Motorola RAZR V3 Unlocked Phone with Camera and Video Player--U.S. Version with Warranty (Silver)

I ordered this phone to replace a worn-out Razr that I've had for a few years. I love my Razr; it's the perfect phone for someone who does not need a fancy iPhone, Blackberry, touchscreen, etc. I expected a completely brand new phone, unlocked, direct from the manufacturer.

The phone was locked (it needed a code) and had a "Refurbished" label. T-Mobile and Amazon could not help me so I called Motorola. I provided the MSN and IMEI codes (one-of-a-kind ID numbers assigned in the factory) from the phone, and he said the codes were not in the database, meaning the phone had been sold by a carrier or refurbished.

I asked Amazon for a replacement. The replacement phone did not have a "Refurbished" label and did not ask for an unlock code; I inserted my SIM card and made and received calls. However, the phone has AT&T logos, screensavers, browser links, etc. While it was technically unlocked, it was not what I expected. The next morning, all the keys and buttons stopped working. The phone was a complete dud after less than one day of use.

This time I asked Amazon for a refund. I guess I could ask for a third phone, but I'm sick of this and I found a much better price and warranty on the exact same item at another retailer.

This page does not state that this phone may be refurbished, may have carrier branding, or may be locked. In my experience all of these things were true. Two different customer service representatives told me that every time they send me a replacement, it is from the same batch that Motorola sold them so it may have the same problems as the phone I'm returning.

Bottom line: Amazon admits that, when you order this item, they don't know if you will receive the product described on this page.

I bought this phone in July,2009 and it stopped working in Jan,2010. Phone comes with 1year warranty.

We left message on the phone number provided on warranty card no one calls back.

Sent email to address provided on warranty card.. email does not get through.

So don't count on warranty as it suggests..

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I bought this as a replacement phone for my Father. He loved the Razr phone but as new models came out he upgraded, tried 2 others but never really liked them as well as the Razr V3. The carrier did not carry them any more so the search was on. I found this on Amazon, good price, quick delivery and as Advertised. The phone has worked well out of the box and my Father is very happy to be using what he considers the perfect phone. I would recomend the seller and this phone for an easy to use, dependable unit.

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Having used the razr v3 for a month or two at this point, i have no significant complaints. The reception is reasonable, better than the 3 year old Nokia 6822 that my wife uses, but not as good as many other phones of newer makes and models. The phone when first turned on begins in Spanish but automatically switched to English as soon as the network was accessed.

The speakerphone is not worthwhile and is only used when absolutely necessary as there is poor voice quality on the other end and the output sound is scratchy and sounds as though the speaker is blown. Another point of frustration I've experienced with the razr is an increase in the voice echo when speaking with other cell phones, although I'm not certain if the fault is the phones or my current networks' issue.

Overall, I feel like this phone is a reasonable purchase for 100 dollars for an unlocked phone and I'm satisfied with it. In fact, I'm considering purchasing another to upgrade the reception of my wife's service, but not so sold on the value as to make it a no brainer-type decision.

Other functions such as bluetooth, camera, video camera etc. work as expected and provide satisfactory results.

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The phone arrived about a week after I ordered it. The back of the phone would not stay snapped on with the battery in place, and I sent email to the vendor, but it was the subsequent seller feedback that produced a response. We swapped about one email a day regarding the back cover. I do not know if the fellow was busy, or if I was on a leash. (I suspect the latter.) After about four days of emails, the seller sent a new cover.

I have not yet received said cover, though the email tells me it's in the mail, but being in a hurry, I applied tape to the back cover, and proceeded to get the phone ready for use. I had forgotten the pure simplicity that is this phone. However, that pleasure was not to last.

First, the phone is not new as indicated in the sales copy. It's a refurbished device that was first sold for use on the T-Mobile network, which is apparent when the phone comes on. It's also apparent from the back cover being a different shade of silver from the rest of the phone, and then, of course, there's the problem with the cover popping off.

The phone makes calls. It sends texts. It will take pics. However, it will not send a picture to another phone (MMS). After some delay, an error message appears on the screen indicating a "send" error. There is no suggestion I've found for tweaking the network settings to make MMS function.

I'm at a loss regarding what to do about this phone.

Update (25 October 2010) The replacement cover arrived today. It is wrong on two counts. First, it has two tabs at the bottom whereas the phone only has one slot. Second, the cover is too short. I sent return email to that effect.

Update (28 October 2010) Yesterday, the seller requested the IMEI number for the phone. I suppose the intent is to resolve the MMS issue. Given that T-Mobile and AT&T do not appear to use the same frequency for 3G, I doubt much will happen there. Then again, the seller could be looking for a back cover that fits AND stays on.

Update (29 October 2010) After sending the IMEI number for the phone twice yesterday, it was requested once more today. The request came with a note that a return shipping label would soon be sent.

Update (02 December 2010) Toward the middle of November, this mess all ended. The phone returned to the vendor. The sale was reversed.

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Disney HS700D High School Musical DVD Player

• DVD video and CD audio Compatible
• Supports CD, CDR, CDRW, Picture CD, DVDR, DVDRW
• Dolby Digital (AC3) audio output
• On-screen display
• Parental controls

You might want to consider other players over this one.

I bought this, and the matching tv.

The first player, the knob fell off less than a few weeks into play. I got a replacement. But less than a month into use, it began asking for parental passwords for all DVDs, even ones rated G. Then captions began popping up unless you told the DVD not to show them. There seems to be no way to turn off the parental password now. :(

The frustration isn't worth it. Get a name brand for long term use. For short term, if it's just for kid use, it might be worth it for them.

The matching TV is still going strong. But my portable DVD player lasts five times longer than this one.

Philips DVP3140 Compact DVD Player

• DivX, plays Mpeg4 video downloads from PC
• Progressive Scan
• Plays DVD, DVD-R/+R, CD, CD-R-RW, MP3/WMA, Jpeg picture CD
• Compact size 360 mm width

Make it Region free you will not regretted:

I bought two of these and was disappointed to find they were both Region 1 only...until I did this:

1. Make sure there is no disc in the player.

2. Turn power off and on again.

3. Open the tray.

4. On the remote, hit 9879 and then 0. This changes unit to Region 0, meaning it'll play all regions.

5. Hit OK on the remote.

6. The screen will display a massage

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I bought this as a multi region unit to play UK dvd's.

The machine is locked to region 1 so and after calling Phillips I was told they this ONLY applies in the US. If you buy it in Canada it is unlocked to all regions.

2 minutes with Google and a simple code entry on the remote and it is now unlocked. NOW its a great deal. No complaints at all apart from the locking silliness.

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I needed a dvd player for the back room to enjoy movies from blockbuster on.. This player works great, even if the dvds aren't up to par.. The player runs with no skips and a great picture..

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I use this unit purely for watching DivX/Xvid AVI files burned onto CD-R media. Sound and video playback is flawless, and it handles subtitles very nicely as long as you follow the directions in the manual. I love the small size too.

This player is simple to install and works very well. Not too many features but it does the job.

Nokia 5200 Unlocked Cell Phone with Camera, MP3 Player, MicroSD Slot--International Version with No

This was my first cell phone and I still love it! I don't have one anymore, since mine was stolen, but I still love it. It worked great for me, especially as a first phone. It was simple and easy to use, had a good display, though not super digitally awesome. I could use it for texting and phone calls and to listen to music. The sound wasn't as great as I hoped, but using headphones made it perfect. It had a sturdy slide, although the inside LCD screen was actually kind of fragile. I ended having to buy a new one after mine "mysteriously" broke. (I slammed my backpack on top of it.)The plastic covering is lasting. I cracked mine down the side however, when i opened up the screen and then sat on the plastic covering, and it was still stolen! The screen of the phone is also kind of difficult to keep clean. But I didn't mind wiping it with my sleeve every now and then. Like other people have said, the back cover is a little hard to remove, but only because they didn't try to take it out while holding down the latch. Another drawback is the lack of flash on the camera, but that's okay. The other qualities of the phone make up for it and if you have nice bright lighting, the camera works fine. The phone also features bluetooth and other connectivity devices. It has a great battery life. The phone came to me with a charger, head phones, a USB connector cord, and a manual. Overall, I really liked the phone. I think it's a great phone to give to someone who either likes simplicity or is just beginning with cell phones. Plus, the black is a nice touch. The lilac version is also cute!

