Sony BDP-S590 3D Blu-ray Disc Player with Wi-Fi (Black)

• 3D Blu-ray Disc Player with Full HD 1080p playback
• Built-in Wi-Fi, Digital Audio Output(s): 1 Optical (Rear), 1 Coaxial (Rear)
• AVCHD, GIF, JPEG, MP3, MPEG-4, MPEG1, MPEG2, PNG; Media Remote app for iPhone/iPad & Android phones
• Region: Blu-ray: A, DVD: 1, 60Hz
• Power requirement: 120 VAC, 60 Hz

[added a "6 moths later update at the end]

This isn't a super in depth review, but will give you more info that most will in a fairly brief summary:

First off, I am a Sony TV guy who bought TWO Panasonic Blu-Ray players last year due to their seeming superiority(reviews, pro and online stores).

First step for any modern electronic device, update your firmware. My initial update took over 5 minutes. I also recommend registering at internet.sony.tv as in the past some Sony products won't connect to certain services until you do. I connected to AmazonVideo on Demand and Netflix, BEFORE I registered it, so they may have responded to complaints and dropped the requirement, but incase there is a service that require it get it out of the way, it only takes a minute if you have a Sony account already

Netflix app(they upgraded! Sony fans rejoice!):

One glaring fault with (past/pre-2012?) Sony visual products is their Netflix app, as for years Sony decided to have a proprietary interface, and if you have researched it, a LOT of people had Netflix streaming issues. I guess Sony finally took note, as the new interface is like a across between the Wii interface and the Panasonic interface, as in it looks like you avgerage Netflix app now. I watched the Norwegian film TrollHunters, and it took about 15-20 seconds to load the movie, 10 seconds for the Netflix stream to stabilize to the bandwidth( this is mostly on Netflix's end I believe), with the unit 10 feet from my router. For the entire movie, it never reloaded or refreshed, or froze, and was in 1080 with 5.1 sound. I also paused the movie and rewound several times with no reload or delay. Truly the smoothest Netflix experience I have had yet on any of my devices. If your getting the S590 I assume this will be important to you. And yes, it has a dedicated Netflix button, and the app loads faster than my Wii or Panasonic Blu Ray players, and my Sony TV's, so I assume they have "fixed" it, but I haven't done a lot of viewing yet.

Blu Ray performance:

Another reviewer said it won't play Disney movies, but I didn't have a problem, more later. First I put in the Star Trek (2009) Blu Ray, which has great visual beginning. I didn't have any performance issues that I could tell, and the menus are VERY fast and responsive, almost to a fault as there was a bit of shutter on the pop up menu, but unless you watch the movie with the pop up constantly going up and down I don't see this as a big issue. It was roughly 30 seconds from hitting the eject button to close the tray to the Paramount intro screen going, not bad.

I then tried a 3D Disney Blu Ray (Tangeled, a true Disney made film), as one reviewer had said Disney BR does not work. Seeing as how this player is VERY new( a few weeks to a month on market), My guess is there was a firmware issue, disc issue, or user issue. That said, Tangeled played flawlessly in 3D as I skipped around chapters trying to cause an issue, but it all worked great.

Also, this player, in my opinion, works very fast when skipping chapters or loading a scene from menu, where some playera seem to pause or lag. It was also quick to fast foward and "rewind", with little to no pause when hitting the button. A noticeable leap over my 2011 model panasonic bdt-220.

Network set-up:

As usual for modern Sony products, if you have a WPS router, took roughly 2 minutes, from the time I started the set up on the TV, walked to my router in the next room and hit the WPS button, and then walked backed to tell the TV to begin connecting.

The Media Remote app for Android worked very well, but you must first go to the settings menu on the TV and scroll down to the Media remote section, and "register"(aka activate, a button push) the feature(an unnecessary step IMO but I guess they are worried about people with an unprotected router have their TV taken over by pranksters?).

Now some people are complaining about build quality. It's true it doesn't feel as sturdy at the Panasonic Players I bought last year, but is by no means flimsy. Unless you are planning on dropping it regularly, or letting your dog chew on it, I don't see a problem with this. It does look nice, with a brushed metal "look" on the case.

As with seemlingly EVERY Blu Ray player, it does not come with an HDMI(which baffles me, it isnt expensive to make a high quality HDMI cable, don't get fooled by the HDMI cable prices).

6-Month Update

I have now owned this product for 6 months. If I were to again compare it to the Panasonic's , although they are a generation older, the Sony absolutely blows them away. It loads movies faster, it streams Hulu and Netflix faster, it updates firmware MUCH faster, and I have not had any streaming or Blu Ray video problems at all.

I have encountered one issue, but won't change my rating. On Fast Boot mode, while the boot is nearly instant, I did encounter an odd issue where it boots itself. If you have your TV HDMI control function, it will turn on the TV also. It's a bit unnerving when you are asleep and you are awoken by your TV turning on and seeing a Main menu. This COULD be an HDMI control issue with my TV though. There are two ways to solve it: Turn off fast boot(it's still much faster than most Blu Ray players), or turn off HDMI control so it can't turn on your TV itself. Also, while some Sony TV's do not, this player will also auto zoom/strech the screen when you are watching a 4:3 format video on netflix, to fit your widescreen, so there aren't any bars on the side. I know many people want to use every inch of their TV screen.

Also, Sony has been fairly quick lately to keep the Internet Video Apps up to date/ recent versions, So no TiVo-style glacier slow Internet Application User Interface updates to worry about.

Buy Sony BDP-S590 3D Blu-ray Disc Player with Wi-Fi (Black) Now

This is a awesome Streamer/Bluray/DVD player. I haven't experienced any issues whatsoever playing back Bluray disks. Boot times are very good with the disks I tested. Everything played back perfectly with stunning picture quality. However, I really purchased this player for its streaming abilities. Sony players were dinged in the past for a poor Netflix experience. Sony have fixed this with a updated Netflix interface that supports 1080p and Dolby Digital+ streams. Similarly Amazon VOD supports Dolby Digital bitstream audio, and VUDU and HULU+ are unchanged from the 2011 players, but work fine. Its also nice to have "crackle" on there so you can watch the odd Seinfeld episode when you fancy.

I also tested the player with a DNLA server. Sony seem to recommend Serviio (free) so I think they must test the DLNA features of the player with this software. I tested photos, music and video and everything played back perfectly.

Anyway, a great streamer/disk player. Highly recommended !!

** update **

Had a need to play a Disney BD disk on this player the other day. A comment here suggests that Disney BDs won't play. Complete nonsense. They playback perfectly.

** Update (8/27/12) **

Sony added support for watch lists with the amazon Vod app.

Cinema NOW is now supported.

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I've been looking for a Blu-ray player for awhile now and my purchase was delayed a bit due to so many conflicting feedback entries over products. I finally decided to go with a brand I trust, Sony, that had the features I was looking for and just see what happens. The S590 is 3d capable, but I have no interest in 3d and that is why I do not address it in my review.

Out of the box the player is a bit plasticy. (Is that a word?) Yes it feels a little cheap, but on the upside it is light and matches my other equipment. I don't need a Blu-ray player that is built like a tank. After all, it is just going to sit there on my media shelf playing movies. I don't get why people complain about it. Do they take their players mountain biking with them? So yes, the case is plastic, but I could not care less. One important note, an HDMI cable is not included with the unit, so be sure to have one if you want an HDMI connection.

I plugged in the player via HDMI and turned it on. First thing I established a wireless connection so I could update firmware. My router, in the next room, was seen immediately, along with routers from neighbors. I entered my password and was connected. Next, I updated the firmware. That took less than five minutes to do. Amazon Prime connectivity was next, then Netflix. No issues at all. I then decided to stream an Amazon Prime movie, Mission Impossible 3, as it is hi-def and I wanted to see what performance was like. The movie started up within 30 seconds, I saw I was getting between 8.4 and 10.2 megabits per second. The picture was clear and smooth. Over the weekend we streamed from Amazon Prime and Netflix and were very happy with the speed of connection and quality of video and sound.

I also tried playing Blu-Ray and DVD movies, both with no issues. I did not time how long it took to get a movie playing, but I can (very unscientifically) say that it was faster than what I have seen with several units. Everything played as expected.

Boot up time is acceptably fast. I chose the slower boot process as I don't want the player in standby mode all the time. When I turn the player on, I am able to choose what I want to do in about 15 20 seconds. More than acceptable.

