions after installing, recording, and using the the software to configure and review videos, but not extended use. I will add pertinent information if I feel differently or if the device fails.

I have purchased two of these type of devices in the past. The first one cost 400 dollars and clamped on the rearview mirror. The second was similar to this unit in that it was small and simple with no viewing screen and cost 100 dollars. Buying one of these devices can be quite a pain and disappointment. The first rearview mirror type was good enough, but it weighed so much it ruined my mirror ball and socket mount and essentially would not stay in the up position after about six months. In addition the screen would turn on EVERYTIME I started my car so I was forced to manually turn it off. This became a big pain up until the point that my mirror ball and socket would not hold it up any longer. In addition to these problems the unit's buttons started to stick and basically I blew 400 dollars on a clunky embarrassingly large piece-o-junk. The second 100 dollar unit was made in china and upon taking it apart two weeks after purchase I completely understood why it would not function when the car was hot (90deg day). The inside looked like a mess with low quality workmanship. So at this point I've dropped half a kilobuck and don't have a decent recorder.

At this point I started thinking very deeply about what I wanted in a dash DVR/accident recorder. At first I insisted that it have a screen so I could show the cop at the accident scene, but have since back pedaled on this requirement based on the tradeoffs. I have looked at many of these units and ultimately they either record video files a computer can play (avi's, mp4), record files that software has to be used to review (the smarty black box is like this), and or it has an on-board screen for review. Most of them use removable flash memory. I'll add that the smarty's software allows you to create avi's that both my mac and pc play.

Here is my list of attributes:

1. It must be very small and unobtrusive so it does not block driver visibility and is not obvious from the exterior of the vehicle. Who wants to be the dork with the big bunch of electronics on their dash? Plus many of them will prevent you from using a sun shade. Higher visability = more theft.

2. It must automatically start recording when power is applied (power port or hardwire into fuse box) and not require me to touch it to turn off a screen or start a process.

3. It must overwrite the flash media automatically when it runs out of storage

4. It must warn me if it is malfunctioning (buzzer)

5. It must have a very wide angle lens to maximize field of view (angle you can see)

6. It must be reliable

7. must be able to review files at accident scene

8. Basically I should be able to completely forget that I have this device in my vehicle and only worry about it when its memory card needs replacing and it warns me or I want to look at video.

9. It must be very easy to install and have a reliable mount that does not fall off every other day.

I finally found the smarty black box and it's almost perfect. based on my initial assessment, I would say its size is very manageable with frankly a brilliant mechanical design and mount. It uses what appears to be high performance 3M adhesive tape for mounting and it appears to be VERY sturdy once installed. I'm guessing it's going to stay put, but I'll come back and add edits to the end of the review if it turns out to work poorly. The threaded ring (what you see in the picture is three parts assembled) that holds the body to the mount loosens and allows you to rotate the body (and lens) at very fine increments (small mating teeth in body mate with teeth in mounting ring). The software allows you to configure it to record constantly when powered on or record only an event as indicated by the g-sensor shock or user button push. I want to record constantly. Another reviewer complained that when used on constant record mode (when powered) that it will only do 15 frames per second. I think the reviewer is mistaken to think he/she needs more than 15 frames per second. First of all this is merely an evidence recorder, not a movie recorder to watch on your TV with smooth playback. Since the flash media will eventually need to be replaced due to being overwritten thousands of times, recording at slower frame rate makes the flash memory last longer and reduces costs and hassle. I set mine to 10 frames per second because I think it will provide me with enough video to make my case while not "wearing out" the recorder. It starts recording automatically, it automatically overwrites files if configured with the software to do so, it has a buzzer that indicates an "event" or g-shock (sensitivity is adjustable with software) as well as flash memory failure buzzer, the lens is extreme wide angle....... basically the smarty black box is everything I wanted except I can't review the files on scene.

Considering all the options I think the smarty black box is a poor man's excellent recorder. I recommend this recorder and if you must have the ability to playback video on scene buy a cheap netbook (software only works with windows). All of the other cheaper recorders I have seen fail miserably in multiple areas.