Phone IS indeed unlocked (per interrogating it from internet) and worked right out of the box. Has alot of bennies that are over my head. Only caveat is that I didn't find it as intuitive as I had hoped, but a printed manual was included and online manual also available for download. I'm happy that slide characteristic precludes unintended "pocket calls" and that audio is fine! I'm VERY HAPPY and only wish I was more sophisticated as to enjoying full features of this fine phone. You CAN'T beat the PRICE! My local ATT store chareges much more for phones that are horrible! Paid close to $100 to ATT for basic basic phone with no model # that I can see, and phone is a nightmare! Text unusable, and volume almost inaudible.

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The picture here is different from the phone I got. Though I bought it as a gift I don't know what the user thinks of it

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iTEKIRO 1000mAh Replacement Battery for Vivitar DVR-560G Vivicam 3660 5660s 7500 7500i 7388s 7399 8

the ease of finding the right battery was a pleasant surprise and the price was great also. The product arrived before I expected which was the best thing!

Battery pack works wonderful with the charger I also purchased, it seems to hold a charge equally as well as the original battery.

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Actionpro 1080p Hd Video Action Sports Camera Camcorder with Waterproof Case& Remote Control. LCD S

ActionPro's 1080p HD ActionCam definitely offers some serious competition in today's market of high-end sport/action cams.

This little unit offers up to 1080p quality at 30fps or 720p at 60fps and a 170° wide-angle lens that really delivers top-quality results.

What's in the Box?

ActionCam (with 4GB MicroSD card) | LCD Screen | Battery | Remote Control | Waterproof Case | Tray Mount | Helmet Mount |

Helmet Front Mount | Flat Mount | Power Adaptor | AV Cable | USB Cable | User Manual.

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Features & Settings:

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The first most important thing to do when you unpack everything is to charge the ActionCam, you can do this by using the power supply, or connecting it to your PC or laptop via the USB cable, the recommendation is around 3hours to charge.

(Note that you will need to connect the ActionCam to your computer via USB to access the video files).

Once done, I personally recommend attaching the LCD screen onto the ActionCam and then turn it on to toggle the settings, this way you know when the screen is detached, it's recording with all the appropriate settings you want it to have.

Pressing the "M" button will get you to the main "Camcorder" menu, you have the following to select:

*Resolution: 1080p (30fps) | 720p/60 (60fps) | 720p (30fps) | WVGA (60fps).

If you're using the cam for quite fast paced sports such as motorcycling, then I would suggest the 720p/60 as the higher frame rate will give you smoother video footage.

*Video Length: 5min, 10min, 15min, 30min.

This breaks up the video into segments into whatever you have chosen. Shorter video lengths will give you more video segments which will make it easier edit, and longer lengths will give you less segments which are easier to put together if you don't want to edit clips.

*Laser Sync: Off | On.

I would suggest keeping this setting off, because it can easily be toggled when the camera is on by holding the record button for a few seconds.

You can then go into the "Camera" settings by clicking right, here you will have the following options to choose from:

*Single Shot.

*Triple Shot.

*Continuous: 0s | 2s | 3s | 5s | 10s | 20s | 30s | 60s.

*Resolution: 3M | 5M | 8M.

The cam is actually a 5MP sensor, so I would advice using the 5M setting.

The next tab is the "Set-Up" menu, here you can set-up the date/time and whether you want it to be displayed on your video & photos, select power saving options and adjust the TV settings (PAL or NTSC).

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Using the camera:

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Once the camera has been charged up and all the settings have been set, it's time to get the camera mounted.

It's really up to you where you want to stick the provided pads, for example you could stick it to the fairing of your motorcycle, or on your helmet, there are many possible ways to use the mounts, you just need to make sure it's in an appropriate area so you get the best camera view as well as being somewhere that isn't going to vibrate too much which would cause the cam to shake.

The sticky pads are extremely secure, once stuck on properly, it isn't going to come off without a fight, so do make sure your happy with the place it's going to be stuck on. Personally I chose the side of my helmet and used the extenders to give my cam the best angle.

I want to also add that because the cam has a tripod mount at the bottom of it, it widens the usage of what you can use it on.

(Tripods, Camera Pistol Grip, Dolly, etc...)

To mount the cam when it's encased in the waterproof housing, you will need to use the clip connector rather than the screw, this is very easy to swap over (takes seconds). Do note this accessories main purpose is for underwater usage and whilst it will significantly reduce wind noise when on a motorcycle etc... it will steam up when using it out of the water if the weather is too hot.

Once mounted, turn on the cam by holding the power button for a few seconds, to get the best angle, hold down the record button, this will turn on the laser. The laser points to the exact centre of where it will record, this makes the laser one of my most favourite features of this cam as it reduces time setting up and more time to record your action.

On the cam you have to options; on the left you have the record button which will toggle the recording on/off, and to the right is the snap-shot button, or you can use the remote control to wirelessly select the one you want, except with the remote control you will need to press the stop button to stop recording.

Using the cam was a breeze, that was until I wanted to use the waterproof housing... putting the cam into the housing is easy and will completely keep the water away, the problem is whilst there is a button to record and take a picture, there is no button to turn the cam on or off. To get around this, you will need to turn the power saving options off and make sure the camera is on before you encase it, it's easy enough to do this, but it is an annoying hassle that could have been avoiding by adding an extra button.

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Video, Sound & Picture Quality:

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The video quality I personally found to be absolutely amazing, be it in sunny or overcast conditions, the quality was always clear and the frame-rate extremely smooth making it a top choice for those who want something for a wide variety of sport activities.

As for late-evening/night time (with some light source), I wasn't expecting much, though it surprised me, even though the picture had quite a bit amount of noise to it (which is completely understandable), you can still pick out all of your surroundings which makes this cam great for those who want to record their commute from home to work and vice-versa for security purposes.

The sound quality is also very decent, using it for slower speed activities it picks up sound well, though if your going at faster speeds such as when your on a motorcycle understandably you may pick up a bit of wind-noise.

Unfortunately, this cam doesn't have an external mic jack.

Picture quality is reasonable; I've had a mixed bag of results, some good some blury. You're never going to get results equivalent to digital cameras currently available on the market, however you can still get some pretty cool snap-shots.

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Final Opinion:

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This is a fantastic ActionCam which I think many people would appreciate, okay so the waterproof case issue mentioned above is a little annoying, but you can still get around it. The most important part is it's easy to use and delivers outstanding video quality.

Having some experience with action cameras I was really interested in trying this one since it had so many good reviews. Of course before buying I checked YouTube for sample videos to examine the quality. What I saw didn't look bad at all and at half the price of my GoPro cameras. ( I own a Hero 3 Black and Silver edition ). In short after charging the unit overnight and formatting the 32gb sandisk card I tested it out. I was excited that it came with so many accessories that are considered premium accessories with the GoPro units. My test footage was taken while driving. I suction cupped it to the front windshield on a snowy day to test the camera's white balance capability. Unfortunately I didn't get far in my test. A few minutes into the recording the unit shut off on its own. Not only that but it wouldn't turn back on. Attempting to troubleshoot the problem I removed the back cover and extracted the battery for 10 seconds hoping that would help. Returning the battery into the unit still didn't help. I knew the battery was fully charged so I wasn't really sure what the issue was.

Needless to say I wasn't thrilled about the experience up to this point and I can't say it got any better. Once I got back to the house I attempted the above battery removal trick a few more times without success. I decided to plug the camera in as if I was charging it again. Low and behold I received a momentary red light as if to charge and then it turned off signalling a full charge. Wouldn't you know it the camera powered up again. The memory card had a short segment of video of me driving that abruptly shut off during the drive.

