Showing posts with label recorder digital. Show all posts
Showing posts with label recorder digital. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

ADATA Turbo 533X 32 GB CompactFlash Memory Card ACF32G533XR

ADATA Turbo 533X 32 GB CompactFlash Memory Card ACF32G533XRI bought this memory card instead of the SanDisk Extreme III 32GB CF card, so I could also buy a secondary Canon LP-E6 battery for my new camera for about the same money. Trust me, the battery will run out before this memory was filled with pictures (in the high-quality JPEG format only, not in RAW).

This CF card seems to be fast enough for my 21.1MP camera. Shooting in RAW format in the burst mode can last for 12 shots before it gets slowed down. I also shoot 1080p video with this card and I had no issue. The video look smooth during playback. In compared to my old 2GB SanDisk Extreme II CF card, the video was "bumpy". I copied the MOV files to my computer in both video playback cases, so I believe the issue was caused by the slower rerecording speed of the 2GB card.

I also bought an inexpensive memory card reader that supports UDMA, "Kingston 19-in-1 USB 2.0 Flash Memory Card Reader FCR-HS219/1" to speed up the files transfer time. They worked well together, and you may see my other review at Amazon.com for this memory reader for details.

I'm a pro shooter that works on film production sets as a stills photographer where I do a lot of rapid fire burst shooting with my Nikon D3s.

I've got 1 of these 32GB A-Data cards in both slots of the D3s with Slot 1 storing RAW files (for delivery to producer) and slot 2 storing Fine JPGs (for quick review on set computer)

LCD Exposures Readout (Nikon D3s):

RAW: 1.2K

TIFF: 837

RAW + JPG Basic: 1.0K

RAW + JPG Norm: 1.0K

RAW + JPG Fine: 856

JPG Basic: 11.3K

JPG Norm: 5.8K

JPG Fine: 2.9K

These cards aren't choking AT ALL.

I shot for years with a fist full of Dane-Elec 4GB cards and those never failed or choked either in my D2X shooting era (in which I was also shooting on set and covering events like NY Fashion week, etc).

I don't buy into the hype of needing to buy Lexar or San disk for pro quality...if the cards don't choke and they hold up against frequent usage, I'm happy.

Buy ADATA Turbo 533X 32 GB CompactFlash Memory Card ACF32G533XR Now

Fast but unreliable.

In one incident, it declared full less than half its capacity, all files are un-readable.

The 2nd incident without warning, it cannot read from the reader and all data lost.

Highly recommend NOT to buy. Sandisk extreme III does not have this issue.

Follow up (11/27/2010):

A-DATA's customer services is very helpful and responsive. Corrupted photo files were recovered and the Compactflash was replaced under warranty. The replaced card is working up to the present day.

Read Best Reviews of ADATA Turbo 533X 32 GB CompactFlash Memory Card ACF32G533XR Here

This great little CF Card performs just as advertised. I can shoot full quality shots on my Canon 30D and this card writes like a champ with nearly no perceivable delay, allowing me to snap pictures without stopping for the information to be written to the card. My last card had a delay of nearly ten seconds between shots. This one is blazing fast, has a huge capacity, and the price is right. Highly recommended!

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This A-DATA 32GB CF memory card is excellent. Write/read times are substantially faster than on my Sandisk Extreme CF memory card. I use these cards in digital cameras. The only odd thing I observe about this card is that when I first power-on the camera, there is about a 5 second delay before anything happens. With other cards there is no obvious delay. I am not sure what causes this behavior, but it's not a deal-breaker for me. Considering the storage capacity and speed (533X), this CF memory card is a great value.

Lorex DXR209161C9 Internet Remote DVR with 9 Weatherproof Color Night Vision Cameras

Lorex DXR209161C9 Internet Remote DVR with 9 Weatherproof Color Night Vision Camerasbought lorex model l23wd from costco. unit lasted 6 mo. then started restarting over and over. shipped to lorex repair facility. they recived 04/14 it is now 05/06 they cannot even give me an approximate date when i will get it or a replcement.

DO NOT BUY LOREX

I bought this Lorex setup in 2009 and then installed it at the end of 2012. I had tested

the unit with a included camera and found it working. On install, I found it didn't work

for internet access, although it worked in other respects.

Lorex customer service was very helpful, but ended up just telling me that the unit

was too old to repair (after only 3 years???), and that the only thing I could do was get

another one at a %10 discount. I suspect I could have got the same discount for telling

them I was a Shriner, but who knows. The point is it is not a lot of help.

Because the unit was (apparently) now trash, I opened it up. There are about 3 boards

inside connected by cables. After replugging the cables, it worked just fine.

The only other issue was one of the cameras had dead night vision. I will probably also

try to repair that, but if I only just end up replacing it, it is not much at $50 or so.

The unit works great now, and meets all expectations. The only thing I was not able to do

is view the cameras on my smart phone. Since smart phones were just getting started when

I got this unit, I don't blame them for this. However, I suspect newer units can do this.

It won't work on a smart phone because the remote display must be either a Windows

computer or run Explorer, both not real options on a smart phone or tablet.

The only other thing I would mention is don't expect this thing to be a motion detector

if you have cameras outside. They obviously tried real hard to make image motion

detection work well, and I spent many hours setting it up and eliminating areas from the

detection "maps". However, it was still generating way too many false detections. You

literally have to eliminate all plants and even shadows from the picture.

At the end I decided that the only way to make this reliable was to use Lorex's optional

external alarms to add PIR motion detectors to the system, which are far more reliable

than the optical detection the DVR provides. I notice that the picture in the manual

shows the external alarm being used exactly this way, with PIR detectors hooked to it.

If you have only cameras inside, this type of detection would probably work for you. I

would plan on closing all the windows and shades for this. Otherwise when the sun

shadows a plant outside, and it is waving in the wind, that will set it off.

To sum up, I would have rated this product 5 stars except for the quality control issues

and for dumping all service on the product in only 3 years. I think you should support

what you sell, and not tell your customers their only option is to buy another one.

They surely will -but perhaps some other companies' unit, not yours.

Scott Moore

San Jose

Buy Lorex DXR209161C9 Internet Remote DVR with 9 Weatherproof Color Night Vision Cameras Now

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Logitech Harmony 670 Universal Remote

Logitech Harmony 670 Universal RemotePrior to getting this remote, I have had a separate remote to control my TV, VCR, DVD Player, AV Receiver, and Cable box. I had gotten used to having to switch between remotes to do different things. My TV, DVD, Receiver and VCR are all Sony, so I did get multiple uses out of some, since each remote could be programmed to control another Sony device; however it was still a bit cumbersome.

That was until I got this remote. I have messed with universal remotes in the past, and only got so-so performance and functionality out of them, but this one was different. The set up was long, but was pretty easy to do; the hardest thing in fact was getting behind my entertainment center, and having to lift up some of my peripherals to get the model numbers which is essential in order to have this remote work properly. Another thing about the setup is that you need to be a bit technically savvy because the software does ask you questions about what input your TV needs to be on for different devices to work, as well as what settings the receiver needs to be on. It was pretty simple for me, but others who are not familiar with how the devices work together will have problems. The literature says that it has over 5000 models, and for me all of my devices were recognized, even my XBOX 360 is now able to be controlled from this remote, something I did not expect it would be able to do. For me I can control every one of my devices directly from one remote, while all buttons on the remote do not match up directly with all the buttons on my receiver remote, the Harmony has a bright LCD screen to control every function on my receiver and every other device in my setup, for example because of the DVD player model number I supplied it, it knows my DVD player is a 5 disc changer the remote's LCD screen has the ability to switch between each DVD.