I do agree with another reviewer that the video quality is marginal, but that could be in part due to the fact that the lens is super wide angle which introduces distortion. I would rather have wide angle over less distortion purely for the fact I want to record evidence of what happened, not necessarily confirm a license plate number (it's a trade off). You can not make out a license plate because the video quality resolution/lens is not optimized for detail, rather wide viewing area. The other review's comment on sensor quality has merit, but I think the price and features are optimized. It certainly could use a better lens and sensor, but I'm not sure I want to pay 50% more for that. This is basically a 200-300 dollar recorder that will allow me to say "no I didn't run that light" or "that person swerved out of their lane not me" or "I was not speeding". The nighttime video is below average, but I still defend the configuration as well designed cost/video quality. More frames per second and more resolution means more data and shorter flash memory life.

Keep in mind what you want this device to do and how much you want to pay for it. Sure it would be nice to make out fine details, but for the most part I want a basic evidence recorder that shows my lane position, speed, stop light signal status, the other drivers behavior. If you want a full blow evidence collection system you need a remote mount DVR, several cameras, and lots of installation grief. This device on the other hand is a breeze to install and use, does not tear up your vehicle to install, and stays out of your way while you are driving..... that pretty sweet.

I'm expecting it to be reliable based on external construction/design and software quality, but that's admittedly a guess. If it gives me any problems I'll edit my review.

Also the software is very nice.

It's a good item to have in any car I've read and heard many stories about other people trying to get $$$ from your car insurance by simply backing up into the front of your car (for example, while you're standing behind them at traffic light) and then trying to claim that it was you who actually rear-ended them. You'll need a lot of luck trying to prove to your insurance company that it was not your fault, unless you have witnesses... or a video camera such as this.

About the camera itself: pretty solidly built (even though it's plastic) and very compact, the software which is used to play back the files and modify camera's settings is very easy to use and has many useful features which are explained well in the properly translated user's manual (overall much better than the software which comes with other similar cameras made by different companies). The video quality is pretty similar to other cameras of this type good during daylight, bad during dark time of the day. Resolution is pretty average acceptable for this type of camera, though I'd really prefer (and would gladly pay more for it) a higher resolution, at the very least 720p. The current model seems to record at maximum of 15 fps (frames per second) in a continuous record mode at a 640x480 resolution, which is somewhat strange considering the camera can actually record at 30 fps at same resolution but only in an event record mode (which is not that useful to me since I prefer the camera to record continuously). It cannot record audio, but that's a good thing, at least for me, since I tend to say many bad words when I'm driving alone and someone in front of me is driving very poorly. Overall I'd say I'm satisfied with my purchase, though as I said before, I really wish the manufacturer would improve it by using a better image sensor, with higher resolution and better light sensitivity.

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The review from M. Smith is pretty complete and accurate but I'll just add a few of my own observations about the SBX-1100 recorder. The device appears well-built and functions as described. I give it 4 stars rather than 5 because the resolution, at least using the 170-degree lens, is not quite good enough to read the license plate of the vehicle just in front of you at a stoplight. In my opinion, a data recorder of this type should be able to resolve a license plate as a basic point of data. (A sample youtube video with the 90-degree lens does show resolved license plates when near.) My only complaint with the SBX-1100 firmware is this... Events flagged by G-Sensor or the Record button should cause that video to be stored in a protected folder so that the events are not overwritten when the memory card becomes full. You can configure the device to stop recording when the memory card is full but it makes more sense to me that the Events should be protected while unflagged video is overwritten.

The SBX-1100 by KCI Communications appears to be the same device sold elsewhere as the Smarty BX1000 Plus by D-TEG. It's apparently manufactured in Korea. I've been disappointed that KCI Communications has not responded to email inquiries asking a few questions, such as Is the 90-degree lens available as a user-installable option? Another email about the availability of the spare parts kit has also gone unanswered. A phone call might quickly get the answers for me but if KCI offers email support on their website they should respond to email.

The PCViewer software appears to be made by the Yupiteru Co. of Japan. I have two complaints about the software: The Search For Events function searches only the currently selected file not all Loaded files. It seems it would be rather trivial to search all the loaded files so you don't have to search each one separately when looking for Events flagged in Normal mode. Also, the PCViewer main window cannot be re-sized. Using my netbook I had to use the ALT-M (Move) function just to get access to the progam menu. Both complaints are trivial and otherwise the software works very well and the integration with Google Maps and Google Earth is well-done.