Overall, I am extremely happy with the player. It is responsive, boots quickly and has handled my needs, (Blu-Ray disks, DVDs, Amazon Prime and Netflix.) I have not tried other features, so I can't speak to them. Given my experience, I would expect they would work as advertised, but you never know until you try them.

If I have friends looking for a Blu-Ray player, I won't hesitate to recommend the S590!

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In April I decided that although I loved my LG blu-ray player for Netflix and watching blu-rays, I wanted a new player that would let me watch Amazon streaming and have an updated and easier to use Netflix interface. My old player worked perfectly for what it did, I just wanted something that did more.

First, based on my great experience with my LG player, I ordered the LG BD670. I liked the interface, liked how it played blu-rays, loved that I could search Netflix from the blu-ray player itself (the old player would only let you view your queue and a few of the specific categories that it chose, you had to go to another device if you wanted to search or even browse beyond that) and I loved Amazon streaming. But it did not play Netflix well: during the course of pretty much anything I'd try to watch, whether it was a 2+ hours movie or a twenty minute tv episode, it would lose the sound and have stuttering picture for anywhere between a few seconds to several minutes. After less than two weeks I contacted Amazon and sent it back. I put my old blu-ray player back and it worked with no problems, for Netflix and blu-rays both.

Then, based on glowing reviews, I tried the Panasonic DMP-BDT220. Initially it seemed great. I liked it even more than the LG. Then it started having connection issues. Actually, it started having connection issues the first day, but I didn't realize right away that it was going to be a *constant* problem. There was not one day that it did not lose the internet connection. Granted, where it was set-up is as far away from my wireless router as it can be while the two devices are still the house, so some connection issues are understandable, but it would lose connection when nothing else in the room it was in had lost their connection and beyond that even, it would not reestablish its connection until I'd cycled it off and on, sometimes several times. I really wanted it to work, since when it was working, I loved it. I did not contact the company, in fairness, so I cannot say if they could have helped me or comment on their customer service. I did check online reviews and message boards and found that I was not alone in having internet connection issues with it. I tried some fixes that were posted but nothing worked. I read more than one person complaining that they *had* contacted Panasonic and were told that the wireless in the player just wasn't that strong, and the only real cure for connections issues was to move the player closer the router. That wasn't an option for me so, incredibly frustrated, after almost a month of it, I contacted Amazon and sent it back. Again I put my old blu-ray player back and it worked with no problems.

Finally, as a last resort, I tried this player, the Sony BDP-S590. Tentatively, hesitantly, I would say it *seems* I've found my player. I admit, I held off on the Sony because it was more expensive than the LG, and at least at the time I was first looking, the reviews weren't as good as for the Panasonic. But for me, it's working. It sits where the Panasonic sat (and where the LGs sat) and doesn't have any connection issues except when there is genuinely an interruption that is affecting everything else that's connected to the router--and even then as soon as the router is doing its thing again, all I have to do is hit "Retry" and the player is connected again, no turning it off and on repeatedly. It has no problem playing Netflix, or Amazon streaming, or Crackle, or Youtube, or good old blu-rays. I appreciate that it's got the only remote that actually controls my not-that-old Toshiba tv, which isn't a big deal, but it's nice. I'm not an audiophile or videophile or whatever, so I can't comment on the technicalities of the sound or picture; it sounds and looks fine to me. The loading times aren't long enough that I get impatient, but I'm not the sort of person who times those things as long as they aren't long enough to make me take notice.

As far as I'm concerned, if you just want to watch stuff, it works. And if you have any sort of distance constraints on where you can place it (like if you don't want to/can't put it in the same room with the router) this is your best bet. I waited to write this review, paranoid after the first two blu-ray players, but after about a month of this, I'm still pleased with it.

At this point, I have made the rounds. I first bought a refurb Panasonic BDT210, thinking the black flashes would be fixed. They weren't. Sent it back. Then, I ordered a Panasonic BDT220. Very nice player with great picture and sound quality, and excellent streaming. Problem was there was a soft, distinct, rhythmic, gulping sound when playing discs, especially with DVDs. Exchanged it for another. The second machine had wireless connection issues. Return it rather than face a headache. Heard really good things about the BDP S390 and 590. Skeptical at first since I have been a diehard Panasonic player fan. Hooked up the Sony. Smooth as silk setup with wireless. No problem at all. Zip, zip, zip. That made me instantly happy. Very user friendly. Quiet player too. Not silent, but no disturbing sounds. Then there was the picture quality. Wow. The Panny is great, but the 590 is photographic. Beautiful picture. Great sound as well. Quick disc loading (though the Panny may be an insignificant touch quicker). Excellent streaming with a fine picture (extra hi/HD even with wireless). Navigating apps is smooth and quick. Amazon's user interface could use some tweaking when it comes to search and selection, but I get my Prime movies with no issues. I can't comment on USB and external files because I don't use them. The PQ on this player along with the smooth and friendly user interface got me to such a degree, I ended up ordering a second one for my other TV. I'm very happy with how things turned out. It's been a long haul, but Sony gets an A+ from me on this player.

Please note: Updating the firmware on this player can take a few minutes. It's quicker when the player is hard wired. The player has to be turned on again after the update is completely finished. Also, Sony customer support was friendly, responsive, and helpful when I called asking about the update. :) Panny needs to improve the quality of their customer service. Rather cut and dry in my experience.

KIDS REAL Camcorder, With Night Vision

I was hoping to find some other reviews on here. Maybe I'm the only one who was duped into buying this?!

I purchased this as a Christmas gift for my niece and gave it to her tonight. It worked for all of 2 minutes before it went black and no one could figure out how to get it to turn back on. We put new batteries in it, fiddled with it & read the manual to see if we could get it going.

This was a hotly advertised sale deal from JC Penney.com this year & they tried to set the "regular price" as 79.99 & made you think you were getting a real steal. But the main point is, regardless of what I paid for it, by advertising the regular price as 79.99 it made it look like I was getting something of pretty decent quality...for a kids toy. But the price here on amazon is even between $30 $50....which is quite a bit of money for something that doesn't work.

I too bought this as a gift last year for my grandkids. It worked for a minute then went blank and wouldn't turn on again. It was replaced at jcp store and the same thing happened with the new one. Very disappointing for the kids.

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Considering the price, this is an excellent little toy camcorder for kids to have fun with. Takes SD memory cards and allows the videos to be uploaded to a home computer.

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Predator Outdoor Products Ikam Xtrme 3.0 Video Eyewear Ap

I ordered the Predator I-Kam for hunting. I ordered them because they were camo and I was shipped shinny black plastic which would flare birds so I returned them. Amazon was especially prompt about refund and couldn't return because it was another vendor. I applaud Amazon not sure why vendor didn't ship what was advertised.

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Panasonic HDC-DX1 AVCHD 3CCD High Definition DVD Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

You really have to be in the Blue-Ray camp to enjoy this camera fully. If you have a Sony Play Station 3 you're set for playback and the future with Blue-Ray for High Definition movies. Otherwise you will need a Blue-Ray player for playback of the miniDVDs and any other regular DVDs you record to. Also, so far it's one of the last camcorders from Panasonic with 5.1 sound and High Definition recording, which is a big plus for sound. It's seems the newer camcorders are actually going backwards with 2 channel sound instead of 5.1. With Nero 8, which you'll have to buy separately, you can copy movies to your computer for editing and burning back on to a larger size regular recordable DVD, i.e., DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD+-RW or DL disks (they don't have to be Blue-Ray recordable DVDs). The camcorder records Blue-Ray format to regular DVDs. You just have to remember that they still won't play back on a regular DVD player, you'll need a Blue-Ray player or a Play Station 3. There have been complaints about this, but you're recording High Definition video now, so why would you except to play it back on a lower quality DVD system? This camera is for the future. If you want a DVD recordable camcorder, there are cheaper, less capable models that that do that. But if you want High Definition recording, with 5.1 sound, then this is the camera to get. One other thing to remember, the recording process to a miniDVD whether it's with this camera or any other miniDVD camera is different than with tapes. The miniDVD will have to be finalized if you want to use it outside the camera on a DVD player (Blue-Ray or not). There is an extra step involved from tape recording. Some people just don't understand this and complain. The one thing about this camera is that you can only finalize using the A/C charger and not with the battery in the camera. This means you'll probably shoot video and finalize the disks at home, not outside where you are shooting. Other miniDVD camcorders may allow finalizing with battery power which may be more convenent to do, but I don't find not having this a drawback for this camera.