At this point I checked the firmware and compared versions on the Astak web site. After researching it a bit I located two web sites. One at and the other at . One site was no help. The other had at least a download section with a latest firmware number. After a quick email to the company to verify the versions I downloaded the firmware. ( I also have to say the email response I received was in broken English. Not too reassuring ) Updating the firmware didn't help as the problem continued. I really hope I received a bad camera otherwise I'm not certain how this could have gotten so many good reviews unless they were fake. I was also disappointed I never received a response back from Astak as to the actual problems I was having with the camera. The single email I received was to verify the latest firmware version only. The camera was returned and I've decided to stick with my GoPro series cameras. Sorry Astak you had your chance.

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This is probably one of the most amazing cameras I've bought in a price to quality ratio. I almost see no reason to buy a GoPro now.

What advantages does this have over the GoPro?

1. It comes with a remote that allows you to record, stop recording, and take pictures? You have no idea how convenient this is compared to the GoPro (why should I be forced to buy it after paying $300?).

2. It came with an SD Card, I'm really surprised how the company was able to also include an SD card yet the GoPro doesn't.

3. It also includes a LCD screen, something which again isn't included when you buy the GoPro.

4. With the LCD screen, easier setup than the GoPro, especially if you're a first timer with the GoPro (my god that was hell).

All of that was just what was included.

Video/Sound Quality/Picture Quality:

The video is actually pretty nice, it's somewhat more saturated than the GoPro which I personally don't mind. It looks great when you have a light source. Seriously, this offers the same video quality as the GoPro for essentially half its price. Plus the saturation looks amazing anywhere outside.

The picture quality is the same as the GoPro but more saturated. Both cameras can have blurry pictures. Like another person said, a digital camera would be better if you take pictures, but this is an action camera, you're probably going to do more recording that taking pictures. Still good pictures if you can hold the camera still.

It has the fisheye effect for both cameras.

The sound quality isn't any worse or better than the GoPro's sound quality, I personally don't see much difference. While it's not optimal, it's an action camera, it's not going to be something to worry about (at least for me).

The only con for me is that you cannot turn on the camera while it's in the waterproof housing, kind of a bummer since you have to take it out, but it's not too bad.

To summarize, this has the same quality as the HD Hero (I've only owned the first HD Hero, I do not know how this differs in other products) but it includes the remote, LCD screen, and an SD Card. It's also cheaper.

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Background:

I was in the market for an action camera, so I looked at all of the offerings such as GoPro HD Hero (1,2, &3), Polaroid XS100, Contour 1080p HD, and finally the Drift HD 1080p.

Comparison to others:

GoPro: I was very close to buying the Hero 2, but after researching, I found that none of the GoPros have a 1/4 thread type mounting option and you have to put them in the case in order to have that option. Very annoying. The price of the GoPros with all the mounts, waterproof case, and LCD Backpack is over 300$ Ridiculous! I watched several video comparisons of the ActionPro vs GoPro and to my eyes, the ActionPro was the winner, it had such vivid colors. So for $130 and all the stuff you get with the AcitonPro, why would you not buy it over the GoPro?

Polaroid: Looks pretty decent, price is reasonable, and video quality seemed good, but no LCD screen? No thanks!

Contour & Drift: Pretty expensive! But the real reason I didn't buy them is because after watching several videos on youtube, I just did not like the color contrast from both of these cameras. Contour had a purple tint and Drift just looked dull.

In Conclusion,

The ActionPro is a wonderful camera, that takes very good quality videos (Coming from a guy who uses a DSLR to shoot video), comes with a boat load of add-ons, and costs you $130! Find me a better deal if you can.

Remark:

I took 1 star off because the first ActionPro I received was deffective. It was not charging, so eventually the battery died and I returned it. But I liked the camera a lot and thought I would give it another chance and this time everything worked properly. So, make sure you thoroughly test the camera when you get it to check for any defects.

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I bought this product because I didn't want to fork out the cash for the Hero3. All my friends have the Hero 2 and 3. Even they are surprised by the quality of this product. Hero adapters do fit on this camera as well. I have been using it for months now on scuba, snorkel, and other trips around the island. The video quality is superb. I can't complain. The pictures are very nice. The lens is a fisheye lens, so you get an all around view of what you are aiming the camera at. The only complaint i have is the lack of a power button when it's in the waterproof casing. I'm not too bothered about taking the camera in and out to turn it on and off, but on long trips it would help to conserve battery life. Overall the product is great. I definitely recommend it to anyone considering a GREAT action camera.

Sangean DAR-101 Desk Top MP3 Recorder (Black)

A fabulous and VERY versatile machine. The perfect replacement for a portable stereo cassette recorder. It's just what I've been looking for since the demise of cassettes.

It is so good, I bought two!

Pro I was looking for something that would do more than just record audio through internal mic's. I need to input external mic's and to have an Aux-in to record from other sources. This model fit the bill perfectly. It even has a record timer and play timer, which I use to record a radio program in the middle of the night so I can listen to it during the day. It takes SD memory on which it can record and from which it can play. It has a USB port from which it can play, but doesn't seem to be able to record to it (see Cons below). For inputs it has two mic jacks (left and right) and a stereo aux jack.

Con The only complaint that I have is that I can't record onto a jump drive through the USB port. It only plays to it, as far as I have been able to tell. However, recording to the SD card works just fine for me.

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The product does exactly what is says it does. It's clear in sound and has no extra noise that one would get from using a analog tape. The files are numbered by date, so you know which day it is. I do recommend after a couple days to drag all the files to a computer and start over with the memory card, so it doesn't run out of room. However a very large or lengthy recording still doesn't seem to take up too much room.

I recommend this product, especially for business purposes.

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The good:

1. Workmanship and "feel" is good. No misalignments, rough edges, etc.

2. Selection of inputs (line in, microphone internal or ext, phone) and outputs (line, digital) makes it versatile--it's not a toy.

3. User interface is good (not great). Separate file folders for different operating modes.

4. You can monitor your recording source (or playback) with the built in speaker.

5. Recording balance and volume are adjustable.

6. Recording quality (mp3) is selectable.

7. Phone attachment cable is included (to modular jack), and it starts recording automatically when you pick up the phone.

8. Recharges NiMH batteries.

Not so good:

1. REASON IT ONLY GOT 4 STARS: User manual is very sketchy.

Example: Memo button is shown, but the manual has nothing about how to use this feature. There are good tips on Amazon reviews, but don't expect anything from the Sangean website. Play with it and you'll figure it out!

2. Memory card is not included--get one!!

3. USB port appears to be playback only (couldn't find any references to connection to a PC).

4. To transfer the recordings, you need to pop out the memory card.

5. When checking properties of some mp3 files, information didn't seem right (playing time, etc.).

Tips:

1. It has a nifty timer recording feature. Find it in the menu, and disable as you learn to operate this unit.

The default was "on", and the first night it starting recording at midnight and was recording the following morning!

2. Get rechargeable (NiMh) batteries, then you won't have to worry about the switch setting inside the battery compartment.

If the charge light goes on, you've got it right.

3. If you have a USB flash drive with audio files plugged in, you may have to press the INPUT button to get the unit to "see" the USB device.

4. Keep the audio level below maximum (red LED on knob will flash if peaked).

5. Step through the menus, etc. a couple of times and you will see how flexible this unit is. Minor issue: you have to select files one at a time if you want to delete them. If you want to delete many files, pop the mem card and do it on your PC.

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This is a good unit and looks like it will last, although there is a few thing that could be improved on. first of all it does not come with a data storage chip and without it you can't even use it. second although you can hear the other party when recording a phone call the sound is a little muffled (not to bad but noticeable). Also there is no caller id build into the unit so you don't have a number assonated with the recording. Lastly it would be nice if there was some sort of built in filling system that would store recordings assonated with their phone number.