On a 1,000 mile, 4-day trip the SBX-1100 seemed to work fine in Normal mode. I used a 16GB SD card and backed the data up every evening on a netbook computer. A cursory review of the video indicates pretty much every bit of driving was captured by the camera, and speed and location data were very accurate. On average, about 8GB of video and data was captured each day. Typically it wouldn't be necessary to backup all the data, especially the video, everyday just any particular stuff you want to keep or review. I did it just to see if I could do it practically.

Overall I'm satisfied with the SBX-1100 as a data recording device for the car. The competing Itronics ITB-70G Car Black Box Dash Camera Video and Audio Recorder with GPS Record device appears to be very similar in features with the addition of audio but I don't particularly like the looks of it.

When mounting the SBX-1100, make sure it is level to minimize the fish-eye distortion caused by such a wide-angle view. If the camera lens is aimed too low the horizon will curve up at the ends. If aimed to high, the horizon will curve down on the ends.

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I purchased one of these units about a year ago. I'd review the log files and video every once in a while to make sure it was working. Then a few months ago I noticed that the date/time tag on the files was not showing the date correctly. Most files showed a date in 2008, and a time of 7:00 pm, while only a few showed a correct date/time.

I tried contacting the support people at KSI.com. No response. I tried calling. Always went to voicemail. If I ever have to use these files as supporting evidence, it won't do me much good if it doesn't have a good date/time tag.

So I've had it with this unit, and the company that sells them. I'll look for something from a company that doesn't forget about you as soon as they have your money.

Update on 9 Feb 2012

I kept calling their "Help" line. Even stepped through their electronic phone book, and left voicemail with every number that had a person associated with the number. Still no response.

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I've left it running by accident, multiple times, for hours on end in direct sunlight with blistering heat & high humidity. It records with no errors. It acts like a "security blanket" on long trips to Chicago and Dallas, because I know I've got a discreet eyewitness.

My ONLY minor complaint is that the 12v plug doesn't include an on/off switch. Wish list: a dark translucent sticker to cut down the intensity of the lights on the back because they can distract my passengers at night. The lack of audio doesn't bother me as I've used a cockpit voice recorder for years.

JVC Everio GZ-MG730 7.2MP 30 GB Hard Drive Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (Includes Everio Dock)

I really like this camera. It is compact, shoots nice stills and has good sound qualities. The interface is intuitive and I was tweking settings right out of the box with little or no reference to the manual. It is perfect for quick family videos and fits in a small camera bag, making it easy to transport. The problem is when you shoot long videos and want to edit them down. I have found that for my purposes the .MOD format this camera produces is old and has to be converted to .avi or .wmv for the sort of editing I want to do. That means a very long conversion process through the supplied software, which I did not find particularly usable or helpful. The autofocus also has issues indoors in medium lighting and the image stabilization is not the best out there. If you want a happy cam to grab shots of the family and friends, then this is a really good buy. Otherwise, spend the extra and go for a unit that has more flexibility with its video outputs. I started out loving this camera , but every day I find something else I dislike about it.

I got his camera for $600, and it was a great purchase. First, the camera is very compact which makes it easy to carry around. Even with its size, it has a 30GB storage and a 10x opitical zoom. I like the f/1.8 Konica Minolta lens, which focuses very quickly and takes some great-looking still photos. The 7-megapixel sensor also helps with its recording. Videos are recorded in MPEG format so it is very esay to transfer onto your computer for editing; no conversion necessary. Colors were very pleasing and white balance was also good. Definitely worth purchasing

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I love this product. 7M pixel in such low price and it performs very well!

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Panasonic RR-US006 IC Digital Voice Recorder

If you take multiple notes and have to be able to later review them quickly this unit can save hours of time and frustration once in the cradle you can jump back and forth, "rewind" and "fast-forward" with ease. Also, no more fumbling with microscopic controls and indecipherable output, the cradle controls are large enough to use easily, and the internal speaker provides much clearer replay.

I don't know if Panasonic still makes these I bought mine refurb, but they do show up on eBay from time to time.

Update:

FYI part # RR-QR005, which shows up on eBay form time to time, had the same form factor and hand-held features, but does NOT interface with the RR-US006 base unit.