I bought this camera to compliment my 46 in. Samsung Full HD LCD TV. The picture was very nice although the 30 mins. limitation of the DVD writeable media and the need to finalize the disk was a setback. I donot have the Blue Ray player yet so I connected my LCD TV using DVI to HDMI cable to my HTPC Windows Vista running on Dual core AMD 64 and an HD video card to view the HD picture taken from this camera and I am really pleased.

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I purchase the HDC-DX1 about a month ago and have been very happy with the picture quality, the picture enhancement features, etc. I was disappointed to find out after my purchase that I needed special software to download the content to, and edit it on, my computer and probably need a Blue Ray DVD burner to be able to create edited disks. I haven't worked with the software yet, so be sure you understand the implications of buying a camera with a format that is not the standard format used by most digital cameras.

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I bought this from Amazon over two weeks ago and used it to shoot about 2 hours of video in different places and conditions. I would rate this an excellent camera for the Price. Sure, there is stuff out there but considering the price that this is the cheapest Hi-Def. camera at nearly half the price. 3CCD really make a big difference in dynamic lighting conditions and this camera took on the challenge. Playback on Sony Grand WEGA 50" at 1080i was excellent. Be mindful that Cameras' used in Discovery/National Geographic are in the range of $30k $45k. The marginal gains are un-economical for my purposes. Again, extremely pleased and would Highly recommend it. Thanks Panasonic. A+.

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Forget about posting your videos to the Internet. The format it records in won't play in browsers. And there's no software anywhere that will convert it. Be prepared to wait for the door to open any time you need to take out a disk. Wait about 30 seconds. The door pops open. Insert a disk. Wait another 30 seconds. OK, so take your videos and the disk is full. Now wait again, because the disk must be finalized to play it in the camera. Want to play it outside the camera? OK. Remove the battery. Plug the adapter cord into the camera. Plug the other end into the charger. Plug in the charger. Hunt through the menus until you find the option to finalize the disk for playing elsewhere. Now wait 10 minutes for it to process. Want to transfer videos to your computer? Make sure you use the USB cord supplied. Make sure no other USB devices are plugged into your computer. Make sure you're using Windows XP. Computer won't recognize the camera? Sorry. That can happen--the camera isn't guaranteed to work with any computer.

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Polaroid PRDVDPRW15S DVD+RW 4.7GB 120-Minute 4x Rewritable DVD Disc, 15-Pack Spindle

Bought these dvds sinced their price was so good but now I know why! They shouldn't even be giving them away! I would say that at least 30-40% of them couldn't be recorded on & had to throw them away! Cheap is cheap & better to spend more & get good quality!

They were defective & shouldn't have been sold!

The Polaroid Re-writers work on my three DVD's I record a program and look at the program and erase the disk. I would watch program on a non re-writers and couldn't use it again for more recording. I watch a lot movies and TV show.

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I want to write a fair review on this Polaroid DVD+R. It is actually works, I have already used many disc to burn.

Make sure when you burn, you select the burn speed of 4x and it will works!

This DVD+R you can burn in 2.4x and 4x speed.

I first was hesitated so I burn in 2.4x and it didn't play in my JVC DVD player. Then I try burn again select burn speed 4x and this time it works! It play fine on both my JVC and Sony DVD player.

Yes, this item is cheap, that is why the highest speed you can burn is 4x. But since I am short on money, so I choose this. It was worth the money I pay for, I don't have any complaints. This Polaroid DVD+R actually works, trust me. If you looking for something cheap, buy it.

Read Best Reviews of Polaroid PRDVDPRW15S DVD+RW 4.7GB 120-Minute 4x Rewritable DVD Disc, 15-Pack Spindle Here

I ordered it because POLAROID is a well know Name and Brand and has been around for many years so I figured that they would be of good quality.

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Tascam GB-10 Guitar Trainer/Recorder

• Instrument trainer / recorder1/4" guitar/bass inputGuitar/bass effects including amp modelling, delay, reverb, chorus and moreRecords 44.1kHz/16-bit WAV filesPlayback 16 or 24-bit WAV files or MP3 filesSD/SDHC card media slot with included 2GB cardOverdub recording allows sound-on-sound build up of an arrangementLoop playback using dedicated buttonsVariable Speed Audition speeds up or slows down playback without changing the pitchChromatic Tuner and MetronomeUSB 2.0 jack for high-speed music tra

I received this last week. The GB-10 Guitar & Bass Trainer/Recorder comes packaged very securely and seems very unlikely to be damaged in transit.

It comes with a 100 page owner's manual (in English), a registration card, an errata sheet for the manual, a USB cable, a 2GB SD card and two AA batteries. Except for the plastic sleeves, everything can be recycled. The batteries are intended to power up the unit to show that it works. The set that came with mine lasted about two hours. Other reviews on the web say that they're getting eight to ten hours out of quality batteries, so you will want to either get batteries by the case, use the supplied USB cable for power or get the power supply (PS-P520). I got the power supply and it works very well.

As I said, the owner's manual is 100 pages and is in English, except for one page. Page 5 contains "IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS" in Chinese. My best guess is that is is displaying recycling information since it mentions lead, mercury, cadmium and some other compounds.

The manual has an easy to read font. There is a "Quick Start" section that explains the major features. You'll likely be able to use the unit after going through these. The rest of the manual explain what the various buttons on the unit do. It reads like a technical specifications document press A and B happens. There's not much effort into explaining why you would want to use an effect or how various options interact. In short, it is a manual and not a user's guide. Also, there is no index.

The unit only accepts a Tascam RC-3F footswitch. That model has not yet been released. I contacted Tascam about it. They responded pretty quickly saying that it would be available at some time in the future. I am disappointed that they couldn't time the release of both together.

I used the supplied USB cable to hook the unit up to both a Mac and Windows computer. The unit is USB 2.0 compatible, but doesn't require it. Practically speaking, that means that it is a USB 1 interface.

When connected, the unit prompts you to use the connection as a power supply or for data. If you select power, then the unit will draw power from the computer, not from the batteries. Select data and the unit mounts as a drive, allowing you to transfer data from the computer. You can only use one mode or the other. I didn't find that to be inconvenient since I only transferred files a few times. If you're running off of batteries, though, make sure that you have plenty of power when copying files or you could lose data.

I had no problems with file transfers on the Mac. On the Windows XP box, the drive was very, very slow. I was not able to try it on another Windows computer so I do not know if it is the unit or maybe something like an overly-agressive virus scanner on the computer. I did find it funny that the manual states that it is compatible with "Widnows" (yep, that is their typo).

The unit will play either MP3 (32-320kbps, 44.1kHz) and WAV (16/24-bit, 44.1kHz) files. I used files that I had downloaded from iTunes (in MP3 format) or ripped from a CD (MP3 and WAV). I had no problems with either format. Tascam does point out that if you are using an MP3 file then you may not be able to specify an exact location for the start and end points looping. WAV files do not have that problem.

The files that I copied over sounded very good when playing back. There were no issues with clipping or stuttering. I used the unit as an MP3 player at work one day. The interface is not as streamlined as my iPod, but it worked. I had a little fun showing off the unit as an MP3 player. My co-workers laughed at how big it was. I let a few try it out and none of them preferred it to a dedicated MP3 player. I want to point out that the volume on this unit is unbelievable. I had to put the output to the lowest level possible in order to listen to most music comfortably with the buds from my iPod.

When copying audio files, you can create folders to organize your content. You must do that from your computer since the unit does not have that capability. The advantage of grouping files by folder is seen when playing back files. The interface is streamlined when the songs are in a common folder.

I used the GB-10's features to slow down, speed up and change key on several songs and I was fairly underwhelmed. The unit will change the playback speed by up to 50% while maintaining pitch. When I slowed down "Tom Sawyer", I found that the pitch was preserved but it was still difficult to pick up the notes. To my ears, the effect of the speed change was like having a slow vibrato played on the note. The effect on drums (which are prominent in the song) is actually horrible. It sounds like dropping a marble in a steel bucket. This is a guitar and bass trainer so it is only an issue because it is kind of distracting. Since "Tom Sawyer" has some reverb added to begin with, I had a problem picking out the bass line.

When I tried a simpler song, the results were much better. I listened to a violin piece at half speed and was able to follow along very easily. To confirm, I went through a lot of music from the 80's and 90's. For the majority of the songs, I was able to follow the guitar. The bass was a different story it came across as very muddy. Switching to a better set of headphones helped and connecting to my stereo proved that it wasn't the unit. It seems that the target audience for the GB-10 will be using headphones most of the time, so this could be a serious issue if you are a bass player. A built in EQ would be welcome.