The Harmony comes with setup software and a USB cable so you can connect it directly to your PC in case you need to run the setup software again to tweak the settings and actions on the remote. If you want to control a different device in your setup, all you have to do is press the "Device" button on the remote and scroll through the LCD screen to select the device you want to control, and the remote basically turns into the remote for the selected device. If you choose to control the cable box, then remote knows to turn the channels through the cable box, and not the TV, if you control the DVD player, the remote can play the DVD, eject, go to the DVD menu...you get the point. While this is cool, the coolest thing about the Harmony is the one touch activity buttons, which is perfect for people who are tired of having to do many things just to do one thing, or for people who simply don't know what to do. These "Activity" buttons do everything that needs to be done by only pressing a single button. For example, before the Harmony, if I wanted to watch a movie on my TV, I had to have

1) The receiver set to DVD,

2) The TV set to input 5

3) DVD player needs to be turned on.

Now I am able to do all of this with the simple press of the "watch movie button" on the remote, pressing this button will do all the above steps for you. The default action for these buttons is turning all other devices off, so pressing the "watch movie" button turned my cable box off, which is not what I wanted to happen, no problem, I just went into the setup software and tweaked the DVD action to leave the Cable Box on. Plugged my remote to my PC, pressed "update remote" and after few moments, the new actions are programmed to the remote.

What about other activities that don't have a specific button on the remote for it, say for example, I want to play the XBOX 360. No problem, Just press the "More activities" button and the LCD screen displays all the actions you can do with your given devices. So for me to play the XBOX360, I just press "More Activities" scroll down to and select "play XBOX360", and the Harmony does the following automatically

1) The TV goes to Input 5

2) The Receiver goes to "TV"

3) The XBOX 360 turns on

4) The Cable box stays on

5) And if they are on, the DVD, and VCR player turns off

pretty cool huh?

I am very satisfied and pleasantly surprised with the performance and functionality of the Harmony. It is literally replaced all of my other remotes, which will save me in batteries. I originally thought I would still need my other remotes for not so obvious things I might want to set, but it seems like the Harmony can control everything you might need to do. Of course there would be a slight learning curve in figuring out the buttons, but all of the basic and even some not so basic things can easily be controlled through the Harmony.

If you are getting this for someone who has no idea how TV's, receivers, DVD, VCR players work together then they will have problems setting the remote up, and if you are able, do them a BIG favor of setting it up for them. After its set up properly, I think anyone would be able to use it with the ease of the one touch activity buttons. Now even my wife can watch a DVD when I'm not in the house without having to call me all the time.

I originally was going to give this remote 4 stars because of the potentially complicated setup process for some consumers, but once the remote is set up properly, I don't think it could get any simpler. The ease of use and functionality after the setup process is near perfect, therefore the Harmony 670 gets 5 stars! What a great product.

I purchased this item at the local store because I was tired of doing the remote control shuffle. All of my remotes are multi item programmable but none of them carried all the codes for all my devices. Store had it on sale for 129 so a comparable device. Programming was very easy. A few clicks, entering model #s. It only choked at my receiver which is a slightly older one. But after a few questions and pressing a few buttons on the original remote it was set up and ready to go. I am controlling a SDTV, Satellite box, 2 dvd Players, cd changer and a A/V receiver. I frequently use both DVD players for DVD-Audio or SACD playback so going into advanced functions for both players and the Receiver is a must. Very easy to find what I was looking for and using the remote is very easy to learn.

My drawback is the volume. I use the receiver for volume on everything and if I use the programmed activity keys it is ok, but once I have to get into the advanced features of each device I lose volume control until I go back to the receiver, but than at that point I lose dvd/cd control. Pressing one of the smart keys tends to solve the problem but I wish there was a way to make the volume always locked onto the reciver, no matter what the device.

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If you were like me you resisted getting a universal remote, much less paying almost $100 to replace your existing remotes which function perfectly (but separately). I was also highly skeptical (based on past experience with "programmable remotes" from the cable co) that one remote could really handle all the complicated functions for each component such as:

changing the "aspect ratio" on your HDTV

browsing your cable and DVR listings

programming your DVR

and controlling your stereo which provides sound for everything else (including DVD and CD players).

Much to my surprise the Logitech does it all. As other reviewers have noted, the online setup takes about an hour and is a bit more complicated than the cheapo universal remote where you just plug in a 3-digit device code. But the Logitech database is pretty extensive, right down to suggesting the proper model number format for each component manufacturer. And you can then customize the device though I found the default settings were adequate for most options.

Logitech now controls:

Panasonic 50" HDTV (c. 2006)

Phillips HD-DVD player (c. 2006)

Comcast/Motorola DVR (c. 2005)

Sony Stereo (c.1994!)

Alas my old Pioneer CD and Tape players (c 1988) never had remote capability but I am loathe to toss them as my wife still loves her cassette mix tapes.

The best part is that I now simply push one button to turn on/off both the TV and Stereo. Or TV/DVD/Stereo. Not sure what I am going to do with the 4 old remotes, but our babysitter is sure going to be happy.

Thanks Mom and Day for a great birthday gift that will keep on giving even if I buy new equipment or change to Sat TV.

Read Best Reviews of Logitech Harmony 670 Universal Remote Here

I searched Amazon and about a dozen other sites for weeks, reading reviews, comparing features, looking for sales, and even though I found this off Amazon for a special deal several weeks back, I love Amazon and wanted to share my experience with other potential buyers since this is where I come for product info and reviews.

I chose this model over the higher end Logitech models because this has slightly larger buttons, even though it isn't as fancy (it's also less expensive). After a few searches, I realized that the Logitech Harmony brand was the only remote really worth looking at for ease of use, both the remote itself and the software used to set it up.

I liked the design of this remote as the layout of the buttons most closely resembles my TiVo remote. My biggest concern was whether my wife could use the remote. We have an older TV, newer odd-model Onkyo AV receiver, TiVo, cable box, DVD player, VCR, and an old Technics Tape deck and CD player. I needed something that could be used for everything easily. This purchase was much more for my wife than for me. If you could read her review of the remote from the standpoint of someone who fears new technology and hates having to use complex remote controls, you would buy this remote instantly.

I am what you would call a Power User, where I like to customize everything in extreme detail and this remote lets me do this. It also is very easy to use once it is configured. One of my devices was not found in the Logitech database, but I pointed the old remote at the back of the Harmony and it figured out what it needed to do. Now, instead of using two remotes for most things and three or four if we want to do something other than watch basic TV or TiVo, this remote does everything with minimal button clicks.