JVC HR-XVC20U Hi-Fi DVD-VCR Combo , Black

• Space-saving DVD/VCR combo player with MP3, WMA, and JPEG CD support and hi-fi VHS sound
• 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)
• RF video output accommodates older TVs
• Multi-brand remote control operates the combo player and most televisions

I'll start off with the good points -Playback is uniformly excellent, and I've had absolutely zero problems with playing DVDs, VCDs, even SVCD on CD-RW. The remote took over most of the functions of my TV remote after extremely minimal setup. The system itself looks nice, and is generally well laid-out, with a few carefully chosen controls on the front panel. The MP3 playback mode is a particularly nice feature. I've owned this for several months now, and so far it's been perfectly reliable.

Now the disappointments. The remote is frequently a pain to use -the labels on most of the option buttons are tiny, confusing, and occasionally misleading, and there seems to be no logical order to them. The most forehead-slapping example would have to be the buttons which choose subtitles and audio tracks -they're *miles* from each other, and neither one is clearly labeled as to its purpose... Audio switching is done by repeatedly pressing "A. Monitor", for example, and subtitle switching is the alternate function of a button whose primary function I don't remember since I've never used it. Glow-in-the-dark buttons would also have been a nice feature for those of us who like to watch movies with the lights out.

DVD+/-R is iffy at best, with some sound problems, and some discs completely refused. If playing home-burned movies is a priority, look elsewhere.

One more thing I wish I'd known -I had been hoping that with the S-VHS emulation mode, that I'd be able to play the VCR through the S-Video port. As it turns out, this is impossible. This made wiring this thing to my TV and stereo a serious logistical challenge. Effectively this is two seperate appliances sharing the same case and a few of the same outputs -it will save you some room in your entertainment center, but it won't save you any wiring. This is the case with most, if not all, of these VCR/DVD combos, though, so it's not exactly a strike against it, I'd just like to know why it's apparently so difficult to handle S-Video gracefully on these things.

This is probably not a good choice for anybody serious about home theatre, but is certainly a good performer for folks who just want a reliable, up-to-date replacement for an aging VCR, say.

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We were not looking to push the limits of the home entertainment frontier. We just wanted a reliable combo player due to our limited space. This player has worked out very well. Nothing has fallen off or started rattling since we purchased it several months ago, contrary to another review I've read. Not to mention, it has received much use (more Teletubbies than any human should have to endure). This has been a very affordable and reliable player for us.

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I have had this unit for 2 months now. I love love love it! No problems. Works like a top and it has been used almost 24 hours a day during that time. Bought a Magnovox similar unit and hate it. I like this one some much I'm online buying another for my bedroom to replace the Magnovox.

This unit plays ANYTHING! that spec that made me buy it in the first place. Check before buying because many units are limited in what they will read on the DVD side. The second reason is the JVC name.

The person that had the bad DVD door, so sorry. Any manfacturer can have a lemon. Don't blame all of this model.

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After about six months, had the same problems as other buyers DVD player freezes. Sometimes restarts, sometimes doesn't. Emailed their customer service, but only got a line that my warrenty was up. There must be some systemic problem with how JVC is putting these together I can't believe they don't know this. In either case, I have given up on using it as a DVD player and I'm in the market for a new one. Of course, I will never again be purchasing anything JVC.

We've had this device for five months now, and have not had any problems with it. It plays all of our videotapes, CDs, and DVDs, including home-made CD-Rs and DVD+Rs. The VCR accepts and ejects tapes smoothly with no hang-ups. My only complaint is that the remote is a bit of a headscratcher sometimes. I think it could have been laid out a little better, and that's the only thing that keeps me from giving it 5 stars. But the machine itself functions fine. We aren't electronic experts or anything, but we rent a lot of DVDs, and this machine has suited our needs perfectly.

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.

Philips 9750 Digital Desktop Transcription System

I think the product would have been great if it wasn't outdated already. It will only read SD cards up to 2GB which you can hardly find any more since they are all 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, etc. You can find smaller SD cards on the internet for now but the way things are progressing, it would only be a matter of time before you wouldn't be able to get those either. Plus, that didn't help me because our office already had 3GB cards and up. Also, with the amount of money that they want for this DIGITAL machine, it needs to be updated to fit the capacity for which everything is going. So...... with that being said, they need to figure out how that machine can read higher SD cards. Being an at home transcriptionist, I would have loved to have been able to stick in my SD card and go!!!