After trying out these features, I plugged my Fender Jazz bass into the unit. I normally play using the bridge pickup set to 80% and the neck to 20%, so keep that in mind. I'd already tuned using a Korg TM-40 tuner. The GB-10 tuner disagreed, so I tuned to it. The tuner is not hard to use but is not as user-friendly as the Korg. After getting tuned on the GB-10, I went back to the Korg and found that the GB-10 was consistently a few cents higher. No big deal.

Once through with the tuning, I tried playing a bit to get an idea of the tone. I found out that I could not hear myself. I turned up the input to ten and could see on the display that signal was getting through, but couldn't hear a thing. I was puzzled until I remembered that I had turned the output level to the minimum to listen to the MP3s. Turning up the output about halfway allowed me to hear the bass. The tone was pretty neutral, so I recorded a bit and played it back. The volume on the playback was okay. When I transferred the WAV file to my computer and played them back, the volume was much better. And the tone was exactly what I was expecting. It sounded great.

I should point out that the GB-10 will put the recording into the current folder. The manual says that they will go the root folder if you don't specify a location but it turns out that changing to another folder makes the GB-10 dump the recordings there.

When I tried playing along with a music file, I remembered to set the balance first. This is not the "left to right" balance that you would expect but the balance between the input level and the volume of the music file. Setting it from the default of 20 to 8 provided a nice balance between the bass and the music file. You should be careful with this, though. When you unplug the guitar, the balance goes back to that default of 20. In my case, that means that it suddenly gets much, much louder. Painfully louder.

I was worried that recording while having the unit set to 50% speed would impact the recording. It did but not in a terrible way. The GB-10 compressed the notes' duration so that when played back at 100% speed, my part didn't sound slow. When I listened to it on playback, I realized that the balance of 8 was too low since the bass overwhelmed the music. You will have to play with that setting to get a good balance.

I have to say that for training purposes, it works as well as can be expected and I do recommend the product. I would give it five stars if there was a built in equalizer and a better way of dealing with the differences in volume between the guitar input and the music file being played.

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This is my third Tascam guitar trainer,the first two being the CD-GT1 and CD-GT2 cd based units. This unit has a major flaw. When in "loop" mode, you cannot fast forward, rewind, or use the 2 second "flash" mode. They simply do not work. Also, if you "pause" while in "loop" mode, and then push play, you automatically go back to the beginning of the loop. There is no way around this. You loop off a 30 second solo, pause at the 25 second point to practice that last 3 second lick, push play, and you have to go over the entire 25 seconds again just to get back to that 3 second lick.

A minor gripe is the "speed" portion of the unit. You can only adjust in 10% increments. 100,90,80,70,60,50. With the GB-10, you will find 60% may be too slow while 70% may be slightly too fast. The GT-2 is adjustable in 1% increments: 100,99,98,97 etc. This gives you much more flexability when slowing down those fast licks. The previous units GT1 and GT2 performed all of these functions perfectly. I bought the GB-10 expecting advances in features, not reductions, and for that I'm slightly disappointed. I still have the GT2 and will go back to using that for the majority of the more complicated licks. I do like the SD card storage and usb transfer from computer to GB-10. It makes accessing songs near instantanious and I'll probably use the GB-10 to store songs I've already learned and play against.

Tascam has just released a firmware update on 12/22, which I installed, but it does not address any of these issues. If Tascam could fix the "looping" area and restore the features that the GT-2 had, this would be an excellant product.

Read Best Reviews of Tascam GB-10 Guitar Trainer/Recorder Here

Well , I am no stranger to the tascam trainers (bass trainers) this is my third and each time Tascam has come out with a new model i have gotten it.Needless to say , i love this product and am very excited for new developements.BUT Each time they take away certain features, leave others and add new ones ...some times i'm left scratching my head. Just to bottom line it

Some minuses

---long gone are the days that u can cancel either left or right channel and have the remaining channel come thru both ears .... wonderful for play a longs that had stereo separation; This on the fly feature went away on the "2ND" CD player version and i misss it so that i had to start out by mentioning it ( I now use Roxio to edit the music and although less convenient i can add sprinkle in some effects to make the mono output sound more stereo); would have been nice to bring this feature back.

---What, no backlight ; ok ok that might be fine to save batteries but unless you are in the most well lit conditions ( and i am usually not )the screen is kinda hard to see.

---no footswitch...available , despite there being instructions regarding them.

Some plusses

----WOW . the most intuitive buttons ....much time was spent on this as it is a good bit of revamping

----The recording aspect is slick , great for play a longs

----sd card storage ...nice

----playist mode can hold up to 4 loops per song.....nice again

----solid construction even though very lightweight

All in all it's a nice product and has proven to be an essential piece of equipment so even though they left out some features (backlight would have been nice) I am still an will pretty much always be an advocate of this device.

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I am a beginner at guitar and this thing was a big help to me from the first day I got it. At my current stage in learning I am just trying to learn entire songs and device is great for slowing things enough for me to follow along as well as easily create loops for the sections that I am having difficulty with. As for all the other nifty features, I have not got around to using them yet but I'm sure I will eventually.

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Tascam GB-10, not ready for prime time yet. Has potential.

As a long time (6+ years) CD-BT1 Bass Trainer user, I looked forward to ditching stacks of CD's to make the move to mp3's. When Tascam's GB-10 Guitar/Bass Trainer hit just above $100 I pulled the trigger and purchased one.

These negatives made me return it for a refund:

1. Small, low resolution display packed with a bit too much information. Even with reading glasses the viewing angle needs to be spot on as it lacks back lighting. I don't need a color display but would be willing to pay more for higher resolution (more pixels) and backlighting.

2. Small size is both a plus and a minus. Small makes it portable but it also makes it prone to getting pulled onto the floor by the guitar chord.

3. $25 AC power supply (wall wart). OK this is how Tascam keeps the price point for the trainer. But jeez. Paying ¼ the cost of the trainer for a $10 wall wart is a bit too much.

4. No way to `normalize' mp3 files in order to provide a constant sound level from song to song. With songs that vary in volume you need to continually adjust the bass level and overall volume. While the user interface makes this easy it is time consuming and more importantly the volume settings are a bit coarse. I was never able to keep a consistent bass level and overall volume from song to song.

5. No simple mp3 tone or bass tone controls. While there are several cabinet modeling settings for a variety of 8" to 12" speakers I found none suitable for bass guitar. I wound up wishing for simple "Low" "Mid" "High" tone controls for both the bass input and mp3 outputs.

6. Lastly and most importantly poor bass/guitar sound quality. The mp3 files sounded find, however, there is way too much hiss even with bass volume all the way up. I have passive bass guitars maybe active guitars with a bit hotter signal might not be so hissy.

I will be keeping my eye out for a firmware upgrade or the Mark II version to hopefully correct some of these issues. If Tascam does make some corrections/improvements I would be willing to try again.

TiVo C00210 TiVoGlo Premium Remote Control, Black

• Compatible With Tivo Series 2, Tivo Series 3, Humax Series 2, Philips Series 1, Philips, Hughes, Samsung & Rca
• Directv Dvr Boxes With Tivo Service
• Not Compatible With Sony Boxes Or The Toshiba Dvd Player With Tivo Service
• Can Control Up To 2 Tivo Boxes At The Flip Of A Switch
• Requires 4 Aaa Batteries (Not Included)

If you are using any other Tivo remote, you owe it to yourself to get one of these. Tired of fumbling with your old Tivo remote's soft spongy buttons that don't seem to quite do the job even when you are super careful to press the buttons firmly? I thought so. (And if your remote's buttons haven't developed that spongy feeling yet, just wait. It will.) This remote beats the old ones hands down. When you press a button there is a tactile click to let you know that contact has been made. The remote feels great in the hand, although not substantially different from the older models except for a texture on the bottom of the remote that lets you know which end you've got ahold of. This is a great feature. The backlight is great too.

There are a couple of issues with this model however. First of all, they switched the position of the "Thumbs" and volume/channel buttons, which was a pretty dumb idea. Volume and Channel were much better positioned on the old remote, just above the pause & play buttons. They are still within reach on this newer model, but this seems like a pointless change. The intent was to make the thumbs up/down easier to get to, but honestly, once you've had a Tivo for a couple of months, how often do you really use the thumbs?