I've read a couple of complaints that people feel the software is too confusing or takes too long to set up it's not for complete novices or people who want something to work out of the box with no setup, but I challenge you to find a remote that will work as well as this one without some configuration. Some slightly less than obvious features need to be brought closer to the main configuration screens, such as leaving my TiVo and cable box on when I turn everything else off, but all in all, this remote is really fantastic. Mac users the software works beautifully in Mac OS X, but I expected no less from Logitech. Using the software makes it obvious that adding or removing a device and/or activities (such as "Watch TV" or "Play VCR" or "Watch DVD") should be easy, and if I need a replacement remote, I can simply plug the remote into the computer and click one or two buttons and be off with a fully customized remote again in two or three minutes. My guess is that the remote stays configured when the batteries die, but even if it doesn't, you can simply plug it in with the new batteries and the software will reconfigure it.

I also heard a few people complain about battery life. I have had it working for about six weeks straight and it is still going strong. Even if the batteries don't last forever, how much do 4 AA batteries really cost when compared to the convenience of this remote? It is an excellent trade-off in my mind.

Now that it is set up, it is so easy to use, it's not even funny. You point the remote at your stuff, press a button and leave it pointed until the indicator light on the remote says it's done turning everything on or off (1-3 seconds). My in-laws and a couple of friends have seen it in action and now want the same model for themselves. My biggest complaint with this remote from the entire experience of taking it out of the box to using it every day for over a month now is that it takes some getting used to when you are so used to using other remotes, especially TiVo. The placement of the rewind, forward, pause and play buttons is a bit different than I am used to with the TiVo remote, but the other day, I went to my in-laws house to fix their TiVo and it took me a few minutes to get used to the TiVo remote which I used to think was the best remote ever. So if that is my biggest complaint, I have to think I made the right choice.

The remote has a built in Help screen which is really easy to use. My wife accidentally pointed the remote away from the screen too quickly the other day and it only turned on the TV and not the Receiver. So I told her to hit the Help button and within about twenty seconds, she had figured out (on her own) what to do, and now she doesn't need my help if the same thing happens again.

I highly recommend this remote if you are a DVR user with a lot of system components with the need for an easy to learn, easy to use remote, but be prepared to spend a good 30-45 minutes setting it up for the first time, and even longer if you are a power user like me or if you have a lot of system components. Being this was my first universal remote, based on what I have heard from friends and family who have had others in the past, this experience has been vastly superior to theirs.

Seriously, this is the best purchasing decision I have ever made, and I could not recommend a product any more highly than this.

Want Logitech Harmony 670 Universal Remote Discount?

I like the Harmony remotes. They're easy to program, easy to use. I bought the 670 to replace a several year old Harmony model SST-659, which basically has the same functions. My complaint with the model 670 is that the buttons I use constantly: play, pause, fast forward, rewind, and stop, are all small and squished together around a central "select" button. This makes them hard to find and hard to differentiate them from each other. Since I mainly use the remote to watch TV or movies with either a DVR or DVD player, often in the dark, these buttons (together with volume) should be BIG and easy to find. They're not. My understanding is that the layout is trying to mimic the layout of a TiVo remote; I would have preferred that they came up with their own better-thought-out layout. If you can find the older model SST-659 I would recommend that; the layout is better, it does the same functions, and it is a good deal cheaper.

Thursday, October 2, 2014

(50) AG2 397 396 LR726 SR726 SR726SW G2 BATTERY

(50) AG2 397 396 LR726 SR726 SR726SW G2 BATTERYOnes I have used so far work fine.

Don't know if I ever will use 'em all but for the price I'm already ahead of the curve.

They seem to be quality batteries.

This was my first order from this vendor. I ordered it because of the cheap and reasonable pricing. It did not take long to arrive. I will definitely order watch batteries from this vendor again in the future.

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Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Archos 5 Sleek Premium Weather Proof Grey Neoprene Carrying Case - For ORIGINAL and ANDROID 32 / 60

Archos 5 Sleek Premium Weather Proof Grey Neoprene Carrying Case - For ORIGINAL and ANDROID 32 / 60 / 120 / 160 / 250 / 500 GB Internet Media Tablets ** Includes Micro Fiber Cleaning ClothIf you're looking for a case to protect your Archos when it gets thrown in a bag or a coat pocket then this case is for you. The zipper is much better than the velcro used in a bunch of other cases (velcro wears out faster and has that loud, annoying sound). This case is very well constructed.

The Archos 5 is simply not a player that you just walk around with in your pants pocket. It's a bit too big for that. Mine either sits on my desk at work, in the car mount, or on the mini-dock at home. This case works great for transporting it between those locations because I don't have to worry about dropping it or having anything penetrate the neoprene. It's pretty thick neoprene and provides a bit of cushion.

I would give 5 stars, but the case is a little bit larger than I expected. I thought the Archos was going to fit snugly inside, instead there's a lot of room for it to move around. This may be a good thing for people that want to put their ear buds in the case with the player.

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Monday, September 22, 2014

D-Link DAP-1522 Extreme 4-Port Gigabit Dual-Band Wireless-N Bridge/Access Point

D-Link DAP-1522 Extreme 4-Port Gigabit Dual-Band Wireless-N Bridge/Access PointI've configured the DAP-1522 as a wireless bridge to a DIR-655 (2.5Ghz). I've got a PS3 and a Satellite DVR connected to two of the four ethernet ports on the DAP-1522. I have configured the 1522 to use WPA2 security as well.

Setup was a little tricky, but it was my fault not the fault of the 1522. If you choose to manually configure the 1522 be sure you follow the directions and connect the 1522 to your computer and with your computer configured to use a static IP address in the 192.168.0/24 subnet. I mistakenly had my computer still trying to use DHCP when connecting to the bridge and it took me a little while to figure out what was wrong. My computer couldn't get an IP address and so Windows kept assigning an address from a different subnet, so I was not able to establish a connection to the DAP-1522's default 192.168.0.50 IP address.

The 1522 works as expected. Performance is very good with a max of 162Mbps through 3 drywall walls (approx 40 ft) to my entertainment center as displayed on the DIR-655 console. I haven't run any local network bandwidth tests to verify the throughput yet, but I can easily stream HD content without blocking between a PS3 and a wired media server. Previously I was using the PS3's internal 802.11g network interface, and HD media was not viewable as it overwhelmed the 11g link.

I did notice that the orientation of the DIR-655 and the DAP-1522 did make a difference in the reported signal strength and data rate as seen from the DIR-655 console. So after you've gotten things to work, don't forget to run some experiments to determine the best position for the devices to get the best performance possible.

It might bear noting that I'm technically proficient, and I've used several access points and switches over the years. This was my first D-Link purchase in years only because Linksys's reputation has become pretty terrible. Overall, this piece of equipment is GREAT, with a HUGE caveat that the range SUCKS.

I used this router for about 3 weeks before I replaced it with the D-Link DIR-825 because of the range problem. The 1522's user interface isn't bad. I had no problem configuring this switch to do everything I wanted. I did not experience any dropped connections or dropped packets. Granted 3 weeks isn't a terribly long time but I never had to power cycle the Access Point. It just worked and did a great job.