As a previous poster already stated this unit only supports up to 2GB SD cards. Unless Philips releases a firmware update for SDHC cards or you have a large supply of 2GB or less SD cards stay away from this unit. Other than this major shortcoming, it's a pretty good device.

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Works great at my law office to replace cassette system. Secretary was able to use this just like the old system, but it uses SD cards instead of cassettes.

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Q-See QSM30D2PK Dome Decoy Cameras 2 Pack

I would not install the battery, as I've never seen a real camera blinking... Otherwise a good value! Mix with real cameras to get the security you need with the impression of a much bigger system.

These look OK and are simple enough to install. The paper drill whole guide is wrong in that the suggested holes are in the wrong place. They indicate that the holes should be drilled in the 'open' position, when they should actually be drilled in the 'closed' position otherwise the lens does not look straight ahead.

Don't insert the batteries either, real dome cameras do not have flashing red lights.

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GoVideo PVP4040 Pocket Cinema Portable A/V Player with 3.5-Inch LCD

• Plays MPEG-4 audio/video, MP3, MPG, A/VI, MP4, DAT, WMV, ASF; records MPEG-4 in real time (using included transcoder software)
• Stores up to 110 minutes of video internally; offers SD Card slot for additional storage and photo viewing right out of your SD camera
• Rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides 5 hours audio listening, 2 hours video playback
• Includes USB cable, audio cables, software, a carrying case, rechargeable battery, charger/adapter, and earbud headphones
• Measures 3.7 x 3.1 x 0.7 inches (W x H x D)

Goto this Yahoo Group below to get the lastest goodies about this PVP404 unit. Like the hard to find firmware updates.. Join the group and stick around!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/GoVideoPVP4040/

CONS: the battery life needs to be improved, but folks are already on the case locating cheaper battery alternatives to the Govideo OEM battery..

F.

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I bought this a year ago, and was very disapointed. It had very few features, was hard to use, and SD cars cost so much, it was worthless. Now, there is a firmware update you can get through yahoo groups, that adds all the features of the expensive units, and SD cards are reasonable. I love my new year old toy. You can record video with a timer, and on a 512mb SD card hold 6 hours of video. Everything you need is in the box. Very satisfied. Life is good when the stuff you already own gets better..........

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Although I purchased a different unit, the GoVideo 8440 Portable DVD Player, it played exactly 6 movies before dying. GoVideo replaced it with a refurbished model, which arrived in non-working condition. In addition, the original 90 day warranty is still in force, GoVideo refused to extend it to the refurbished unit. Sitting on hold now with customer service waiting for a answer... I heartily recommend NOT BUYING any GoVideo products unless you are prepared for wasted money and time on hold with customer service.

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Gives a new life to family movies

Reviewer: Gavin Wilson from Thames Ditton, Surrey United Kingdom

It's fascinating to contrast my experience of this device with the reviews of others. This in itself is testament to the flexibility of the machine.

My situation is that I had several Video8 cassettes gathering dust. They contained priceless material -films of my children growing up -but I hadn't got around to watching them for a while. I was also aware that the non-digital format was outdated, and that viewing the films would become increasingly more difficult over time, as the tape ages and manufacturers stop making compatible players.

But with this device, you just plug the camcorder in, press 'play' on the camcorder and 'record', and you're transfering all your analogue material across into digital format. (They come across as .ASF files which Windows Media Player recognises.) Brilliant!

Rather than copy a whole Video8 tape across as one huge file, I tend to break it up into five-minute segments, simply by pressing the 'stop' button, then re-starting.

Anyone with old analogue video material should get one of this type of device. Judging by the other reviews here, the PVP4040 seems as good a device as any.

Most people should pass on this device.

It is probably about 1 or 2 years behind the current portable a/v technology; the screen quality is barely adequate for video or picture playback; the interface is awkward to use; the battery life is short (maybe 45 minutes for video playback and picture viewing); and finally, it is difficult to encode video clips for this device.

Cool concept, small form factor, nice design, but it does not work very well.