The other nit with this device is that it uses 4 AAA batteries instead of 2 AA's like the older model. Not such a big deal in and of itself, but battery life seems considerably shorter. Not that you'll be running out for batteries every month or anything. I'd say they last at least 6 months for a heavily used unit. (When the remote starts responding intermittently, change the batteries). But compared to the older remotes that could go years on a set of AA's, the new model is a step backward, albeit just a little one.

Despite its faults, this is still a great remote. It works perfectly with older TIVO models. I have not tested on the Series 1, but the Series 2 remote works with the Series 1 and these work fine with Series 2, so if you still have a Series 1, you're probably in good shape. This remote also works perfectly with the Humax and Toshiba DVD burner Tivo's.

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Works perfectly every time. In addition to controlling my Series3 HD TiVo, I use it to drive my Sony CRT televisions throughout the house. It looks so beautiful next to the other remotes. So finely weight balanced and light, you almost can't feel you are holding it. Love the "big pause" button in the middle. I am going to buy two more of these for around the house.

One nitpick.. The Glo remote is not very bright -But much better than no glow at all. I also wish I could control my TiVo with RF instead of I/R.

There is also a glossy white model of this remote. Look for TiVo C00211

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I have a Tivo Series 2 DT. The TiVoGlo is a much more powerful remote. If you have problems with the response of a standard remote, then try the TiVoGlo remote. You should see a quicker response from your Tivo.

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This is a great product for a great price. The Glo remote is great in a dim or dark room. The buttons are better than the stock remote as well. Better placement, better quality, and better feel.

I finally purchased one of these and couldn't be happier. I've been a Tivo user since they first came out and am on my third box now. As such, the standard Tivo "peanut" remote has become like an extension of my hand. I never have to look at it, every button is right where I expect it to be.

Last year I bought a new television and home theater system that didn't have remote codes for the standard Tivo remote.

I bought three different universal remotes and they all worked, but I didn't like they way they feel. I don't tend to return items, so they're all just sitting in an end table.

After unboxing the "Premium Glo" remote and finding 4 AAA batteries to throw in it, I had my TV's power and input as well as my receiver's power and volume programmed in literally under a minute. I programmed my receiver's power to the mute button on the Glo remote. I still need the receiver remote around, but I don't have to touch it to turn everything on and start watching TV/Tivo. Excellent!

The buttons are spaced slightly different than the original Tivo remote, but I got used to that in a few days. The button feel is also a little different but I like it. Yes the buttons glow after you touch one when it's dark. I could care less and I'm glad you can turn that feature off.

If there were Cons, this would be them: I don't have that many gadgets that take AAA's so I tend not to keep those around, now I'm going to have to. The shiny rather than textured surface of the plastic attracts fingerprints, not that I care, but maybe that's important to you. The button placement and feel might be a negative to someone who REALLY, REALLY doesn't want a change from the original Tivo remote. It's @ $50, which is expensive for a non-universal remote, meaning, it doesn't fully replace all my remotes.

I like it, it nets out to taking one more remote(TV) off the coffee table, and I get to keep my Tivo remote shape, size, and feel. That's worth $50 for me, and if it's the same for you, you'll like it too.

Enjoy!

KO

KGuard BR801-8CW154M All-in-One Security System - 8-Channel -500GB DVR, 8 CMOS Day/Night Vision Cam

Had a problem with 2 cameras not working , left voicemails on there phone , 3 emails, someone from china answerd me back and told me to contact California ,i said that's what I've been tying to do, tried doing rma on there Web site just to exchange 2 cameras but after filling form out it says sorry were under maintance and it deletes everything you put in it , wired every thing up with there garbage wire it came with, no one responded back to me, not happy with this .night vision really stinks cant see anything ,will not do buisness with them again. Never

RF Limited V-Swing 3.5in LCD Video Swing Recorder

my old flip mino(not HD) captures better video of my golf swing than this one. although it can capture your golf swing even in a tight space because it's fisheye.

Sony DVP-NS425P Progressive Scan DVD Player, Silver

• DVD-RW/-R (video mode), DVD+RW/+R, and MP3/SVCD/VCD/CD/CD-R/CD-RW playback
• DVD progressive-scan output (480p); 10-bit DAC with 54 Mhz processing gives clear, colorful video
• Component video, S-video, composite video, analog audio, and coaxial digital outputs
• TV Virtual Sound with four surround modes
• Measures 17 x 2-3/16 x 9-1/2 inches (W x H x D)

I was running through the many DVD players that would support all the formats I needed. Typically I was thinking of staying in the 80 dollar range. Then I saw this Sony on sale for 99.99. I thought, Great a DVD player that plays ALL the formats, and Im getting a Sony.

Much like the other user, I have stalling issues through out any DVD I put in. It is NOT issues with the disk. But even worse is the terrible problems it has with darker transitions. For instance:

When its a black screen and you have credits that pop up....you see a darker patch of black across the screen fully -------Directed By Ridley Scott----------. Like that. It also has similar problems during movie play. One scene, A guy was in a darkened closet, and clearly your meant to see him vaguely. Instead, I got negative (like a negative from a picture) effect over his face. It did this same thing with several other movies.

Lastly, the ease of use is just horrific. I dare any of you to buy this product and think this Unit is convenient. Lack of FF, or RW speeds, Menu options that are poorly put together. Skipping through scenes is a horrific battle.

On the plus sides, the picture, when not affected by this units darker places problems, is pretty dag gone crisp.

Has lots of nice picture quality setups, and sound setups.

Plays all the formats for those of you who needs a guaranteed play em all unit.

Was the best looking unit I saw in many online and retail markets.

Overall, the studdering, and the picture quality issues makes this unit a big ol negative. I suggest finding something better.

Buy Sony DVP-NS425P Progressive Scan DVD Player, Silver Now

This was my first DVD player, because my kids were getting sick and tired of playing DVDs on my computer.

The first one (DVP-NS425P)I got had what I considered to be serious playback problems.

While playing various DVD disks, it did not play the video smoothly, but would stop for a fraction of a second at random places during the film, before continuing smoothly. This happened several times while playing the same disk. When I scanned back past the spot where this happened, and then replayed the same section again, it did not happen again. But it would happen again at a different spot, and when I scanned back and replay again, the same thing happened; it played fine.

Another way to describe the problem is, that the disc seems to "stutter" at random spots. These are never the same spot on the individual disks. It happened with almost every disk I played. I have only played movie disks, that I own or rent. I have not played any DVD -R, -RW, +R or +RW disks.

The last time this happened was with a brand new DVD disk, fresh out of the box.

Thinking that I just had a faulty player, I went back to the store to exchange it for a new one. Unfortunately the new one does exactly the same thing. Except it does it worse. The random stops are now much longer. The player is being returned of a refund. I will not get a new one.

As far as I am concerned, this is a bad DVD player. On top of that, SONY tech support has been unhelpful and outright incompetent.

Read Best Reviews of Sony DVP-NS425P Progressive Scan DVD Player, Silver Here

My goal was to purchase a cheap DVD player to drive a DLP projector and avoid going to the "high-end" DVD/CD units until later. The unit is a DVD player first and marginally a CD/MP3 player next.

VIDEO QUALITY:

After returning 2 different DVD players, I settled on this unit. DVD playback is very good and component video (480p to be specific) is clearly better than the NS725 and matches the video output of the Panasonic F85S. This quality approaches that of my computer's output. I don't have that many DVDs, nor do I rent very often but my friends who rent often say they have not had any problems playing discs....yet.

AUDIO QUALITY:

All forms of audio that's supported sounded as expected on my mid-high end system. Keep in mind that there is no fiber optic connector for digital audio (only coaxial). I don't have a subwoofer yet but the remaining channels sounded fine.

ERGONOMICS & USE:

The remote control is typical Sony. The button layout needs improvement but I didn't purchase this unit expecting or wanting every feature under the sun. Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS) is what I was looking for and basically what I got.

ANNOYANCE:

I've tested 4 of these players (via friends and 1 that I returned due to the problem described) and when playing CD's, the CD mechanism makes an annoying sound averaging at least once a second. When playing a DVD, this sound is not produced due to the rotational speed difference between playing a CD and playing a DVD. I ultimately accepted this problem as I will probably purchase a separate, higher quality CD player. Remember, I just wanted a cheap DVD player that had very good progressive component video.

BOTTOM LINE: It's a solid DVD player, but don't I don't recommend it if you think you'll be annoyed by mechanical noises when playing CDs.