I should have known that since the DAP1522 uses an internal antennae the range would not be comparable to my old Linksys WRT54G. I am intentionally trying to share my wireless with my neighbors, and the DAP1522 is unusable, and I'm not exaggerating, 30 feet away. To be fair, there are 3 (non-thick, normal wood) walls between the DAP1522 and the laptop but still 30 feet? On the other hand, this could be a major selling point. Scared that your neighbors might be stealing your wireless signal? Just buy a DAP1522!

If you have a large house or coverage area, this isn't going to cut it. But if you live in a small apartment, this thing is perfect. For anyone who needs better range, I'd recommend the slightly more expensive DIR-825.

PS For anybody who's confused this bridge/AP is essentially a switch plus an access point. It lacks the "router" capability and WAN port that similar pieces of equipment have which make them routers. For the typical person, you only need a bridge/AP if you already have a router and want to add a wireless access point to your network.

Buy D-Link DAP-1522 Extreme 4-Port Gigabit Dual-Band Wireless-N Bridge/Access Point Now

I purchased to pair with the DIR-655 router and a DSM-750 media extender, both from Dlink. Depending on how you feel, this product could be anywhere from a 1 5 star item. The thing works great, which is the most important aspect to me. However, I would say that the range is less than excellent, thus a half star off for that. Another half star off because the reset button is pretty much useless. I'm taking the other star off for it being a massive pain in the butt to get it working in bridge mode.

AP mode is easy to set up. All you have to do is set the switch to AP on the back and connect it to your router with an Ethernet cable. You should then be able to access the configuration page by typing in 192.168.0.50 in your web browser. You can then set up the wireless broadcast as you see fit (enter in an SSID in the box (different from your router for a separate broadcast) use a static IP address, set up the IP address of your router as the gateway address, etc). You can also update the firmware.

Bridge mode is a completely different matter. Theoretically, you should be able to press the WPS button on your router and then press the button on your bridge and it will connect automatically (probably still helps to connect via Ethernet cable first so you can access the config page). Maybe that worked for some people, but it did not work for me. I tried push button connect, tried connecting using pin numbers, tried manually setting everything up, but nothing worked. I was tempted to think I had a defective unit, but it worked fine in AP mode, so I was sure the thing was functioning properly.

Here is how I configured it to make it finally work in bridge mode. First, I reset this and my router to factory defaults. I set the switch on the back to bridge mode. I connected the bridge to the router via Ethernet cable. I turned on the router and then the bridge. I set up the router as before broadcast in 802.11n only mode, 40MHZ and WPA2 (AES encryption), which enabled me to achieve 300 mbps network speed. I then went to the config page for the bridge. On the wireless set-up, I manually set it up to match the router. I selected the static IP. I left the SSID box blank and used the site survey to select the wireless connection from my router. I then de-selected the clone MAC box. As if by magic, the stupid thing finally connected wirelessly, and i have been pleased with its performance since. I was even able to unplug it and set it up in another location, and it was still able to connect.

Read Best Reviews of D-Link DAP-1522 Extreme 4-Port Gigabit Dual-Band Wireless-N Bridge/Access Point Here

Certainly wish I'd had the kind of wonderful experiences with this unit that others have enjoyed. Unfortunately, both of the units I've received have been DOA: Neither would boot up in Bridge mode. In both cases, putting the mode selector into Bridge position results in both the Bridge and AP lights coming on (not blinking) and staying on.

To make matters worse, I've spent over 6 hours with D-Link's grossly incompetent product support (generally overseas folks hard to understand, in addition to being nearly completely ignorant of both the products and the general technologies). On the third call for the first unit the tech decided that the problem was with my D-Link DIR-825 router (nevermind that the DAP-1522 wouldn't even boot in Bridge mode) and ended up totally trashing the configuration of the wireless router! (Thankfully, I had taken the initiative to back up the DIR-825 configuration before following the tech's misguided instructions.)

Finally adding insult to injury after spending 5 hours with the tech support at the ("D-Link is here to help") support number included with the unit, I was informed I was calling the wrong number for this particular product. Unfortunately, the tech at the "correct number" for the DAP-1522 was every bit as ignorant as the tech at the original support number (seemed to think the problem was with my cable modem!). Tier 2 support didn't even seem to know there was a difference between bridge and AP modes or that there was a switch on the DAP-1522 to select the mode (I had to have her pull up the Quick Installation Guide on the screen and show her the switch).

I truly wish this thing worked, but after having received two defunct units in a row and spending the better part of a full day on the phone with incompetent (and nearly unintelligible) support staff, I've pretty much given up.

Want D-Link DAP-1522 Extreme 4-Port Gigabit Dual-Band Wireless-N Bridge/Access Point Discount?

I already have a wired router (D-Link DGL-4100 Broadband Gaming Router, 4-Port Gigabit Switch), so I bought the DAP-1522 to add Draft-N wireless connectivity to my existing wired network, through its ability to act as an access point. It is small, light, and has no projecting antennas, so you can put it just about anywhere. The built-in browser-based wizards made setting up the network easy I chose to go with the 5 GHz band to avoid interference from our cordless phone and microwave oven, and to limit the network to draft-N devices only and the results are really impressive. We carried a laptop all over the house, including upstairs in a two-story house, and it got the maximum signal strength everywhere. Internet access seems to be every bit as fast as over a wired connection, as I would have expected since draft-N connections are supposed to be quite a bit faster than the internet connection itself (via cable modem). Highly recommended!

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Friday, August 1, 2014

Tascam GB-10 Guitar Trainer/Recorder

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.

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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.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Crosley CR6249A-BK Keepsake Portable USB Turntable (Black)

Crosley CR6249A-BK Keepsake Portable USB Turntable
  • USB enabled for connection to Windows equipped PC and Mac
  • Software suite for ripping and editing audio content
  • Three speed belt driven turntable mechanism
  • RCA outputs with headphone jack
  • Dynamic full range stereo speakers

My teen daughter wanted a simple player for Vinyl. I bought this, as it also comes with a USB CONNECTOR and Audacity software to load the vinyl records into a laptop as mp3. Also, this new unit has line out for speakers and also headphone connectors. Beach Audio sent it immediately.

The sound is very decent. The volume is also very very good for a portable unit. But the unit (unpacked according to directions) was initially showing definite signs of warped speed (significant slowdown at one point in each revolution). Also, the turntable was tilted to one side.

We checked under the turntable. There are four (1 inch) springs that 'float' the turntable off the platform. Each of these were stuffed with foam bits presumably to stabilize and protect them during shipping. So we removed the foam with tweezers (easy to do). But even then the problem was still there. Then we noticed one of the springs was considerably more compressed than the others. We simply removed that spring (again, easy to do). We stretched it out a bit, put it back in, and the turntable finally looked flat, and the speed issues were resolved.

So, if you have an issue like this, I suggest looking at the springs before you send it back. Once this issue was resolved it has been a great new (old) way to experience music. My teen loves it.

Crosley you need to sort this issue out. This is a fine casual player. But it is marred by poor design of the simplest elements ... springs and the packaging to protect them. If (Crosley) don't want a lot of returns, they need to do something new to ensure all 4 springs arrive according to spec. In the meantime, the issue is easily fixed, if you know where to look.