SIRIUS Stiletto 2 Portable Satellite Radio with MP3 Player

I thought about writing a review for some time now. I wanted to make sure I was out of the honeymoon phase before I wrote about this device. I have had it for over a couple of weeks now and feel like it's time.

I purchased the Stiletto 2 as a late Christmas present to myself. I had signed up originally for the 3-day trial and loved the radio selections. I live Montana and our radio stations are pretty decent, but we have a lot of commercials. So, being able to listen to music without commercials is fantastic.

I wasn't sure what device to purchase, so I started reading. I had read a number of reviews (particularly the poor ones) about the Stiletto 2, but I liked the portability aspect, so I purchased it.

I now understand their complaints. They want better reception from the device itself, better/more comfortable headphones, etc. I agree the reception on the device isn't the best when indoors, but I purchased the home kit and that significantly improved reception.

When I am away from my home dock, I connect through Internet radio and it works just fine.

I also bought the car kit, but haven't had a chance to install it yet. I was able to get reception in my car without it though, so I imagine the car kit will only improve upon that.

The user interface is quite easy to navigate and the controls on the device are fairly intuitive. I like to test devices without reading the manual first to see how easy it is to figure out and the Stiletto 2 was pretty straightforward. I had to refer to the manual to understand the recording options, but otherwise, it was simple.

The recording option is fantastic. I set up a number of recurring sessions in the middle night. In the morning, I can then listen to them when I am working out, running errands, etc. I think this is probably one of the best features of the device. I have 15+ hours of recorded content and have used only 35% of the internal memory. Replay is fantastic. You can skip through songs just like your MP3 player and for me, that's a great option.

The size of the device is just right. It fits in my pocket, but it's not so small that I am afraid it's going to get broken or lost.

The battery life has been more than adequate. It's rated at like 4+ hours for Satellite or Internet radio and 20+ for recorded or library selections. I can attest that I have listened to it for many hours without running out of power. I wouldn't mind having a spare battery, but it's probably overkill.

As for the additional SD card slot. It's too bad it's under the battery. When you install an SD card, it's like you are putting in RAM in your laptop. This is not simple or intuitive for a lot of people (thinking of my mom here). I am sure there was an architectural reason, but it's too bad it's not just inserted on the side like a number of cell phones.

I have owned a number of musical devices in my life, 5+ iPods, a Zune, Rio, CD players, Walkmans, etc, but I can say this device has really reminded me of how music can be such a wonderful part of your life. I listen to my radio non-stop, and I wouldn't have it any other way now.

As the subject states, I really wanted this to work.

For those who read through my review, I want to make it clear that I am a Sirius fan. I've had a Sirius satellite radio in my car for two years now and I cannot imagine driving around without it.

Last year I accepted a new job that puts me on the train every day instead of in the car for my morning commute. I've missed my satellite radio since then so for the last few months, I've had my eye on the Stiletto. I decided to wait for the Stiletto 2, and I finally took the plunge over the weekend.

Out of the box, the radio looks very attractive and fits perfectly in my hand. The large display is colorful, bright, and easy to read and navigate. The controls are very easy to operate. Overall, a very intuitive design.

The radio is feature packed. You can import your own music into the device via included software. In my opinion, there is plenty of space for stored content out of the box (about 100 hours worth) and I think that will acommodate most people. For those of us with large music and audio book libraries, the added micro-SD card slot is a nice touch. Another feature was wireless connectivity. Some claimed they had problems with frequent disconnects. I didn't have this problem.

Activation was pretty simple, however I couldn't grab a signal indoors, I needed to stand outside on the front porch to complete the activation and the initial download of the channels. I was hoping this wasn't going to be a typical problem, as I even had the antenna headset plugged in. By the way, I've heard rumblings about the Altec Lansing headphones being uncomfortable and I would have to agree. I think Sirius could have made a better choice in headphones, since they seem to be a requirement for this device to get any kind of a signal.

Now, on to reception. Let me make it perfectly clear that I live in the outer suburbs of Chicago. I live near a small city called Crystal Lake, and although is not very close to downtown Chicago, I wouldn't consider myself as living in the "boondocks" either. I also want to make it clear that I purchased this radio so I could listen to it on the train. Those of us who have long train commutes would appreciate having such ability to listen to their iPod or satellite radio. And since my commute is up to 1.5 hours each way (up to 3 hours round trip commute) one could see how I would become excited about bringing my Sirius programming with me on the train.