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I've been using my PS2 as a DVD player for about 2 years and figured using the stupid controller as the remote is so 2001. I decided to find a DVD player that could suit my needs. I needed one that would have Progressive scan for HDTV, one that would play burned DVD's (Legally of course, one with 5.1 audio support, and one that would look stylish. I got that and more with this Sony player. At 100 bucks, it's a little more than the standard $40 players you can pick up, but it does have great features. DVD+ and -RW reading, MP3 CD player, 5.1 Coaxial output, progressive scan, pan and scan, a beautiful exterior and a great remote. Also, the thing is almost silent. Only when the dvd loads does it make a peep. I'm docking it one star because Pan and Scan only works with certain dvd's and the fact that Sony left out a Digital Optical output in the back. Also, you have to stop the movie to adjust sound and picture options. I do like how it picks up where you first stopped the video. For the price, it's hard to beat this fully loaded DVD player.

This is my second sony dvd player. The first lasted about a year and was hardly used. Out of no where the Drive on it stopped functioning. So now I go out and buy another sony dvd player, the DVP-NS425P, to replace it. No longer than a month later the drive dies the exact same way. What I can conclude from this is either Sony is using recycled drives or they are using faulty drives in their dvd players. From now on I'm not paying $100+ for dvd players. Sony has caused me to lose faith in their products and I will no longer pay for their name. Maybe you will or do have better luck with Sony but I will stick to something cheaper. Then maybe I will feel like I've gotten my moneys worth.

Panasonic VCR 4-Head PV-8451

I ordered this to replace and older VCR that died on us. We tried other formates DVD and Blue Ray,But always ended up with it not recording the shows.

The VCR works best for us, My wife is a OR Nurse, She works late on some of her show nights. It's the easies for me to program quickly when she working late. The Panasonic is what I was looking for, It work very well and programs easy.

Weather-proof 2.4G 4-Channel Wireless Surveillance and Security System with 4 Indoor/Outdoor Night

this product is not the best!!! driver doesnt work well, either is missing files or gives a lot of errors when making it to work. works at the first time then stop working for missing a specific code saying " class does not exist.errorcode=0x583"

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SPECO 8 Channel Triplex Digital Video Recorder w/Network/DDNS Video Server

Highly pleased with every aspect of this DVR. Easy to configure, and extremely reliable. DDNS Video Server feature and remote configuration software both work as advertised.

Recommended this to other businesses in the area, without reservation.

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Samsung SC-X300 Flash Memory Divx Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom

So I am former MiniDV camcorder owner. And I HATED that experience-transferring video to the PC and then editing it was just so tedious and unpleasant. So I was SOOO happy to find this camcorder that records in MP4 format automatically AWESOME.

I purchased this about 18 months ago and have taken it everywhere around the world in my pocket. The form factor and video format are the biggest pluses of this camcorder. However, the battery life is ridiculously pitiful I can't stress how poor battery life is. After just 3 months of usage, the battery couldn't hold a charge for more than one hour. After 12 months of usage, it could only manage about 20 minutes during indoor filming.

So I ended up always taking my power adapter, traveling adapters and my phone which all of sudden negated the form factor benefit...

Oh one more BIG thing, I am actually in the market for another flash memory camcorder because the little LCD screen on this camera went dark. A few months ago it started to show the occasion lines/snow, but I just shut it down and turned in on again. Then one day last month, the screen wouldn't light up, despite the fact that all the other indicator lights on the camera were operational. And of course, it occurred after the warranty period.

After using my digital camera countless times as a 'camcorder' I finally decided to get serious about it. I didn't want something too complicated, and I have/had no desire to get something with tape or dvd media that I was then then going to have to capture to the computer. This camera operates off an SD card that plugs right into a card reader, and transfers in no time to your computer. While the native format codec is annoying, after searching around, I found a 'do it all' codec that allowed me to bypass Samsung's conversion, and import files directly into my video editing software.

A friend at the office picked up the flip camera, and we had a good time playing around with it, but it just didn't have enough juice to get me excited about it. So...I stepped it up a notch, and got the Samsung SC-X300. I didn't get the remote lens, and in hindsight, I wish that I had. I've already had a few occasions where it would have come in handy (think bike ride, skiing, etc..).

All in all, this camera has been simply great, and whenever I shoot a video people are always asking about the camera, and commenting on how small and light it is.

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I have used my Samsung SC-X300 for mostly sporting events under the lights of evening baseball/sotball games and inside during practices (ex: batting practice...etc). I can say without hesitation it is one of the best purchases I have ever made. The camcorder is very small which makes it easy for me to put it in my pocket or stow it away in my coaching bag. It is just easy to carry around especially with the belt holder. During daylight games I have had difficulty in seeing the screen/monitor due to the sunlight but the movies turn out okay. I was surprise to find how steady the movies are even when holding it without looking at the screen/monitor.

The only negative is that it is small and difficult if not impossible to run the controls efficiently with just one hand. Ex: pushing the record button on and off without jerking the camera around a bit. But this has been easy to overcome with some practice using two hands.

I have not used the MP3 player or the voice recorder yet but it seems easy enough to use per the instructions.

Samsung SC-X300 Flash Memory Divx Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom

Read Best Reviews of Samsung SC-X300 Flash Memory Divx Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom Here

Hi, I'm a California Teacher that uses this camcorder to make educational videos for the web, teacher trainings, iPod, and dvd. I also use it for family and goofy stuff, but not as much as my educational work. PROS: It's tiny, black, and stylish. This camcorder can take video that's quickly transferred to your PC via an SD card slot. Uses a high speed 10 mps(NOT HSHC) cards. It's easily the smallest camcorder I've used with superb video quality. CONS: plugging raw video you've shot directly to a tv/ flat screen looks weak. You need to process it according to your output. If it's the web, publish to around 1.0 mps. Clarifying NOTES: Without getting into too many details, if you plan on burning DVD or publishing to an iPod, you should always edit your video in the raw mPeg4 format at then save to AT LEAST 3.0 Mps (DVD quality) in 640x480 format. That's been the biggest confusion on this camcorder. If you publish a video with 1.0-2.5 mps, that's great FOR THE WEB, not for a dvd or an iPod you'll use to display on a TV/ projector/ LCD flatscreen. There's numerous reviews on YouTube and other video sites that present and post subpar quality video to a site only to have the site code to flash. Trying to review high quality video or devices by using YouTube is hilarious. Check out Vimeo or other video publishing sites that allow you to see high resolution videos that do non-flash video. Oh, I partner this up with a little monster, adjustable tripod, and they both produce fantastic student council productions and other videos. I hope this helps. -E.

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Well thought out, picture quality is good and the entire device is incredibly small and convenient. Being able to charge from USB is also very handy and the best part is you don't have to mess with tape or disc media.

It's definitely a consumer rather than professional product but for home use, it's a great little device at a reasonable price.

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Audio Technica AT9910 | Stereo Plug-in Microphone ( Japan Import )

• Element: Stereo Electret Condenser | Polar Pattern: Unidirectional | Frequency Response: 70-16,000 Hz
• Sensitivity: -39dB (11.2 mV) re 1V at 1 Pa | Impedance: 1,500ohms | Power Supply: Battery: Plug in Power
• Dimensions: 58mm(H) x 58mm(W) x 20mm(D) | Weight: 16g
• Connector: ?3.5 mm L-type gold-plated stereo mini jack
• Accessories: Ring Stopper

I needed a mike to record interviews and events in the field: it gives professional quality recording in stereo in conjunction with an iPhone 5 or an iPad, and the Tascam ixJ2. That combination is a killer!

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SUPERSONIC 7" PORTABLE TFT LCD DISPLAY WITH TV, DVD, CD/MP3, AM/FM RADIO & USB/SD/MMC INPUTS (SC-28

• 7" TFT LCD Swivel Screen
• Built-in DVD Player
• ATSC/NTSC Multi TV System
• USB Compatible
• SD/MMC Card Slot Compatible

This product is great. It has everything and more for a boom box and comes with car adapter and remote. I love it. The only thing missing is that the remote does not have volume control key on it. I hope newer model will have that feature. Thanks

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I bought this 8hr daily use at work and it is still going strong. Works with 8GB USB flash drives and regular SD cards. I record my favorite radio shows at home using streamripper and play them back at work using the USB drive.

Read Best Reviews of SUPERSONIC 7" PORTABLE TFT LCD DISPLAY WITH TV, DVD, CD/MP3, AM/FM RADIO & USB/SD/MMC INPUTS (SC-28 Here

this was christmas present for my wife. so far it works perfectly. it has played every dvd she has used including some homemade dvd's. Digital tv works great but the antenna is flimsy and bent the first time she tried to collapse it. remote works well but has no volume control.

for the price this is a decent unit. it's slightly smaller than i expected thats not a functional issue. sound is acceptable for a small radio.