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I originally bought this at an Urban Outfitters because i wanted it in one of the colors that was exclusive to their store. I was hesitant about buying this record player simply because it did not have the outputs to connect to better speakers should i chose to do so. I finally found out that this new model came with them and it was quickly the selling point for me. I had always loved the way this thing looked and was happy that crosley had upgraded the outputs for it. The first unit i got played 45s a little too quickly. This was almost not noticeable up until when a singer would reach a high note or a guitar solo would come up in the music, the sound would just sound very high pitched and squeaky. This probably had something to do with the screw at the top right that you are supposed to screw in before you begin playing would NOT screw all the way in... Decided to take it back and exchange it for a new unit and the second one was much better. The screw at the top right went in nice and clean and my 45s stopped sounding squeaky. I was enjoying it for a couple days once i realized that the design of this record player was simply not going to work for me. The sound that comes out of this thing is pretty decent. Good enough to fill a small bedroom. The sound QUALITY on the other hand, thats a different story. If your an audiophile, you're gonna hate this. If you just want to listen to your records, this will be good enough for you. I also tried record with the USB and i thought it worked great..but i'll come back to this a little later. The one thing i will say right now is that Audacity software is extremely complicated and overwhelming the first time you use it. I thought it was a special software that came for this player, btu it turns out that it is a free software ANYONE can download online from their website. Once you get the hang of the basics, recording is easy. But it takes a lot of research and digging through their website for manuals, instructions, and settings because none of that comes with the cd.

As much as i LOVED the way it looked, it was just too bulky and couldnt find anywhere to put it comfortable in my tiny room. I started realizing that a lot of the construction looked really cheap and the needle and tone arm were probably cheap as well. This was my first record player, so im new to all this, but even I could tell that this was pretty cheap. I realized that this record player is nice and cute, but definitely not worth $160, so i returned it. I quickly found the Audio-Technica AT-LP60-USB on amazon for $95! Clearly a MUCH better player than this one for half the cost. Sure, you need to get speakers for it, but at least you dont need to get an expensive preamp or something! You can hook it up to simple computer speakers or any sort of powered speakers for now and save up for nicer speakers a little further down the road. I have mine connected to Klipsch Pro-Media 2.1 and it sounds fantastic. The record player is also smaller and much easier to find a spot for if you're living quarters are small like mine. Another thing to note is what i have mentioned about the USB before. I was acutally very impressed when i recorded my first 45 using the crossly player. I decided to record the exact same 45 using the Audio Technica to see if there was a difference and boy was a blown away. I couldnt beleive the difference in sound. The crosley recording came out a little louder, but it had A LOT of extra white noise. The Audio Technica recording was a MUCH cleaner sounding recording. You could still hear the subtle crackling from the vinyl, but not the kind of noise that gets in the way of the music like the crosley recording had. The Audio Technica seemed to record a little lower in volume though, but this can be fixed in the editing process easily.

If all you want this player for is to listen to the vinyl youve got with a sort of vintage sound/feel to it, then this one is cool for you. Also, if you dont care about paying for overpriced items and have enough money to throw away on things you find cute, this record player is good for you. However, if you are like me, a person who wanted to start getting into vinyl and have the option to record those LPs onto mp3, then you should probably look towards the Audio Technica as your first record player. Also, If you are like me and wanted to get the BEST CHEAPEST record player set up, the Audio Technica is the player for you. It sounds much nicer, it looks good, and its cheaper. Dont let the price tag fool you, it is MUCH better built than the crossly. I also feel that it protect your records even more since the record plate is about the size of a 12" record, unlike the crosley plate that is about 7", which leaves your records hanging off the edge. The AT player also has a dustcover, and is also fully automatic. This is great if you are someone who doesnt have steady hands. It moves the needle and drops it in the correct spot every time all on its own. The dustcover might sound like its not big deal, but my records were collecting A LOT of dust when i played them on the crossly, which would then get picked up by the needle. The stylus would be filthy by the end of the record!

I also want to note that if you are an audiophile or have been into record players for a long time, then neither of these two option would be for you. Go straight to the Audio Technica LP 120 (which starts to get expensive.) These two record players are not upgradeable. You cant change the cartridge or the needles or anything. These two are strictly beginner record players or players for a person who just wants an inexpensive, extra player somewhere in the house.

All in all,

Crosley-good, fun beginning record player

Audio TechnicaBEST beginning record player

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I absolutely love this record player. I have a vintage record console that I have spent hundreds of dollars to fix over the years and all I wanted to do was listen to my records again! It's a heavy/stout little suitcase so it needs it's own table/space, but it's still small and sturdy enough to travel with. Easy to find replacement needles and parts. Built in speakers and AUX port to hook up to surround sound if you wish. Decent sound quality on it's own unless you like to blast your jams.

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I ordered this for my son as a birthday gift. He was delighted and he's searching out records all over the place now. A good quality sound and links into other devices. All in all, a good buy.

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My son chose this because many of his vinyl albums are not digital.He is transferring as we speak!He said the sound was great.

Monday, May 19, 2014

Hunters Specialties I-Kam Xtreme Video Eyewear, Camo

Hunters Specialties I-Kam Xtreme Video Eyewear, CamoThese glasses are junk, they break so easy. Used mine maybe a hours worth then the video went out and they are unrepairable. Out of warranty and can't even pay to have them repaired.

great product,highly reccommend to anyone looking to video and needing hands free.

Outdoors picture turn out great. Some small problems,you must get use to the camera is taking picture above eye level. You need to look farther down when taking upclose picture.

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We purchased this and had difficulty getting it to work. We returned it and got another one as the seller said it wasn't working right. We had trouble with the new one too. It just wouldn't stay on to video. I would not recommend this product to anyone.

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The video quality of the glasses is okay.

But the glasses do not record right where you are looking. I use them for duck hunting and miss a lot of recorded Birds. Wish I woulda spent the extra money and bought the GoPro.

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Sunday, May 18, 2014

WD Blue 160 GB Desktop Hard Drive: 3.5 Inch, 7200 RPM, PATA, 8 MB Cache - WD1600AAJB

WD Blue 160 GB Desktop Hard Drive: 3.5 Inch, 7200 RPM, PATA, 8 MB Cache - WD1600AAJBThis drive is exactly as advertised. It is a bare drive, no cables or mounting gear included (although you probably don't need either). It does not include instructions either; so you should know what you are doing if you are buying this hardware. It is an excellent choice for an older computer.

Everything about the item was excellent. Well packaged, quickly shipped, performs well upon installation. My only problem was upon ordering, the product description said the drive was available in both PATA and SATA configurations(parallel vs. serial). My older computer required the PATA as a replacement hard drive. The Amazon ordering process did not facilitate the specifying of one of the two available configurations. It took various phone calls to Amazon, and emails to the product supplier to assure me the PATA version would be shipped. It turned out well, but this was the first time I encountered ambiguity, frustration, and delay in placing an order with Amazon.com

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I'm using this as a second hard drive in my desktop Macintosh. The drive has a sturdy feel to it. I've handled a lot of drives and this one is quite heavy when compared to the other drives I have used. I've had it in everyday use for over a month now and have had no problems at all and I don't expect any.

This drive is a good value. When used on a mac you simply plug it in, and turn it on. Then use disk utility in the utilities fold to format the disk and your in business.