Having said that it is a great unit and after looking around i don't think you will find something like this at a better price. I'm glad i bought it and would recommend it.

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Sony HVR-V1U 3-CMOS 1080i Professional HDV Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom

I have had the chance to use this camera a few times, plus compare it to some other HD cameras out there in it's price range, and came away impressed by a few aspects, and more knowing about a few others to consider.

All in all this is a great little HD camera that takes great pictures right out of the box. It handles really nice, has a true microphone that comes with it, and the lens is great on it with it's 20x ratio. It's slow-motion, though at quality a little less than SD, looks fantastic and is great fun to play with. The camera's low light capability is not as good as the Canon XH-A1 in the same price range, or the Panasonic HVX200 (another $2k+), or as good as the older Sony Z1 (which doesn't shoot 24fps). Looking back, the Sony PD170, which was the low-light standard is about 2 stops better in very low light. But the V1u's low light performance is almost one of taste. The camera tends to give a little more fine grain in such low light, kind of like film in some ways. My guess is that this "effect" is pleasing to some people, who don't view it's low-light grainy issues as a problem. Test for yourself before buying. The display and viewfinder are very nice too. Very sharp, with great readout info, including histograms, making sure every shot is properly exposed. The camera also has a really nice automatic gain control. Much better than the Canons in it's price group. Nice focusing features too.

The camera is also part of a larger packaged idea it doesn't come with, but works perfectly with a portable hard drive (HVR-DR60) that allows you go HDMI out, for much less compressed picture (though most people will think going to tape looks fine) and those files can be dragged and dropped right onto your computer no more capturing! The LED light is really cool too. Again, these are extra cost.

Pros -

Gorgeous picture quality in most all lighting conditions. Doesn't require a lot of tweaking, it looks good almost all the time right out of the box. But if you want to tweak, you can. If you want to really tweak, consider the Canon line-up.

True 24fps, and true progressive chips, for filmmaking. Great film like gamma curves.

Feels great in your hand. Very well balanced.

True 20x zoom lens. The 30x digital zoom looks terrific!

Nice zoom and focus ring. I was expecting lower quality.

CMOS chips have very nice lack of smearing you see on most cameras that have CCD chips (those sharp vertical lines you see when taking footage of sunsets, for example) and the chips have a certain film like look to some more than other video cameras with 24fps features (including me).

Comes with a true microphone while not a $500 Sennheiser, it's better than most any other on-board camera, which is a nice extra.

Slow motion, if lower quality, looks really cool (up to 240 fps!). Very usable for video going to regular DVD (not HD) or to the web.

Cool HDMI out, with other accessories (not included) such as shooting to hard drive, or a neat LED light.

Con's -

Questionable low-light capability. If you're shooting a lot of night time shots, dark indoors (horror movies, dimly lit interviews) you really need to test and compare this to other cameras before buying. If you're shooting regular footage, especially a lot of outdoor, daylight, or professionally lit work, it shouldn't be an issue at all.

Cost is about $500 more than Canon's comparable XH-A1 (which doesn't come with the microphone).

Files that go to the HVR-DR60 HD are .m2t format, which must be converted if you're using a Mac (though still usable and convertible on the Mac).

As good as the lens is, I believe the Canon is better, and has better image stabilizing capability.

In summary, this is a great little camera for most uses, with a somewhat unique picture to it. Just about anyone going into a store to shop for one can easily compare this to similar cameras and see the features and issues I speak of. They should answer your questions right away whether this camera is for you or not.

Finally, a price comparison:

For $500 less, you can buy a Canon A1, which works better in low light, has more picture control, plus a better image stabilizer. But it's a little bigger, can't go HDMI out, has no slow motion, and doesn't come with a pro microphone.

For $2k more you can buy Panasonic's HVX200, which has superior compression, and solid state capability, and slow motion in high definition (not down res'd, like the Sony).

For $3k more, you can buy Sony's new XDCAM PMW-1, which is an extremely impressive camera with a superior picture to any of these cameras.

I bought my HVR-V1U and have had it a week now. I am very impressed with the quality of video with very good light. In low light the quality of this video camera is poor. But after doing hours and hours of research I decided on this model for a few reasons.

1) Size This camcorder is about the same size as a VX-2000 with the same feel and pretty much the same layout.

2) 24p This camcorder can shoot film in true 24p which is great if you want to give your video that "Film look"

3) XLR This camcorder has 2 XLR inputs to put real good microphones on it if you want and comes with a $230 microphone.

4) HDMI This model has an HDMI out so I can quickly and easily with one cord connect it to my HDTV. The Sony HDR-FX1 doesn't have this.

I think the slow motion feature is pretty cool to experiment with. But the quality is low and of course there is no sound when you do this.

Everything on the camcorder is made very well. No cheap buttons or parts.

Disadvantages: It has a 62mm lens. The bigger the lens usually the better the low light quality since the lens can let in more light. The battery that comes with it is ok, but you definately should buy the biggest battery you can get. My extended battery lasts around 490 minutes record time or about 690 minutes on playback mode.

The extended warranty Amazon offers on this model for 4 years is only $199.99. That is a really good price for a camcorder this expensive.

Bottom line: If you want all the features of this model but want the best low light recordings possible, then purchase the Sony HVR-Z1U camcorder which is another $600 or so. The XLR is worth it because sound is usually the weakest link when watching any video recorded on a camcorder.

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I got burned on my VX-1000 with its 32K stunted audio, no firewire in and no manual zoom. The PDX-10 that followed was greatexcept for still missing a manual zoom. I looked really hard at the first HDV camerasand decided to wait, and V1U was well worth it.

Bought the Sony HDand am totally amazed at how much faster my edit process is. The picture quality is phenomenalbut, we've mostly used standard DV since clients are quite ready to pay for HD.

If you've shot with a PD-170 you'll find the form factor very familiar. Still not in love with the way Sony sets white balanceit's not really totally intuitivebut, overallthis is the best camera I've worked with. Friends who've borrowed it are gagaand they are used to shooting with Sony pro cameras. As alwaysaudio is the most difficult part of shooting with a prosumer cameraand the handle mounted dials are a bit tough to manipulate while shootingbut, all that asidethis camera is amazing.

Also picked up Sony's LED lightit amazes me every time I use itgreat lightno heatand forever battery life.

One thing about all the accessoriesthere isn't a really good solution to mount HD, Light, Wireless receiver to this small frame. We've bought a bracket off e-bay that makes it easy to mount at least the HD and wireless box to the camerawhen the light is onand the battery for the light has to be on the extension cable. Stillvery hand holdable.

Only thing I miss from the VX-1000 was my Century .55x plus fisheye reversible lenshaven't seen anything like it for 16x9 aspect ratios.

If you've shot with Sony in the pastthis is the camera for you.

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We use this camera in a controlled environment, 5.5kw of incandescent light, and the images are sooo nice...

The camera has been setup to shoot 24p all the time, and the color tweaked by me and a colorist, and the results are amazing.

Our casting company uses it about 90% of the time, we record to a Focus FS 4 and to tape simultaneously.

The Optical stabilization works amazing when hand held, the mic is not so good, but at least it's there.

Wish it would have another accessory shoe, one is just not enough.

All in all, the camera works great, the images are very cinematographic, stabilization is very useful, can be tweaked a lot, its as reliable as the sunrise.

I like the new Z7, but for what we do, the V1 works like a charm

f3

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I love this camera the picture quality and audio quality is good!! having XRL imputs is a very important plus. The only downside is white balance feature. Its not true white balace, just two presets, one for outside one for inside. But other than that, for the price you are getting great quality!! I would recomend this highly!!