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I received this wonderful gift from my daughter for christmas. The TV is very clear and the cd/radio works wonderful. This is the best portable TV/Radio/CD ever! I will buy this for a birthday gift...it is awesome!!

I got it so I could enjoy my music DVD's while quilting and so far it is fine for this purpose

Encore ZQ-PC8008CG Small Clock Camcorder with Motion Detection 4GB TF Card

ONCE YOU FIGURE IT OUT (that is, IF you figure it out) the camera can be useful. But getting there can be frustrating.

PROS -

I. The video isn't bad and is in color. Keep in mind you need sufficient lighting.

II. Will pivot from a straight up view (lying flat) to 135 degrees from flat. So with 90 degrees perpendicular to the table top, you can look down (or up) to some extent.

III. Covert. Appears to be a tech-ish desk clock. The lens is very difficult to see. Even if you examine it, the lens looks like a fastener.

IV. The 90 minute run time is better than many cordless DVR-style security cams.

V. Also has audio (however, see item 3 below).

CONS and a mini tutorial...

1. I've tried a few Encore products, the user's manual is always both sketchy and only somewhat helpful. Much of the camera's secrets must be unlocked by your own persistance. If you insist on Plug-n-Play look elsewhere (although see below for tutorial).

2. While the clock does work the GMT dial next to it does not. Not even sure why it's there. To set the clock pull the knob that protrudes more (of the two). GMT can't be set.

3. More on the clock aspect the camera audio picks up a constant TICK TICK TICK. Very prominent and can make dialogue difficult to monitor.

4. Camera operation you didn't buy it for the clock is VERY confusing (with the manual giving you little help).

>>>>> Here's what I discovered via trail and error...

++NOTE++ Charge until red light on clock face is solid (blue light stops flashing). Note that it doesn't hold a charge long so charge immediately before use. Fully charged it will record nonstop for about 90 minutes. Video will be broken into clips of equal length.

A. Press the power button above the memory slot camera boots and a red light on the front of the clock face becomes solid red. It's ready for use.

B. Photos: Press the camera button just above the USB once (briefly) and it takes a JPEG photo.

C. Vid (Motion): Press and hold the same camera button and the red light flashes SIX times then goes out. I learned that means you are now in motion detection mode. In motion you aren't constrained by the 90 minute battery life YET while the range is supposedly 3 meters mine is less than that and takes considerable motion before it becomes aware. I can see it used for this only if the area of interest is close to the clock and the expected subject is large enough (i.e., a person, vehicle, etc.).

D. Vid (Always On): Once you've entered motion detection mode, you can then move to "always on" video. You can't go straight there. You have to do the motion thing first. Same operation press and hold the camera button until the clock face light starts to flash. When it finishes 6 flashes you are recording nonstop. So, press fast photo. Press and hold 6 flashes, motion. Press and hold 6 MORE flashes, always on.

E. When finished, press power (over memory card), the red light flashes 3 times fast and you're done.

I'm still exploring how this thing works but it's been much more tedious than I hoped. Also, my experience with Encore products has NOT been positive when trying to load their drivers or use the cameras as webcams. I've come to just pulling the memory card and using an external reader. I keep the camera away from the computer since that has more than once ended in disabling the camera completely.

THE BEST PART -- AMAZON allows return of those units that just won't cooperate. Without Amazon Buyer Protection I'd stay away from Encore cameras. With it, I keep hoping Encore figures out how to make the interface aspects better. The concept of their products is nice their design and manufacture need work.

The package came on time and the clock works. I have no idea how to get the camera to record. I tried to follow the directions and I even attempted the directions that the last reviewer spent a lot of time writing, but it still didn't record. No matter what i did, every time I put the SD card into my SD reader on my computer it said it was empty. The record lights blinked on the camera, but it either never processed onto he card or the card was faulty.

In addition, half the time I put the micro SD card into the SD converter and popped the thing into my computer, the computer didn't even register it. Then randomly it would.

I can't say this product is bad or broken, I just couldn't figure out how to get it to work.

On the good side, the clock was nice and I contemplated keeping it just for that, but in the end I returned it.

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LTD7908 8 Ch H.264 Pentaplex Network DVR D1 Recording, 8CH Playback,Mac compatible ,Mobile Surveill

I bought this to monitor different inputs for a video mixer I bought for my church. So far it is doing a very good job. I would buy this again if needed.

Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder

• W-XY mic patterns with 4 mic capsules and signal processing allows Front 90 cardioid, Rear 120 cardioid and 360 polar patterns
• Finally record 360 sound as 2ch data or 4ch data simultaneously
• Built-in USB 2.0 port for data storage
• Records in WAV 96kHz/48kHz/44.1kHz at 16-bit or 24-bit, MP3 to 320kbps and Variable Bit Rate (VBR) data formats
• Time Stamp and Track Marker functions in Broadcast WAV Format (BWF)

A year ago, I wrote a lengthy comparison of the Edirol R-09 WAVE/MP3 Recorder, Black and the Zoom H4 Handy Recorder + 2GB Accessory Kit (pre-accessory kit). I wanted a high quality, easy to use recorder, so even though the H4 had all of the features of the Edirol and sold for considerably less, I kept the Edirol because it was so much easier to use.

Zoom has responded with the H2, a scaled down version of the H4 with all of the features of the R-09 and all of the controls right where you need them. The H2 even has additional features over the R-09, but they don't get in the way. For example, there's a choice of a 90 degree recording pattern, a 120 degree recording pattern, and even a surround sound option. Samsontech has some nice video demonstrations on its website.

One big complaint I've had with the Edirol is the cost of its add-on stand. Unlike the Edirol, the H2 comes with a simple stand. In addition, the H2 has a threaded hole so that it can be mounted on a standard digital camera tripod! On a separate note, it's much easier to replace batteries with the H2 than the Edirol.

Recently, I got together with friends and recorded the same live acoustic music on both the Edirol R-09 and the Zoom H2. I used Adobe Audition only to normalize both tracks (that is, equalize their loudness). The first time we played them back, I thought I detected a VERY slight preference for the Edirol, with the overall opinion of the group split between the two units. The second time we played them back, my preference was for the H2, with overall opinion continuing to be split. We all agreed that the differences were so small as to be negligible if there were any at all. The sound files can be found at for those who'd like to hear for themselves. We were sitting in a circle with the recorders located next to each other on a mantle above and outside the group.

I do prefer the Edirol's control buttons to the H2's membrane and I'm not about to sell the Edirol, perhaps because I am more familiar with the Edirol and don't want to give it up just yet. Also, the Edirol R-09 is the darling of the moment. However, if I owned neither, I couldn't justify the huge bump in price of the Edirol over the H2 and would opt for the H2. When I went to a music party last weekend and knew I'd need only one recorder, I grabbed the H2.

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Every once in a while, a product comes along that so exceeds expectations, it it almost hard to believe it is real.

I have been producing corporate marketing podcasts from a home office studio for about 2 years. A laptop computer (PC-Vista) is the "brains" of the studio. I use a couple different microphones, which produce decent results.

I also use a portable Olympus WS-320M to record interviews at trade shows and at client sites. It does a decent job. I have reviewed the Olympus on Amazon.

I like my gadgets to be small. Pocket sized is preferable. No excuse for not taking it on a trip. The H2 fits the bill, although I wouldn't carry it in my pocket. It would be OK in a suitcoat pocket, but usually it will be in a gadget bag along with a camera, videocam, batteries, memory cards, earbuds, and cables.

For my home studio, I have been looking to upgrade some of my equipment, especially my microphone (a Sony stereo electret mic), which was servicable, but not great.

On the sophisticated end, I was considering things like a mixer-board, mic pre-amp, and a capacitor mic (like a formal studio would use). A USB interface to my computer was essential.

I also wanted a better voice recorder. The Olympus did its job fairly well, but it was almost too small, and fairly limited in what it could do. It will remain a backup device which I will not hesitate to use if the need arises.

I looked at the Edirol R-09 and the MicroTrack 2496. Each had their positives and their limitations, which are well documented. I was just about to pull the trigger on the Zoom H4, but I am glad I waited for the H2 to come out. The H4 is great for serious musicians who need 4 channels, but the H2 is the better choice for podcasting and any voice recording. The H2 is no slouch for recording music, either. Just not as flexible with imputs and outputs. The H2 looks killer, too.