Read Best Reviews of WD Blue 160 GB Desktop Hard Drive: 3.5 Inch, 7200 RPM, PATA, 8 MB Cache - WD1600AAJB Here

Item # B000VRZ7PA Western Digital Caviar Blue PATA Hard Drive WD1600AAJB

I ordered this through Amazon Market Place, because by the time I was ready to order it, Amazon was sold-out for the time being. Now it's re-stocked and I'm seriously considering ordering another. Unlike the display pages, this unit is bulk-OEM which came in a plasti-foil/mylar sealed wrapper. (no directions)

The re-seller did an excellent job bubble-wrapping it for shipping and when I contacted them about specifications, they were helpful and informative. Pricing was competitive with Amazon's own department. This drive is a little noisier than my original drive, which featured a peculiar rubber sheath. But this little winder spins out a fast 7200 RPM, and the noise isn't anything approaching noise from the power-supply cooling fan.

The Western Digital web-site features full specifications pages which are model specific. And there's a frequently asked questions (FAQ) menu with lots of information, some of which may apply to your needs. They also illustrated precisely the jumper settings configuration table I was looking for.

If you're installing an Operating System, (this installation was Windows XP) your installation disk will perform the necessary format. Because mine was XP, it had the option of selecting either FAT-32 file system (backwards compatible Windows 95-98) or NTFS file system, which is upwards compatible with Windows Vista & Windows 7, in case you need to network and share files.

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I bought this in May '10 to extend the life of an old PC with IDE disk controllers. Great price for a good size in old technology. For almost five months it was great. But one day in October '10, without any warning whatsoever, it has stopped working entirely. As far as the computer sees, even in BIOS and even with swapping around the data and power cables and the jumper, the disk is simply not there (but a different disk is still working okay, so it is the new disk and not the controller which is the problem).

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Thursday, May 8, 2014

Coby MP828-4G 2.8 Inch Touchscreen 4GB Video MP3 Player with Speaker and Camera - Black

Coby MP828-4G 2.8 Inch Touchscreen 4GB Video MP3 Player with Speaker and Camera - Black
  • 2.8-inch TFT LCD display
  • Integrated stereo speakers, miniSD card slot for easy memory capacity upgrades (miniSD card not included) Integrated 0.3MP camera and Integrated FM radio; screen with Integrated flash memory and Intuitive touchscreen controls
  • Multimedia powerhouse plays music, video (Videos may need to be converted with the included software for device playback), photos, and text
  • Plays digital music from most online stores and subscription services, ID3 and LRC support for song and lyric information display
  • Calendar mode, USB 2.0 Hi-speed for fast file transfers, Integrated rechargeable battery
  • 2.8 inch color TFT LCD screen and 4GB integrated flash memory
  • 2.8 inch color TFT LCD screen with Integrated flash memory and Intuitive touchscreen controls
  • Integrated stereo speakers, miniSD card slot for easy memory capacity upgrades (miniSD card not included) Integrated 0.3MP camera and Integrated FM radio
  • Multimedia powerhouse plays music, video (Videos may need to be converted with the included software for device playback), photos, and text
  • Plays digital music from most online stores and subscription services, ID3 and LRC support for song and lyric information display
  • Calendar mode, USB 2.0 Hi-speed for fast file transfers, Integrated rechargeable battery

I might as well have just bought a piece of plastic and pretended to listen to music rather than buy this. The touch screen was terrible it took me ten minutes to calibrate it the first time and it still had bad sensitivity. The charge lasted maybe half an hour of listnening to music (and thats being generous). The camera was worthless and it took me three days to figure out how to delete files on it. After FIVE days of use the flimsy plastic screen cracked but instead of still being able to see it, like an ipod touch, the screen became black and white. I now use it as a micro sd card reader for my blu ray player. I dont recommend any other coby mp3 touch product.

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Easy to set up and it works with PC and Mac--my son loves it. The reviews on another site were not good, but it does the job.

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This MP3 player was horrible. It froze a few times and now doesnt workat all. Maybe 10 hours of use.

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works well, Coby customer support is decent when i enquired about some functionality. Sound volume is not that great but when used with some other headphones sound quality increases, very good for the price and after 8 months of use it is stilll going good. gave to my 14 yr old brother is he is very happy with the product

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I don't like it very much...the device is pretty cool but sometimes it takes a few errors, and the entire screen goes white and I never dropped it.

Monday, May 5, 2014

VIZIO VBR120 Blu-ray Player with Internet Apps

VIZIO VBR120 Blu-ray Player with Internet Apps
  • Plays back Blu-ray discs, DVDs, CDs, MP3s and JPEG files
  • Full HD 1080p playback
  • Built-in Ethernet port and USB port
  • Dolby TrueHD/Digital Plus and DTS-HD
  • BD-Live compatible
  • Built-in Ethernet wired networking for access to entertainment on demand through your high-speed Internet connection.
  • Plays Blu-ray Discs for full high definition 1080p video playback
  • Plays DVD discs and audio CDs for added versatility
  • Supports 7.1 digital audio output via HDMI with Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD audio processing
  • View personal photos (JPG) or music (MP3) using the built-in USB port
  • Watch thousands of HD titles, TV episodes and more with VUDU, Netflix, Pandora and much more

It's frustrating to hear how well this Blu-Ray player works for others, but it's also consoling to realize that I'm not the only one who's experienced problem after problem with it. I won't dwell on the glue issue, since it's been covered well enough by other reviewers. My main complaint is with the seemingly random hardware issues with this model. From day one, powering on the player has always been a crap shoot, and to date I've never been able to turn it on, or eject a disc, using the buttons on the machine itself. Thank goodness for the remote!

Sometimes it will play a disc quickly and without any problems; other times it will click and grind for one to two minutes before getting started. I want to be clear, however, that it's not so much the slowness that bothers me, but rather its inconsistency. Every day is a surprise, because I don't know whether it will turn on and hum smoothly away, or turn on and grind, or simply not turn on at all.

The coup de grâce came tonight, when I settled down to watch an evening film. Picture, but no audio. The user manual, a tome of wisdom, suggested that I either turn up the volume or double-check the mute button. Right. Thanks for the tip. Nor do I have any headphones or external devices plugged in, but the manual doesn't offer any suggestions beyond that.

I plan on returning this unit as soon as possible and exchanging it for something else. My recommendation to potential buyers? It's a great deal if you manage to get one that works as well as the models some of these other folks picked up; but it also seems like quite a few of us have run into a number of similar problems that you may want to avoid by dropping a few more dollars on a different brand.

Buy VIZIO VBR120 Blu-ray Player with Internet Apps Now

This is my first blu-ray player, and first Vizio product. I have it connected to my Insignia 42" 1080p 120Hz LCD via HDMI. The TV runs the sound via optical cable back to an older Yamaha 5.1 channel receiver hooked to a pair of Martin Logan SL3's and Cinema center channel.

I'm on a limited budget for our entertainment system (except the speakers! I've had them a while) so while looking for a blu-ray I didn't want a lot of extras such as wi-fi, etc, but something that would upscale my old DVD's and of course play blu-ray's reliably.