Korg KAOSSILATOR PRO Dynamic Phrase Synthesizer/Loop Recorder Bundle with 8 GB SD Card, 10-Foot MID

• KAOSS X-Y touchpad offers intuitive, realtime control. 200 sounds covering modern synth sounds such as lead and bass
• PCM samples provide dramatic drum kits and ready to rock percussion patterns. Vocoder programs deliver scintillating vocal effects
• Access up to eight of your favorite sounds instantly using the assignable Program Memory buttons
• Four Loop Record Banks each allow up to four measures of loop recording
• Gate Arpeggiator repeatedly triggers sounds in sync with the tempo. The slider controls either the gate time or gate speed

i bought this without any experience with it. i wanted something fun to experiment with. this seemed to fit the bill. and it sure did once i got a usb cord and 1/4 head phone adapter to go with it! so much fun! so happy! get one and try it! you'll love it! i have limited mobility and can play this baby with one finger! awesome!

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Sharper Image HD920 Touch Screen 1080P HD Camcorder, 5.0 MP CMOS, Motion Detection, 3-Inch Touch Sc

This is NOT a camcorder, but a digital camera pretending to do more. The video quality is so poor that it's not worth owning. All you see is blurs, distortions, and pixels everywhere. The sound also sounds like the quality of an old telephone; mono and "tinny." Don't waste your money on this!

I recently purchased the The Sharper Image camcorder HD920 from Amazon and would like to say it is a good buy. The camcorder does not have all the "bells and whistles" of a much more expensive camcorder such as image stabilization; however, it is a great buy for the money. I can use it for security and nanny cam in my home (I really like the motion detection feature). After working with it, I am totally satisfied with the camera (especially considering what I paid for it).

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perfect camera great quality built to last touch screen hd and it is perfect for a skater may not be a cannon or a sony but its def at the top of my list for amazing cameras

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Livescribe Pulse Smartpen 4GB Pro-Pack (Black)

This is obviously a nifty product, and I've been impressed with reviews elsewhere. But isn't $210 asking a bit much given that Livescribe just released a next generation "Echo" model that is 4GB and only costs $170.

The least that could be done, it seems to me, is to drop this package below $200.

In taking my match, english, and world history classes: along with taking notes at HOA meetings. It has been the best thing to use. The HOA would have a "hissy" if they knew that they were being recorded along with my taking notes. Also the college instructors will soon find out from their Deans just how bad that they have been delivering speeches and giving inacurate responces to students and leading the students to make incorrect choices on tests. Yeah for the Smartpen.

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The Smartpen is a great way to keep minutes for fraternal organizations. The written record along with the voice recording makes it easy to check and make sure you have kept an accurate account of a meeting.

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I'm a geek, and even I'm amazed by this pen. How does it do it? It not only records the sound in a way that lets you go directly to a particular part of the recording, it copies your handwritten notes to your computer! And when you're listening, you can watch your own hand draw the letters on the screen. It's eery.

I use it when doing mediations, so I can get down the exact wording of the agreement without having to slow down the process.

Four stars cause the software is kind of clunky, but it works well enough to get the value from the pen.

I also love that the little LED window tells you the time expired, so if clients don't come on the hour, I don't have to keep figuring out when to end the session.

It's also a great conversation piece!

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Sony HDRFX1000 High Definition MiniDV Handycam Camcorder

I purchaized FX1000 form Amazon two months ago to videotape theatrical performances at home. I have chosen it because of good low light specification (1.5Lux) and made the right choice. With correct manual settings (most important maximum gain

Sony DVP-NS70H HDMI Single Disc DVD Player

• Precision Drive 3 System - simplifies the process of dealing with warped discs, by moving the lens instead of the entire optical block - for faster, and more accurate error correction
• Precision Cinema Progressive Technology - detects image changes at the pixel level, and optimizes the picture using special algorithms. Resulting in sharp backgrounds with moving objects that are virtually free from motion artifacts
• 720p/1080i Upscaling of video and delivery through an HDMI connection
• MP3 Playback
• DVD-RW (Video Mode /VR mode w/CPRM), DVD-R, DVD+RW, & DVD+R Playback

Having been through the Oppo 971H and the Samsung HD941 upscaling DVD players and coming away disappointed, I came at this one a little jaded thinking upscaling technology is just marketing hype. Well this player proves it's not. From the instant I first turned it on I knew it was something special. The colors it produced over HDMI (720P) were stunning on my Sharp projector. The difference between normal 480p and 720p was significant with the upscaled resolution showing more clarity and depth. Normally fuzzy background images came into focus. There are many websites that swear upscaling technology is just not possible since the DVD's native picture is only 480p and "you can't make something out of nothing". Maybe true but you sure can sharpen up what is there and that's where this player shines.

The sound it produces is another wonderful feature. Crisp clear highs and booming lows with everything in between is what you can expect from this unit. Sony was even thoughtful enough to provide both optical and coaxial audio outputs.

Others have expressed a picture shrinkage issue with this player. They make it seem like every player has it, not true. I've read the complete forum they mentioned and several folks have said they do not have such an issue. I hate to see this great player get a bad rap because of what may be a player/display incompatibility for some folks.

I knocked a star off because Sony absolutley needs to include an HDMI cable with this. C'mon, would you buy a car and then feel good about having to pay more to get the key?

This is a great player at a great price, give it a shot you won't be disappointed.

Buy Sony DVP-NS70H HDMI Single Disc DVD Player Now

I've been shopping for months for a decent DVD player with HDTV upconversion. This is the first such player that didn't disappoint me right out of the box.

I would give the player itself 5 stars, but I'm knocking one off because the package doesn't come with an HDMI cable included. You have to buy one separately, which is an unnecessary nuisance that can add from about $20 to over $100 (depending on the cable brand) to your purchase. And if you forgo the HDMI connection, you cannot get the player's 1080i upconversion for HDTV thereby leaving little reason to purchase this item, whose other features can be found in many standard players for about half the price.

But that IMHO is a minor inconvenience in light of this player's performance and overall price. The device has an MSRP of about $170, and with coupons I got mine for $115 at Circuit City which is quite low for an upconverting player, particularly one from Sony.

So far I haven't had to endure any of the problems that have plagued other such players I've purchased and subsequently returned. For the first time in my experiences, the 1080i upconverted picture resolution is genuinely better and richer through the HDMI connection than what's available via the component video alternative. The player has a comprehensive menu of onscreen settings and a fairly clear manual that will guide you through them. The remote is designed more intuitively than most others I've used (although the buttons are a bit on the small side) and interacts with the player flawlessly even at fairly sharp angles. Along with the usual backwards-forwards scan/skip options, this player also provides an instant replay and advance feature for shorter hops back and forth. Scans at multiple speeds are relatively smooth, not choppy like many others I've seen. The menu and the remote offer numerous picture and sound adjustment options, but the standard settings have worked just fine for me.

I'm not the most high-tech person in the world, yet I think I am pretty demanding when it comes to picture and sound quality. This small but solid player delivers the goods, especially when its price is compared to others on the market. I know Sony DVD players have amassed countless Amazon reviewer complaints that they often fall apart and break down quickly. But that hasn't been my own personal experience, and I hope that trend continues for me with this one. After all too many failed purchases in this area, I think that at last I may have found a winner.

Read Best Reviews of Sony DVP-NS70H HDMI Single Disc DVD Player Here

First of all I must clarify what some people are saying about having an inch above/below the picture when watching DVDs at 720p/1080i. The issue is NOT with the player. 16:9 TVs have a 1.7777:1 ratio (16 divided by 9). If you read the BACK of your "Widescreen enhanced DVDs" you will notice they are 1.85:1 what is 16:8.648. So the bars you are seeing are there BECAUSE they MUST be there. The issue is on the TV. Some people will not see the problem with their High-Definition sets because of OVERSCAN. The Sony is perfect in this aspect and it is sending what is supposed to be seen. For more information on overscan read this article.

Back to the player.

If you have an HDTV set, try to find the native resolution of the set (for example most EDTV plasmas are 480p). In this case the best signal to be sent to the TV is 480p. If you are using a projector or a DLP TV with a 1280x720 resolution (720p) set the player to use 720p. If you have a native 1920x1080 display (like the Sony Ruby) set it to 1080i (note that 720p MAY look better in some 1080p displays).