In a nutshell (after my long pre-ramble), the Samson Zoom H2 is one of the best gadgets I have ever bought (and I have lots and of electronics).

It is:

1) An outstanding Field Recorder

2) A fantastic USB audio interface (I can record directly into my computer)

3) A surprisingly good microphone for my mini-studio

I am adding an omnidirectional stereo lav mic setup so I can do face-to-face interviews.

I could simply place the H2 on a table and record the conversation in 2-channel surround (records from the front and back of the device), but I'd rather place the mics closer to the face. The clip-on mics will do the trick, and we have 10 feet of cord between us, which should work well if we are sitting or standing.

When using the H2 with my computer, I record through it directly onto the computer. No need to copy files from the SD card to the computer. Audacity is nicer to use for recording, then relying on the small meters on the H2's screen.

Quality

The recording quality really surprised me. Notable improvement over the Olympus, and much better than my Sony Mic through my SoundStation USB audio interface. Cleaner sound, and much less susceptable to clippping.

Recommendations

1) Don't record using the Hi sensitivity setting unless the sound you need to record is very faint. It picks up all the ambient noise, and has a bit of hiss. Mid sensitivity is very clean. Lo can be used for especially loud environments.

2) Get a couple 2GB SD cards. They are actually cheaper than a single 4GB card. A 2GB card record 94 minutes in CD-quality stereo, and 23 hours of 192kbps MP3 files. The H2 can take an 8GB SDHC card if you really need it. I prefer not to put too many recordings on one card, unless I have a computer nearby to dump it to.

3) Use NiMH rechargable batteries. 2 AA batteries go for about 4 hours. Have a small wall charger with 4 AA slots and you will be golden. You can always buy alkalines if you need batteries in a pinch.

4) Get an external mic. You can set the H2 down when recording, which will eliminate handling noise. Electret mics are fairly inexpensive. You can also use a plug-in power mic with the H2. As long as it has a 1/8" plug, you can probably use it.

5) Stay away from the Auto Gain Control feature and other sound processors on the H2. Better to tweak the sounf in your computer's sound program (DAW), such as Audacity, Cubebase, SoundForge, etc. Just make sure your levels aren't clipping or are not too low, and you will have a good file to work with.

6) Experiment. Get to know the settings and features. This puppy will do a lot of tricks, so don't treat it like a point-and-shoot camera (although you could if you want to it's that simple).

Good luck!

Read Best Reviews of Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder Here

I borrowed a Zoom H4 from a friend and found it extremely frustrating to use. The owners manual was just gibberish to me. I could not make heads or tails of the instructions. It was a totally frustrating experience and I was ready to give up on making a CD, and ready to go back to making old fashioned cassette tape recordings.

I took a chance on the Zoom H2 and am not sorry. All the head aches of the H4 have been addressed with the H2. This machine is much easier to use. I'm using it to record live string music and it does a wonderful job. Sounds great! I'm not an egg head geek or a computer expert nor am I a professional sound recording engineer, and I am very comfortable using this machine.

Zoom must have listened to everything people were complaining about the H4 when they designed the H2.

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Like another reviewer, I found the earlier H4 buggy and difficult to use because of the poor interface. I also went through three of them and they all had defects. The H2 has a much improved interface and it's a great little recorder at its price point. The built-in mics are surprisingly good and the bottom line is--the H2 recordings sound very good. At the low and mid-gain levels, the noise floor is acceptable for voice and music recordings. At high gain, background noise starts to become intrusive. I used several external self-powered mics with no problem and got a good signal with a simple XLR>1/8" stereo cable.

The built-in functions like the limiter, compressor, MP3 converter, normalizer, etc-are fairly primitive and you're much better off doing any post work in your audio software. The ability to choose from two different configurations of stereo mics and a surround configuration of all 4 mics is more useful than I would have thought and gives some nice options for tailoring the sound of your recordings. There are already some audio plugins that people have written to allow the conversion of 4 channels into the files required for making 5.1 surround recordings.

The build quality is fine, and although the construction is mostly plastic, the unit wasn't creaky or flimsy. There is a metal inset tripod socket for mounting the H2 to a stand instead of the crappy add-on mount for the H4. Also unlike the H4, the H2 uses BWF (broadcast wave format) for it's WAV files and the recordings are stamped with the date and time--which is a major improvement for file management.

Pros: Very good quality recordings, good interface, low cost, versatility

Cons: Noise floor may be a problem for very quiet recordings at high gain, primitive on-board processing

Important Note: the H2 recording level should never be set below 100 because it will clip the signal after it's converted from analog to digital (potentially causing distortion). It's best to just use the gain switch to set your levels. Raising the levels above 100 is fine, but is the same as adding gain in audio software after recording. I recommend recording at 24 bits at either the low or mid gain levels for the best recordings. Avoid clipping during recording and raise the gain or normalize as necessary in your audio software.

Finally, a product that is as simple to use as a point-and-shoot camera. Literally, I opened the box, put in two batteries, the memory card, read the quick-start guide, put the Zoom on the included stand, and got out my mandolin and started recording. The sound quality is great, and you can play it back directly on the Zoom by plugging in some head-buds (included). The control buttons operate like a DVD remote, with a "menu" button, using the "fast-forward" and "reverse" to scroll through entries, and the "record" button as the "set".

For someone who is not well-versed in audio terminology, gain, sampling rates, mics, pre-post amps, levels whatever, I just set it to medium gain, watched to make sure the lines don't go too far up, and was recording away in two steps. Push "record" to test the gain level, and push "record" again, (red light stays on), to record, and push "record" to stop. The file is saved, and then you can push play/pause to listen back. Deleting files is a few extra steps but if you know how to program a VCR you can use this puppy.

It is also handy, portable and easy to take places. I will take it to record jam sessions, music lessons, and practice to evaluate my playing, and instrument comparisons. The sound quality is great, and I could hear how resonant and clear my mandolin is. I wish my playing was as great since it recorded pick noise, finger slide noise, and other assorted twangs and twings. It records both in WAV (huge files) and mp3 (compressed), with various quality levels to choose from. You can easily connect it to a computer (Windows/Mac) with the included USB cable.

The only thing missing is a remote. Since you have to push the button on the recorder, you have to move to it to activate/deactivate it. Also picks up noise from your movements. But for the price $199, it's a real gem.

I always look for the one thing in a product that is a surprise, doesn't cost a lot and delights the customer. On this one, it is the included wind sock, a tiny foam cap that you can slip on top of the unit to screen the wind for outdoors recording. Cool!

Ematic EM608VIDMB 3-Inch Touch Screen 8 GB MP3 Video Player with Built-In 5 MP Digital Camera(Metal

• 3-Inch TFT LCD Screen

This device has great statistics, lots of memory, good quality camera, good battery life and a touch screen are all great things for the price. I have to continually set the "User" equalizer though and because it cannot retain the setting in memory after powering down, I have to frequently reset audio setting which I think it should remember (like the USER equalizer). This solution should have be a default setting to the engineers, but isn't found in this device.

Though the camera is good quality, it does not have a "button" to click the pictures with, you have to tap an icon on the screen, which moves the camera and makes it difficult to take clear pictures. Voice and Video recordings are really good though, just not still camera shots.

Overall I'm satisfied, but the lack of memory for audio settings gets annoying real quick. The touchscreen automatically locks out and gets annoying sometimes as well, but you'll get used to that. I don't see how it can be used as a webcam either, as the device has no way to stand itself up or be mounted. Lots of features in a small package and the battery lasts a long time considering. If it were not for the auto settings not being remembered, I might buy again, but it would be much easier if it had a camera button, like the manual says.

The company eMatic has a few things to learn, but they should solve these problems and get a more user friendly product to market. I look forward to their newer products.

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i just recieved my ematic mp3 yesterday after waiting one week and i've only had it one day and its a piece of crap.The instruction manual says let it charge for four hours i fell asleep and it still said it was charging,and when i disconnect it from the computer it won't turn on, the reset button doesn't work, and it auto-syncs all the music from windows media player including the music that i didnt want on there. DO NOT BUY THIS!!!!!

Read Best Reviews of Ematic EM608VIDMB 3-Inch Touch Screen 8 GB MP3 Video Player with Built-In 5 MP Digital Camera(Metal Here

I returned this product after I gave this to my son for Christmas. It didn't work properly. The screen had poor response and required pressure to work. The feature that allows you to hook it up to a TV didn't work. It was very cheaply made. The only reason I even gave it 1 star was because it had a fairly decent picture quality for the price. It was a huge disappointment.