First, the player looks great. It is much smaller than other player's I've seen. It looks more expensive that it is. One minor annoyance for some reason the factory put a long strip of cardboardy type advertising along the top of the player. Not a big deal. But, it was put on with double stick tape that was VERY hard to get off. I had to work at it for several minutes and it left a little residue which I had to remove.

I've only played one regular DVD so I don't have much experience with the upscaling, but that one DVD was very acceptable. I have played several blu-ray discs, such as Avatar, Dark Knight, Casino Royale, Bucket List, and Wild China. Every DISC has loaded within 20 to 40 seconds, with the exception of Avatar which was rented and the DISC was very dirty. After a quick clean it loaded normally. I'm not a videophile, but I do appreciate a good picture, and I have not owned another player to compare against, so my only comments on the blu-ray format are WOW.

Another bonus with this player is the integrated applications. The interface is simple but very effective. You must connect the player to the internet through the hard wired connection (no wi-fi for $99!) and you'll have access to Netflix, VuDu, Pandora, Flickr, Facebook, etc. I connected to my Pandora account and had access to my stations cool. You get two free movie rentals through VUDU for purchasing the player, I watched one movie and was very impressed. My home internet connection speed would only play the lowest resolution movies, but it looked great! A pleasant surprise.

My only real complaint about this player is the remote control. The buttons are VERY hard to press. For those who have a universal remote this will not be a problem as they will program it in and toss this aside.

For $99 at my local Walmart I am very pleased with this purchase and whole heartedly recommend this player, especially if it is your first player and you have a wired internet connection available (if you want to use the built in apps).

Read Best Reviews of VIZIO VBR120 Blu-ray Player with Internet Apps Here

5/3/12 Update.. Product still works great.. However, remote went out (actually caught on fire) but vizio replaced it.. Item is over a year old but is starting to show age.. Still very few apps compaired to new players..

after reading the reviews i still decided to buy this bluray player. I LOVE IT. as for the bad reviews, i dont believe some people have ever used the bluray technology before.. I had a sony for 3 years, the load time on this unit is MUCH faster than my first generation sony.. Is it slow? kind of, but its common with bluray players.

as for the people who said internet apps dont work, i think they should check their connection.. this player does not have wifi, but if plugged into your home router, and if your internet is fast enough, it seems to work great! i use it nightly for netlflix.

Remember with bluray players, anytime it wont play a disc UPDATE it.. I cant stress that enough! old players, you would update daily it felt like.. this one i have never ran into a problem updates wont fix.

the only problem i had with this unit was the glue like mentioned before.. but instead of spending hours to get it off, buy some goo gone.. glue was off in under 5 minutes!!!!

overall i would recommend this if you are looking for a budget player. it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of a more expensive player (quick start, wifi, etc) but for the price it works and is much faster than first generation players. my longest wait with this unit was under 1 min.. my old sony took 15 mins sometimes to load and YES thats common with old players

it made a great replacement for my old sony.. im sure there are nicer units out there but this one does it fow me

Want VIZIO VBR120 Blu-ray Player with Internet Apps Discount?

Bought one of these at wal-mart for 98 dollars.Well worth the money it works great! i also have a panasonic blu ray with apps but i like this one better! BUY ONE! you won't be sorry.

Bought this at a local Walmart in November 2011 because the price at the time was under $100. I already own two Vizio TV's and love them, so I assumed that their blu ray players were also high quality. I was wrong. Very wrong.

From the day I installed it, the device was very buggy. The remote response for power and tray open/close, whether using the one that came with it or a universal remote, was often hit or miss. There are no obstructions between the remotes and the unit. and even holding the remotes literally a foot away from the unit didn't work some the time, even when brand new, high-quality batteries were installed.

Even when working, the device takes a VERY long time to read and boot a DVD or blu ray disc. It was so bad that we after inserting a disc we could find something else to do...pop corn, put laundry in the washing machine, etc. and the disc would still be in the process of booting.

Because the device was used every now and again in a spare room and cost so little, we tolerated these quirks. Plus, the whole process of calling customer service and dealing with boxing it up, getting a RGA number, sending it in for repair, waiting for its return, just to get a quirky machine (based on other reviews) back seemed like too much of a hassle for an inexpensive device,

But now, not even six months after the purchase, the buttons on the front of the machine are unresponsive, it fails to responds to the remote more often than not, and when a disc is placed in it, it completely fails to load the disc and either freezes or shuts off. I have to unplug the machine and re-plug it in and quickly use the remote to turn it on and open the tray in order to retrieve the disc.

The machine was a waste of money and a true example of the expression "you get what you pay for." I cannot, under any circumstances, recommend this device. Very disappointed in Vizio and will *not* buy another Vizio brand blu ray player to replace this piece of garbage.

Monday, April 28, 2014

Panasonic RQ-E20V Portable Cassette Player with Auto Reverse

Panasonic RQ-E20V Portable Cassette Player with Auto Reverse
  • Battery power checker
  • Auto-reverse playback
  • Digital synthesizer tuner for fast accurate tuning
  • 5 direct preset keys
  • 20-station memory

I had this personal cassette player for little over a year. Unfortunately, after dropping it the headphone connection shorts (even though I bought new earbuds). While it lasted, the sound was good and no problems with the functions. Wish they could have developed a player that could withstand shocks. (Forget Walkman Shock players, more $$ and they're junk.) Looks like cassette players are passe. Too bad, because I listen to books-on-tape.

Buy Panasonic RQ-E20V Portable Cassette Player with Auto Reverse Now

I was searching for an auto reverse cassette player, which I found on Amazon.com. My Panasonic, stereo radio cassette player, RQ-E20V arrived scratch-free and totally functional.

Sunday, April 13, 2014

Memorex Blu Ray Player

Memorex Blu Ray PlayerI have had this player for a week. I was skeptical about the brand but when I popped in my first blu-ray disc and saw HD in unsurpassed clarity, all of my fears dissolved... that is until I rented a new release blu-ray disc and was greeted with a red screen informing me that the disc could not be played on my blu-ray player without a firmware upgrade. I call Memorex and they explain that the blu-ray disc association has changed the formatting of the new disc and all blu-ray players would require a firmware upgrade to play such discs. This player is profile 1.1 and the CS rep dubbed the new format 1.2 (which I cannot find any reference to anywhere else). The rep assured me that a firmware update would be made available by the end of the week but that promise went unfufilled and a email to Memorex prompted a "we have no update currently available" response. So there you have it! Who knows when/if Memorex will provide the necessary update? I bought this anticipating seeing The Dark Knight in full HD but now I will be shocked if this will even be able to play the disc. Thanks for releasing a product that became obsolete after one week with no plans to update the firmware, Memorex! I can't wait to never buy one of your products again!

P.S. Why would the Blu-Ray Disc Association change the format of discs faster than the manufacturers of the players can keep up? Why would you produce a product that can't be consumed?