The picture in this player is very nice and extremely decent when using the HDMI connector. No noise or artifacts that I could notice. A great improvement in picture when comparing it to my old Pioneer 480p player. Giving its price I would say it is a bargain! The remote is ok (some buttons are too small for me I guess) and their menus are not as good/easy as the pioneer (plus it has less control over the picture). But still a very capable player.

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I've been enjoying this new DVD player for a few days on my new Bravia 26" LCD TV. The picture is breathtaking, I was stunned to see the improvement in picture quality the upscaling feature and HDMI connection made it has breathed new life into my DVD collection and made me fall in love with my TV all over again. Unlike some previous posts, I have had no issues at all with any image shift problems, but perhaps that's because I am using a Sony TV also. I highly recommend this player.

I have tested the DVP-NS70H (with an HDMI cable and upsampling to 720p) against a Sony DVP-NS575P DVD player (with a component video cable and 480p), using a Sony Bravia KDL-V40XBR1 LCD TV to examine the results. A good-quality DVD movie appears to have more vivid color and less noise with the DVP-NS70H than with the DVP-NS575P. A lower-quality DVD, such as an annual release of a TV series, does not demonstrate the differences between the two DVD players.

I do not know whether the HDMI cable or the upsampling is responsible for the improvement, but I suspect that HDMI may contribute to the improvement because HDMI bypasses the TV's A/D convertors. If you purchase the DVP-NS70H for an HDMI-compatible TV, do yourself a favor and buy an HDMI cable from Amazon for less than $20, which is a lot less than the $80 to $100 that you will pay at your favorite electronics retailer.

I am very pleased with this product.

Panasonic DVD-S55S Digital Remastering Progressive-Scan DVD , Silver

• Plays DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, CD-R, CD-RW, JPEG, and MP3/WMA CDs
• Progressive-scan video output for seamless, flicker-free picture on high-definition and HD-ready televisions
• Cinema Mode diminishes glare and improves the visibility of details in dark scenes; Depth Enhancer reduces image background noise
• Digital re-mastering enhances CD playback
• Dialogue Enhancer boosts center-channel volume during Dolby Digital 5.1-channel presentations

Big pluses imho:

1. Bookmarks

2. WMA support (in addition to MP3, etc)

3. Amazon's price was not just competitive, it was amazing.

4. Arrived to my door in great shape

All the other goodies are here too: built-in decoders (sometimes it's really useful to have these built-in), zoom support, simulated surround sound (which actually works), DVD Audio/VCD/JPEG/MP3 support, speaker delay setting, progressive scan, etc.

I personally found the on-screen display/setup to be easy to use & quite sophisticated for this level of price. Also, according to reviews elsewhere, this model is one of the absolute latest panasonics out there, with the latest/greatest firmware, etc. in other words, people often thought that dvds look better played on this model, relative to other players in the same or slightly higher price range. Mine was built in June 2003.

For what it's worth, decide whether you need built-in decoders or not, if you want to save money. I personally wasn't willing to live without them or bookmarks, and amazon's price for them (and all of the above) was still amazing.

This thing hooked right up & worked flawlessly straight out of the box.

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My family has been buying Panasonic products for years, but this is the first time I've ever bought one of their DVD players. I've previously had a Sony and a cheapo KLH Home Theater in-a-box. When I was looking for a new player I knew that I wanted something that looked nice, had progessive scan (for the future), could play DVD audio, photo CDs, and MP3s. Oh yeah, and should be affordable for a college student.

Enter the Panasonic DVD-S55S.

1. DVDs boot up quickly and it plays them perfectly. I've tested a few movies out and I don't even notice layer changes (a BIG problem with the KLH). There does seem to be a fair amount of flicker with contrasting colors on some menus.

2. Photo/MP3 CDs play well and are easy to navigate. However, vertical photos don't seem to play and MP3 filenames can be cut off if they're too long. The flicker shows it's ugly mug again on photos, but is easier to ignore.

3. Features galore! Progressive Scan, DVD-A (don't assume that all players can play these!), Dynamic Range Compression (kind of evens out the louds/softs of the movie), Optical audio output, Component video, and several ways to tweak audio/video for better quality.

Overall, I'd give this player 4.5 stars but had to round up. The flicker problem could just be my TV or the way I'm hooking it up, I don't know. My only other real criticism is the remote. It's just kind of there. A little ugly but very usable. So, if you're looking to get into DVD or looking for a cheap player that will be able to keep up with you for several years, look no further than this one!

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To ktk3438 who gave this player 1 star, in part because it doesn't have a feature to save the disk position this player can do that, you need to hit a button on the remote to save the position. This player has a great picture even when only connected to an analog TV with an s-video cable. I haven't got around to getting component cables yet. The optical out provides great sound with both dvds and cds. I haven't tested the jpeg viewing capability yet. For the feature set, picture and sound quality at this price it's hard to beat..

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This dvd player is a very good progressive player for the price range. It plays everything smoothly from regular dvd, dvd-audio, mp3 to vcd and svcd. I've owned other more expensive dvd players but none come close to this one. If you just like to listen to cd music you will be amaze on how the "re-master" feature on this player help to push the sound to another level. The menus is very easy to navigates and the picture is beautiful.

Fortunately, this will be my last Panasonic product. I was happy with this DVD player (I don't ask for much) until it stopped reading *any* discs after 6 months. It produced an error on the screen. When I called to find out what the error meant, they said it was "still under warranty" and to send it in, which I did.

After 4 weeks, they contact me to say that only the parts are covered for a year labor is only 3 months. So the part is covered, but not the labor to put it in! They wanted sixty-five bucks to "fix" my DVD player, which was apparently under warranty.

So, after spending 100 bucks on this unit, it's in the trash after 6 months. BUYER BEWARE and pray your unit breaks within 90 days.

DIGIMERGE DH204501 4 Ch H.264 DVR with USB, IR remote, 120 FPS 500GB HDD, CMS s

I have used a few different DVRs. The others have said that they you can access them on smart phones, but it has always been just a live feed and through a web browser. This one offers an app for every platform. I have only used the iphone/ipad app. The app is DYNAMITE! It works fast with playback and no glitches even over the Internet. It was so well put together.

Regarding the purchaser, you need to be careful where you buy them from. I called for tech support and they said that since I did not buy it from an authorized dealer, they will not support me. It does not state on their website that you must buy from an authorized dealer to be eligible for support, but the website does promise technical support. Setup was easy and I only called for help with an advanced function anyway. I have not fought the company over this and I am just using the DVR without any advanced functions because of this.

Even without the tech support and advanced functions, it is the best DVR that I have used and I have used a few DVRs both hardware and software based in the past.

Toshiba W512 Hi-Fi VCR

• 4-head hi-fi stereo VCR
• High-speed rewind and fast-forward
• Rear A/V inputs
• One-touch recording and digital tracking
• Auto setup with channel memory

This is a nice VCR. The video quality of pre-recorded movies is good, and the record quality is nearly as good as playback quality. The on-screen menus are a nice feature, as is the automatic time and channel setup. But the best feature of the VCR is easily the rewind/fast-forward speed. It rewinds a two-hour movie in about a minute. I was amazed the first time I rewinded a tape.

But there are two problems I have with this VCR (which keep it from 5 stars). First, the VCR counter is defaulted to be on-screen. This is very inconvenient, as you have to turn it off every time you put in a tape. And secondly, the remote isn't so great. For some reason it's fat in the middle, making it awkard to hold. Also, the remote is not lighted.

But aside from these minor inconveniences, this is still a good VCR in this price-level.

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I bought this as a third VCR for our exercise room, for my wife to work out with her exercise videos. I didn't need the best, as this was for light use only, so I didn't spend much, and boy was I surprised at the quality!