When I first put the headphones on and fired up the unit, I was standing in the depot after having just finished mixing my coffee. No signal. Okay, so I walked outside and with a cloudless sky, I was able to get two bars and I was able to listen to the radio. I walked across the tracks and went to one of the open-air shelters (it was a particularly cold day and there are warmers installed overhead in the shelter.) As soon as I entered the shelter, I lost signal. Huh, okay. I decided to test it. I walked out of the shelter and received signal again. I walked around and although uninterrupted, I walked under a tree and the signal was interrupted. I started to become discouraged.

So, the train arrived and I boarded, selected a window seat and settled in. I was very disappointed (heartbroken, would be a better term) that I could not get a signal for pretty much the entire train ride. I tried moving the headphone wire closer to the window, I tried leaning my head closer to the window, tried holding the unit closer to the window, but the screen continuously displayed "Acquiring Signal." It was only when we were a couple miles from downtown that I was able to get a signal, but I attribute this to retransmitters that I hear people talking about.

I realized the same results on the way home. I tried it again the next day, this time sitting on the upper row of seats but to no avail. Since this purchase was primarily for entertainment while on the long train commute, I have decided to return the radio. I suppose I'll look into XMs option or just get an iPod. I will keep a sharp eye out for future offerings from Sirius and XM. I haven't given up on my quest to bring satellite radio with me where ever I go.

I give this product two stars, for the added features and well designed menues and navigation. It's too bad that I couldn't use it for its intended purpose, hence the deduction of three stars.

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This item is a homerun. I had the first Sirius Stiletto and that, while a nice item, was a little limited with it's WIFI connection and also it was a little large.

Sirius hit a homerun with this, the much improved SL2. To start off, the WIFI capability has been expanded to support 802.11b/g and also will work with most wireless hotspots. Plus, you can now enter a username and password to connect where you could NOT do this on the first Stiletto.

In addition to it's upgrade, it is also almost 30% smaller that the first Stiletto yet this item does not feel cheap. It is very solid, yet very small. It is slightly larger than a Motorola Razor phone. The feel of the device is also very nice with the all black look and the rubberized plastic covering on the back that will prvent scratches when set down.

Overall, the performance of the device has been 100% perfect with no lockups, freezes or issues. Plus, the exandable memory is GREAT. You can add up to an 8gb micro sd card making this a 10 gig MP3 player (2 GB internal memory).

Sirius has also updated the channel logos and wallpaper screens for each individual channel. Plus, the sports alerts are much improved and when listening to on NFL game, the screen displays a graphic of each team's helmet, ie. if the Raiders are playing the Cheifs there will be a Radier Helmet and a Chief helmet on the screen. This doesn't enhance your listening of course, but does make for a nice touch.

There are a few other added features but most importantly, they have included a bass boost with four settings (off, low, med, high) and also SRS Focus, also with four settings. The sound is much improved over it's predecessor when using as an mp3 player and, in my opinion, far better sounding than any IPOD.

The antenna headphones are probalby the BIGGEST improvement as the original ones were god awful. The improved headphones are extremely comfortable and are made by Altec Lansing. Portable reception has also improved with this device but if you do not live near a terrestrial signal repeater, you are probably going to be forced to either use the Antenna Headphones or try to connect over a wireless network because the built in antenna on the device is just not that strong and probably never will be---this is just a shortcoming of satelitte radio, not of the SL2 or Sirius.

Overall, I am loving life with this device as it is now my Satellite Radio for use in my home, car and in portable modes and also my primary MP3 player. I ditched my Ipod since I am now able to squeeze 10gb onto this player. Also, I can record any Sirius program on a daily basis and listen back when I have the time.

If you have been considering Sirius, or your are a current subscriber looking to upgrade to a better radio, your 100% best choice would be the Stiletto 2. A great device without a lot of cool features and capabilities.

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I'm a Gadget junkie...you name it, I've bought it and tried it, from the latest PC's...HD TV's,, Sling TV, TIVO, HD DVD players, Blu-Ray players,I-Touch, Zune, X-Box 360, PS3, Blackberry, XM radio & Sirius players...etc...etc...etc...