I received this player for Christmas. I hooked up the player and turned it on..& the Memorex logo pop up...and then nothing. A blank blue screen. I hit the open button, and the tray got hung up on something. Afer playing with the tray, I finally got it to open. I put in a BR Disc. Still no video signal just a blank blue screen. Couldn't access the set up menus and the movie wouldn't play. Defective player. I called Memorex 3 times, and waited on hold over FOUR HOURS total before finally speaking with someone. Memorex agreed the player was defective, and asked for a check for $7.50 so they could send me a new player upon receipt of the defective player. Before packaging the player, I marked the underside with a small bit of chalk. It cost me $18 to ship the player back to them...so I'm out $25.50 in shipping alone. Five weeks later, I receive a package from Memorex. I open it to find it's the exact same defective player that I sent to them, with the same chalk marking on the bottom of it. It wasn't repaired and had the same issues as when I sent it to them five weeks earlier. I finally gave up after calling them back three times and waiting on hold almost three hours. A total of seven hours of on hold time and still a defective player to show for it. With customer service like this, it's a miracle that Memorex is still in business, and should be ashamed of how they treat their customers.

Buy Memorex Blu Ray Player Now

I bought the Memorex based on price and the reviews of others. It performed perfectly right out of the box. I haven't even attempted a software "update", since it has played every movie I've given it so far without a hitch. Only negative is the seemingly long star-up time (compared to my old DVD), but this may not be unusual for Blu Ray...especially a low-cost machine. Hooked up the HDMI output to my SONY 1080p and got a great picture. Set-up was fast and easy.

Read Best Reviews of Memorex Blu Ray Player Here

I got this Blu-ray player for x-mas and it works great. I assume that mine shipped with the firmware update already installed.

I have played a dozen or so blu-ray movies & regular DVD's on it already without any problems at all. One movie skipped and caused me to restart it, but upon further inspection of the disc (regular DVD) it had a pretty deep scratch on it.

This would be a 5 star product except that it is slow to load, and slow to eject. Standing there hunched over, waiting for the tray to open / close is annoying... so I just hit the eject button, walk over the the kitchen, grab a drink, and when I come back the tray is finally open. I can live with that.

*** UPDATE 01-31-2009 ***

As it turns out, I DO need to install the firmware update. Initially all of my BD movies worked fine, but I was proven wrong when I got the new X-Files movie in from Netflix (my mistake). I downloaded the firmware update, burned it to a CD-R as vaguely described in their manual, and loaded the firmware from the player's settings menu. After several attempts at this, including the system freezing up, several different CD-R burns, and hours of frustration... It STILL does not work. I emailed tech support 3 days ago and have yet to get a reply. Oh, and because this unit is sooooo slow, it really has taken me over 5 hours of waiting and waiting for the player to attempt to load the updates. I will call on monday, and if I don't get the issue resolved I will find a way to return it.

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Aside from the general headaches of the Blu-Ray systems, such as slooow starts... this is the worst player I have ever seen. I have had mine for a couple years(?). I have had to install 2 updates. I'm currently on update Sept09 (today is 9/2/2010). Today I could not play "Date Night". I checked for a new update.... nothing. The update instructions were atrocious. I had to try at least three times and took over an hour for the first update. You should hear the noise it makes now.... loud! Memorex released this inferior product and does not support it. Never again. There are enough other Brands that I never have to buy another Memorex product. Memorex MVBD2510 BR player.

Update 1/29/2011 I double checked. It's been 2 years of misery. It still plays 95% of the BR discs. Still very loud. It hasn't died yet. So freaking slow.

No new updates since Sept 2009. The model 2510 is considered a discontinued model. It is getting more and more difficult to find the support page. Try:

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Toshiba SD9200 Progressive-Scan DVD Player

Toshiba SD9200 Progressive-Scan DVD Player
  • DVD-Video/DVD-Audio/VCD/CD/CD-R playback; DVD and CD Text compatible
  • DVD-Audio decoding and playback via 6-channel analog outputs; 24-bit, 192 kHz PCM audio
  • HDCD precision filtering and decoding
  • 10-bit, 54 MHz video digital-to-analog conversion with Super 4:4:4 Processing
  • Super ColorStream Pro progressive-scan component-video output (540 lines horizontal resolution); built-in Dolby Digital decoding

I love this machine. It looks great. The slide down display that conceals the tray. The simple facia and clean lines make it stand out in my rack. But most importantly, the quality. The picture is brilliant. Rich deep colors and no obvious digital artifacts as seen in earlier players. Sound quality is second to none. I now us the Toshiba as my CD player. It's that good!!! The sound from both DVD-A & CD's is excellent. You would have to spend a lot more money than what is being asked here to improve on this unit. My only complaint is with the remote control. It could have been laid out better and include built in backlighting. But my universal remote solved that problem. I would recommend the Toshiba to anyone looking for a 1st rate DVD player & the capability to play all current CD formats including MP3's with the same, if not better, quality of other flagship models.

Buy Toshiba SD9200 Progressive-Scan DVD Player Now

I've been enjoying my SD-9200 since 2001 and it plays as well today as the day I brought it home. It is built extremely well. I use it for both DVD's as well as music playback with DVD-audio and CD's. Not quite a universal player (no SACD), but very close to it. The quality is far and above 95% of what you will find on the shelves of most big box electronics stores. If you find one used (and not abused), it would be a great buy, even today.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba SD9200 Progressive-Scan DVD Player Here

This player is the worst piece of eletronics I've ever laid hands on. The settings in the setup menu keep changing all on their own. Also, the video cuts out about a third of the way through about 2/3rds of my dvds. I consisder this player to be unusable.

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After dealing with repeated Sony woes, I bought this unit because I believed that it would last a long time. After two years of ownership the spindle vibrates, it skips, and freezes. This unit has been a complete disappointment. What a terrible waste of $1500. I'll never buy another item again from this manufacturer. Toshiba and Sony both make JUNK. God, I wish there was a unit made in good-ole U-S-A!!! Seems like all you see these days are Chinese and Japanese junk in the stores.

This is absolutely the best player out there. It plays everything that I've gotDVD, VCD, and CD. It have a very crisp look and feel to it.

Recommendation: Strong Buy

Friday, April 4, 2014

Kinamax CB-HDMI HDMI to HDMI Male to Male connectors Digital Video/Audio HDTV Gold Plated 6-Feet Ca

Kinamax CB-HDMI HDMI to HDMI Male to Male connectors Digital Video/Audio HDTV Gold Plated 6-Feet CableI don't know what else to say about this other than it works great! I will never understand why people think they have to spend hundreds of dollars on cables. Seriously... if you think you *need* to, and you would spend that much money anyway, try one of these first. If you think for some reason it doesn't work, then go ahead and buy your $100 monsterish cable, you only wasted a few dollars and money probably isn't an issue for you anyway. But I bet you will end up glad, or at least surprised, that you saved yourself the money.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Gooddi A7 Super Slim Spy Camera with Video, Digital Camera and Voice Recording Function (8 GB Micro

Gooddi A7 Super Slim Spy Camera with Video, Digital Camera and Voice Recording Functionsmall nice .. it works good in the small wallet nobody can t see there s a camera inside :)b so i used to day wth some girl in a dark room well tv was on. so u still can see a little and u can make it more bright wth windows program s so yeah... then i turn on some light n the rest of the video was very nice..n she didn't know i was recording.. ok it came with earphones why idnt know..? the videos eve 10 minutes cut n record t in parts of 10 mnts why? idk but thats ok ... ill give t 5 starts works nice for me ..