My premier VCR is a six-head Toshiba which I bought reconditioned for somewhat more money than this one, and I'm perfectly happy with it. This one has similar picture qualit but was much easier to set up-easiest setup experience yet for me. After plugging it in, the clock set itself in seconds. No it doesn't have VCR Plus, but after harping on that as a necessary feature for the previous four VCRs, I found myself not using it much. The rewind is lightning quick and it feels like a very solidly built electronic item, despite the fact that it weighs next to nothing (making it very portable if you want to do some dubbing to another machine).

The only small drawbacks are (1) an awkward tiny two button combination you have to push on the remote to set the timer. This seems to be a feature on all Toshibas, and they don't get the idea that this is poor design. (2) There are no plugs on the front of the VCR, which is not a huge deal for me, since this one is so light, I just move it to the other Toshiba with the front plugs, if I want to do any dubbing. (3) The system defaults to showing the counter and other display items on the screen, so you have to turn it off every time you start a new video. Not too big a deal.

Overall, I got way more than I expected in what was a rock bottom low price on a hi-fi VCR. Treat yourself to that third VCR-you can't lose with this one.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba W512 Hi-Fi VCR Here

This VCR is ok for technically-savvy people used to joysticks, but is an absolute nightmare for older or fat-fingered people.

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Dissolusioned and surprisingly dissapointed with a product from what I thought is the name brand I could trust. The only reason I'm putting 2 stars instead of 1 is good picture quality and rewind speed, no denying that. But the other reviews are beyond me I'm about to get rid of this stupid thing and get a better one.

My #1 complaint: USER INTERFACE SSSSSSSUCKS!!!! I can't emphasise that enough Toshiba designers scored a guinnes record on the unfriendliness of use here. I'm a product designer, and I think the interface, i.e. ability to program this thing to simply record things, is a design crime. I so hope that they (toshiba) actually check out user reviews, may be they'll get a clue.

NEW Waterproof 18MP Digital Camera& Video Recorder (Pink)

The picture quality is ok. Very blurry if you move just a little bit. The video picture is ok but the sound for the video really sucks. Love that its waterproof but I'd prefer better sound and picture instead of waterproof.

It's what would expected for the price. I bought it for my grand daughter, it will meet her expectations, we won't feel bad if she breaks it or loses it cause it didn't cost a mint.

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The idea of this camera is great and, it seemed to be made well. However, for day to day use, the LCD is extremely dark and hard to see. Also, any slight movement results in a blurred photo (so dont buy this for kids). Also, the flash has to charge between shots and takes a full 5-7 seconds between pictures. Lastly, the menu isnt intuitive at all. For pure under water purposes, it may be just fine. Just not a day to day camera

Read Best Reviews of NEW Waterproof 18MP Digital Camera& Video Recorder (Pink) Here

Avermedia ULTRATV USB 300 TV Tuner (MULTRAU30)

I researched this product, made sure it fit my technical specs, and finally made the plunge. I couldn't wait to get the thing, because it was exactly what I was waiting for.

I set it up in minutes after it arrives, and got only a black screen. I tried a few tweaks, and no luck.

So, I got on with AverMedia tech support. It was a known problem that I was having-the product doesn't work with motheroboards that use the ATI chipset-which an increasing number of computers (mine is a Toshiba laptop) do.

At any rate-this may be a great product, but I'll never know. I had to pack the thing back up, arrange for a return code and ship it back. All because they make no reference of this hardware incompatability anywhere on their site or packaging.

So, make sure you do your homework-and don't just go by their stated requirements.

I have been a software developer for nearly a decade and like to think of my myself as good at my job. However i do admit that in the begining i was pretty terrible and wrote some really nasty programs. So Avermedia's produce has been like a little trip down memory lane for me. My i never thought i would see an application so badly written.

I kind of got this running after a few hours of trying and although the picture was pretty bad it was good enough. I have two large screens and while i am working in the evenings from home i can have it on a small window down in one corner. And i figured that i could take it with me on my laptop whenever i needed it.

Then lets say it went all wrong. firstly when i would first turn it on there would be no sound. I worked around this by removing the USB and inserting it again which seemed to get it going again. OK it worked but it is not to gracefull clambering over my pc every time i wish to watch TV.

My girlfriend has a logon to my machine but the settings are not system wide and it has to be tuned in again for each user and setup again.

I decided to move some of my USB connections around but the tv card will not work unless it gets the USB slot it was installed with. ?!?!. I thought the U in USB was universal.

When i bought a USB hub i decided to move it to it's own special slot and reinstall the software. After 6 hours of trying i admit defeat. Firstly the uninstalls don't work and i could not install over them so you have to go through the registry searching for avertv and remove all those entries but reinstalling the program and the TV will just not start up without a useless error message. In my early days of programming if i was to create an error message saying "error: 8321412 description: " i would be taken out and shot but how on earth a respected software house can get away with this all over the program is beyond me. And these error message dialog boxes come up everywhere.

I tried the new drivers and application programs from the site but the install just don't work full stop.

i am not even going to contact support as i know that there is no way anybody could support this pile of mince the way it has been written.

Now i am sure that some people get it to work first time and everthing i rosey but everybodys machines are slightly different and it just won't run on mine.

So if you are thinking of buying this produce stop. If a software engineer can't get this to work after 6 hours you probably won't if you run into trouble and i would bet you will.

1 star is to much.

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I used to have one of their PC installed tuner cards that worked quite well. So I decided to buy this new product for my IBM Thinkpad laptop.

While I have had no issues with the hardware performance, the software problems I am having this product render its good propaganda totally useless. Ever since I have installed the drivers for the product, I am plagued by -

1) AverTV application self-starts randomly while I'm reading office email, using my editor, browsing web pages. It's unreal! It's like it's possessed and has the mind of a devil!

2) When it "auto" launches, it kills my audio volume and pops up on top of all other applications.

3) The "always on top" attribute randomly works as intended.

4) When I drag it across to my secondary monitor, video disappears.

5) All my USB 1.0 and 2.0 devices that coexisted happily (and I have quite a few), now work unreliably once AverTV software starts up.

I am a software engineer as well and I know the sad story of crappy products. It took me 1 week of trying various combinations of USB devices before I isolated all my USB problems to arise from this product. This tuner was supposed to make my life easier not be another problem I have to deal with. Where's that RMA form?

Z

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I bought this avermedia and it works flawlessly on my Toshiba 2455S305 laptop. Installation smooth no trouble running any of the proggrams. there is a patch adding support for Titantv programming guide and also overscan, which get rid of the squiggle lines at the video top. My laptop does have a linein plug, so I think that helps.

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Just wanted to post about this. I had the same problem with using the Mic In, and I did figure out how to set the audio control panel to use that as the input. The audio was kinda bad though, and sounded too loud even at the lowest settings. I contacted Avermedia tech support, and they sent me a small device that connects to the audio cable, and it sort of muffled the sound a bit and made it sound a lot better. Other then the audio setup, this was easy to plug in and use, and the video quality is very nice. I have a couple of avermedia products and I am satisfied with the products.

Magnavox MRV640 DVD Recorder

• DVD+R,+RW Record
• Up to 8 hours recording time
• 3.2 Progressive Scan
• Plays dVD, CD, MP3, Pic CD
• Dolby Digital

Well, I waited a long while to make the foray into dvd recording and missed years of using a vcr because I was tired of those tapes that were the size of a house. So I finally bought this thing at Best Buy for a pretty good price and I am satisfied.

For all those out there who are going-What the heck is all this DVD+-_!@#$%^&**":? R's? I hate that crap too. But all you need to do is buy DVD + R's from any store and they should workJUST REMEMBER, THIS ONLY RECORDS ON DVD+R'S AND DVD+RW'S-ITS REALLY SIMPLE AND IT ALWAYS SAYS IT IN BIG EASY TO READ LETTERS ON THE BOX/CASE/WHATEVER...