If your looking for he Ultimate portable music device, the Stiletto 2 is the answer...This unit does it all, you need no other portable music device...

First: How much money do you spend on downloading songs???

Possibly hundreds of $ a year? With Stilleto 2 you can download up to 10 hours of indiviual songs from Sirius...and it's no additional cost, just the monthly subscriber fee you're already paying, and you can replay them at any time with the built in memory.

Second: It automatically records the stations you listen to, up to 100 hours, so when your in a no signal area, you can listen to hours & hours & hours of music during this time.

Third: Not only does it have 2GB of built in memory but you can add a Micro SD card to increase your music collection. You can transfer / import music files from your PC...it will replaces youe Zune, Ipod, MP3 player, and using the Yahoo music site (software included) you can purchase music online and continue to add to your colection.

Fourth: It has not only satellite reception capability, but WiFi as well, and both work excellent! So if you have WiFi at home, no need to worry about a Satellite signal, it connects to your Wifi...and if you'e in a free hotsspot...wala, connetion!

Fifth: The reception of a satellite signal is very good even without the antennae earphones...anyone who complains that they can't receive a satellite signal indoors with this unit needs to remember "IT'S SATELLITE", that means you need a clear view of the sky to receive, if you got a roof over you, it will block the signal!!!

The only option I would like to see added is being able to load photos for viewing...

I say BUY IT! You'll throw away every other portable music player you have after you do!

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having used numerous consumer and expert reviews in the purchasing of the Stiletto 2, i feel the need to present my experience and opinion on this new receiver. first off, as a long time Sirius customer, i love satellite radio! even if you don't go with this unit, i highly recommend Sirius or XM to anyone that travels a lot or just enjoys listening to radio stations that stick to the stuff they want!

now for the Stiletto 2....

my previous receiver was a basic radio with the car and home kit that lasted 4 years, so upgrading to the Stiletto 2 was a major price jump and leap of faith on my part. i read the reviews (good and bad), product descriptions, and expert analyses. my conclusion? the Stiletto 2 is a very cool toy with lots of features and a sleek attractive design. the sole detractor to it is the extreme reliance on the accessory kits (not included).

ANTENNA RECEPTION: this is the major complaint of most negative reviews. the truth is that the Stiletto 2 has the same reception capabilities as any other unit WHEN outside or connected to a external antenna (only included in home or car kits). it will not work well indoors or in areas with significant obstructions to the sky, just like any other receiver. and its built-in antenna does allow you to listen to it with headphones while walking around outdoors. the Stiletto 2 also has a built-in wi-fi connection, allowing you to listen Sirius over wireless internet networks.

LOOK AND FEEL: nice design, lightweight, easy access menus, color display...overall A+

MP3 PLAYER: cool bonus that allows you to switch between Sirius radio and mp3 modes. the product description claims 2GB worth of space. however, only 800 MB is available for downloaded music, as the rest is designated exclusively for recording live programming from the Sirius channels. if you want more room for your mp3's, you can plug in a microSD card (up to 8GB) with your music into the Stiletto 2 and increase the size of your playlist!

STAND-ALONE/ACCESSORIES: out of the box, the Stiletto 2 will only run using headphones or earbuds. if you want to play it in your car or home, you MUST get an accessory kit (either home or car). websites claim that the universal kits for Sirius radios are compatible with the Stiletto 2. THIS IS MOSTLY INCORRECT! the external antenna is standard, but does not plug directly into the receiver. a cradle (included in kits) is necessary to play Sirius through your car or home stereo. the AC/DC adapter is also a different size and voltage. if you buy the home kit, you can only connect to a stereo via audio cables. this is a change from other receivers, which allow either a wired connection or have a built-in FM transmitter. only the cradle that comes with the car kit allows you to connect to a stereo over an FM signal. my suggestion to those that want the Stiletto 2 to work on any stereo or have previous Sirius radio kits is to buy the Stiletto 2 car kit only, and use your previous antennae to run the radio at home using the car cradle.

i give the Stiletto 2 a three-star rating. it has very nice features and a good look, but some of its advertised capabilities are misleading. there is no reason that the unit should not be able to FM transmit to any stereo without a car cradle, other than to gouge customers out of another $50.