I read the earlier review and I havent had any problems like that yet. Although once it did freeze once and I had to unplug it once to get it to reset or whatever. If you understand that its kind of like a computer and freezes like one than its no big deal. I have only bought 1 set of DVD+R's by memorex and they have worked flawlessly. And yes you can record anything that a vcr can also. And if you still have your vcr and those Gigantic VCR tapes and you want to transfer to digital for good, you can do that with ease (If you need help dont hesitate to ask).

It is a good looking gadget with pretty user friendly controls (except for that Phil guy! What the h@#$!)I record all my disposable shows (Seinfeld,JJudy,60 minutes) on my one supplied DVD+RW and I record and erase-just like a tape. And it says that you need to finalize your DVD+R's to play them on most dvd players(You cannot finalize DVD+RW's) but I tried to play the unfinalized DVD+RW in my cheap AMD DVD player and it played! I record on the lowest quality which is adequate for me and I get 8 hours of recording on one disc. This thing has 6 recording settings so you can adjust the quality accordingly-M1 for highest quality(1 Hour) and M8 (8 Hours) So far so good, and for the price you cant beat this deal if you are making the jump into digital recording. DONT BE AFRAID!

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STILL GOING STRONG!

This is a 2nd review...

Well, I have had this thing for about 5 months now, and I am pleased. I still cant for the life of me believe all that has been happening to the other reviewers, but perhaps a portion of these DVD recorders were just lemons. I have never had a disc warning problem, I have had to reset it once, and most of the other various problems have never happened either.

If it is discontinued, I guess this review is moot, but I want to defend the reputation of this machine.

Anyways, I have recorded hundreds of shows on Imation DVD+R's, and the one supplied Memorex DVD+RW-which recently stopped playing and recording altogether...but after I recorded dozens of favorites. If you do still find them new, you cant beat the price-I highly recommend it! You have to remember, you cannot expect perfection frow the lowest tier DVD recorders! But at this point it is close and I am still pleased.

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This recorder is a good deal for the capability it has. There are a few tips I came up with that will help you get the most out of it:

1. Stick to using it for recording and don't use it very often to play dvds. Not only do movies tend to freeze up on this thing but it will save on the life of the machine.

2. DVD+Rs are the standard this was designed to use, the dvd+rw's work well also but cost more usually. I've burned over 40 discs so far and have had no problems, the brands I used were Memorex and Philips. Buy them in spindles and you will pay only half as much as w/cases (buy cheap cases separately).

3. Don't over-work the thing. After a couple hours burning, put it on stanby and let it cool off. This is true of any electronic device. Also a good idea is to cover it from dust while not in use.

4. It has the potential to lock up for no apparent reason. When this happens unplug it and go through the set up again. This is a hassle but at least you can fix it.

5. Always refer to the manual, especially if a problem comes up. The trouble shooting section in the back will likely solve the issue. This is good to remember before returning it or getting upset.

This recorder has worked great for me, it performs basic operations well. One thing to keep in mind before buying is this doesn't seem to have a lot of the convenient features that other more expensive ones might. It's a bit slow and you've got to read up on how to do some of the more complicated tasks such as editing.

It's ultimately simple though once you have used it a few times, all you have to do to transfer camcorder/vhs tapes is hook up the cables and press record (not much different than a vcr). For this reason I'm favoring it over dvd burners, which have a lot more going on. However you can't burn a dvd in 10 minutes with this. Shop around and get a good deal, you will get a lot for the money.

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Magnavox MRV640 DVD Recorder

There are pros and cons about the Magnavox MRV640 DVD Recorder. However for me, I've not experienced any problems with it while playing DVD's, CD's, and recording DVD+R,+RW's. I like that you have a choice of up to 8 hours recording (depending on what discs you use), I've had no problems using the audio and video inputs and outputs. I've been able to hook up the Magnavox MRV640 DVD Recorder to my Panasonic VCR with ease to make back-up copies of my beloved, wearing VHS's.

The cons of the recorder are it's manual, remote control, and the color of its interface. The manual is black and white with few photos. It has in it what you need to learn how to use the Recorder however it's not excellent. There's a lot to read. The remote control is easy to use once you get a hang of it. There are buttons that do more than one task, which the manual also fails to point out. Last is the Magnavox picture interface that appears on you television screen. The con about this is the colors are blue on blue, which can make it a tad bit difficult viewing the menus, as there's not much contrast. Also the font on the screen is small.

The pros of the Magnavox MRV650 DVD Recorder are that it's a good price for the features it includes, such as progressive scan, up to eight hours recording time, Front-panel inputs. It burns DVD's and finalizes them quickly. It doesn't take long at all to turn it on. It begins recording almost instantly. Also it's not a hassle to set up physically. You can record from television your favorite shows. I've called Magnavox's customer care phone number several times and they were helpful. It's not fancy, if I were wanting fancy I would not choose this. However over all I'd say this is an Ok DVD Recorder. I'm happy with it.

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I purchased this thing for $150 at Best Buy and brought it home, thinking I got a great deal. How wrong I was. It worked fine for about 30 minutes until I tried to play a second disc. The display said "blocked" and then cycled between "opening/closing/blocked" on the display. This happened without the drawer ever opening up. I gave up and took it back to the store the next day and exchanged it. I used this new one for about two weeks with only one issue. It didn't like my second disc of Dave Chapelle's second DVD set. It would lock up while playing and skip like a scratched record. Overall it recorded great. I loved the DVD edit features and the menu ability was pretty cool. BUT Once again the drawer became "stuck". I put in a blank disk today and the display said "reading","disc error" and then back to "blocked/opening/closing". All without ever actually opening the drawer. I'm done with this thing. Apparently you can't get a good quality DVD recorder for a good price. It goes back to Best Buy tomorrow.

When I bought this recorder back in October, I was extremely happy with it. Yes the interface sucks and the manual isn't much better, but once you figure it out, it rocks. So, why only two stars? The unit began locking up and refusing to either record from the timer, or eject the disc. After calling Customer Care, I was informed to send it back for repair. What I got back was a dented, scratched unit with missing parts that has now been labeled "renewed" (even though I bought it brand new) and the warranty has been shortened from 1 year to 90 days. Repeated calls to customer care only yields

"I'm sorry we've escalated the problem and you should receive a call from us" Well guess what, it's been a month now, and I still

have the damaged unit and no calls from Magnavox. Next stop, BBB.

Mini Smile Face DV Sports HD DVR Video Spy Camera Hidden

Throw away the instruction booklet because the english translation is poorly written. Instead, search YouTube for 'happy face spy cam' and you will find several instructional videos on how to operate the device. A Micro SD card is required to store the media and was not included with this purchase. The video quality is good, photos are cool and audio is average quality. Overall, some neat features for the price.

this spy cam is a nice addition , easy to use, carry and operate. If they came in a different color or designs it would be a plus. great piece. Didn't come with ant accessories or driver.

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I got what I paid for... cheap. Description said it included "1 x Mini DV Smile-facing Camera Yellow ? 1 x CD Disk ? 1 x USB Cable ? 1 x User Manual" ... It did not come with CD disk as mention and mine did come with a 2gb micro scan disc so the one I spent extra to buy to go with it I will not be using. (Maybe that is why in the description from this seller there were a lot of "?". I think seller would be better to know their product for sure before selling and quit hiding behind the "?" marks.) The camera quality is not that good, but you can see and definitely hear the things you record. Booklet states video record time is only 1 hour so if you are using it as a "spy cam" or "nanny cam" go buy something else. Also there is NO WAY to reset the time stamp on the video/pictures... doesn't say in booklet, and can find no where online how to do so. I would suggest watching the reviews online on other sites before purchasing this product. Otherwise this is cute and fun, best suited for a child who wants to practice spy skills. =) I will be giving it to one of my nephews and buy me something "real".

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It is very light and somewhat fragile feeling but it takes decent video. Worth the money if your looking for a cheap light video camera.

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Pretty good video and sound not bad. Wish their were more designs to choose other then the smile face. Easy to use and easy to view video on computer. Great price