HONEYWELL ACCESS LAN485KIT KIT,W/LANSRL100 & N485PCI2L

This photo is from my eBay listing #200567909269. Ultra Electron copied and posted this picture of the actual item without my permission. Please respect other people's property rights.

I put a great deal of time and work into my photos. I do not appreciate someone just taking advantage of that.

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Defender Sync 19 Inch LCD All-In-One Security System with 4 Hi-Res Indoor/Outdoor Surveillance Came

First off, the idea of this DVR security combo is fantastic. I loved having the monitor and dvr as one unit. However, after three weeks of use, a burning smell and 2 camera failures forced me to return the unit. I dont know if it was just this unit that was defective or if this is a widespread problem with these combo dvr's. Just check around to see if anyone else has been reporting similar problems. It's very time consuming to layout, set up, and configure your system just to take it down and return it after a few weeks of use. Good luck.

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Night Owl Security LB-4DVR5-4CM 4 Channel H.264 D1 DVR with 4 pack CMOS Cameras 400+ TVL

Set up is easy. However, the remote monitoring set up is near impossible without using customer support's help.

The biggest problem is it takes forever to reach a rep (alright 20-30 minutes of hold time). But then the reps never seem to have the full answer. They seem to want to get to the next call. I had to call about 6 times over two weeks to get ALL of the set up info. And even then, when I went on vacation, the playback feature wouldn't work. Now I'll call them to get that piece of info.

Also, I had one really rude rep who I'm guessing has since been fired.

They need to train the reps better and to have the reps fully test the remote access setups before they end the phone call with you.

The picture quality is ok.

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Nokia C6-01 Unlocked GSM Phone with 8 MP Camera, 720p Video Recording, and Ovi Maps Navigation--U.S

Surely you have read all reviews about this phone (GsmArena, PhoneArena, etc).

I want to emphatize just a few aspects that could help you decide:

1I was looking for a state-of-the-art cell (touch), but size is very important to me: I don't like iPhone or Galaxy-S size. I need to put my cell in my pocket, and operate it with just one hand; that's the first reason to buy Nokia C6-01;

2Quality: there is no people that could give you an opinion against the very good quality of this phone;

3Symbian is TOTALLY customizable: I understand Android could give you a very "update able" impression, but Symbian is too.

4I am a middle-age professional (44). Big hands, lot of work, very internet-dependent (for work), and travelling a lot by airplane. I need a cell phone to get email mainly through wifi networks, but I really do not have too much social-related activity (Tweeter, Facebook, and so), so I doubted when reading a lot of reviews referring to this aspects. I can tell you that customization is total: you can decide to put every icon related to screens as you want. I've cleaned my screens and setup the icons I needed.

5Connectivity in this cell is absolutly easy and user-controlable.

6Installing Ovi Apps is an easy and error-free process. I've installed Opera Mobile (it works like a rock!), Skype, a better calculator, QR barcode reader, etc.

7I've setting up my Hotmail account and a Gmail-corporate account without any problem: they are living in my cell exactly in the way they should be: each inbox separated from the other, and syncronizing just when I want (over wify or data operator link).

8Camera is VERY good. Of course it is not a full Nikon with a telex, but the photos are great for such a device;

9-Windows application to manage the phone is great. It works like a charm, easy installation, and very high quality presentation. I can control every aspect of the cellphone (You can even type and read sms in real-time using this app, provided your C6-01 is connected through usb cable !), do backups of your data, contacts, messages, and so.

10It is beautiful and very stylish. I've bought the silver one (it's very metallic: not "plastic-metallic"). Screen is REAL black, and touch operation is perfect.

So, I'm very happy with this purchase.

I hope this help you.

In today's smartphone market, it is hard to find a phone that is actually a decent "phone" size. That is, one that does not feel like a brick when you hold it to your ear. When I saw the Nokia C6-01, I knew I found my next phone. The phone fits perfectly in my hand and is a pleasure to use as a phone. It is heavy for its size, but somehow, that just makes me feel more confident in its build. Since this replaced a Nokia E72, the screen size was not a problem for me. It is big enough for me to see everything I want, and I rarely even need to zoom when reading web pages. Lastly, the AMOLED is super bright, and easy to read in sunlight. It will not disappoint. Even the standby screen (that shows the time when the phone is not in use) is relatively bright. I especially like this feature which really adds to the sophisticated look of the phone.

Hardware: Everybody knows Nokia builds quality hardware, so I will not spend too much time on this. Call quality is good so far and the speakerphone is clear. The button placements are well thought out, especially the unlock slider. Slide to lock, slide to unlock. I use it a lot. And if you hold the slider for a few seconds, the camera flash LED turns on as a flashlight. Very useful. One complaint is there is a little slop in the slider. (Not what I expected from a Nokia phone.) The 8MP camera is good in bright environments, although for indoor shots, there is some noise. I am still not sure how I feel about fixed focus cameras, but I guess most of my shots are decent so far for a camera phone.

Software: Symbian ^3 is a huge improvement from S60 in terms of "prettying up" the UI. The usability itself is still close to the pre-touch era. (E.g. why can I not swipe between call logs for missed calls, received, and dialed? Instead I have to press the tiny tab buttons on the top of the screen...) I have to admit, the 3 home screens are useful, especially with widgets that automatically update weather, sports scores, tweets, RSS feeds, etc. One thing I like about Symbian it is very customizable and I have access to all the settings. It may take a few button presses to get there, but I am OK with that. Also, nothing can beat the free Ovi maps. It has turn-by-turn navigation and traffic updates. It is fast, accurate, and FREE. The search feature also works quite well, which saves time when you only need to type in the name of the place instead of the full address. Lastly, Nokia is coming out with awesome apps from their Beta Labs. I use Situations to put my phone in silent mode during work hours, and Normal mode when I am at home (using my GPS position). And I am trying out Nokia Drop to push files to my phone.

Cons/Quirks:

1. The proximity sensor does not work dependably when I hold the phone over my hair. That caused a lot of disconnections in the first few days. I was about the send it back when I realized that the problem is gone if I place the phone directly on my ear (that is underneath my hair). This is a strange problem that I do not see in other phones (tested on an iPhone 4). I will live with it for now though, since it is not much of a bother for me.

2. The phone can be a little sluggish at times. For example, when I turn the phone to type a message, it takes a few seconds for the screen to actually switch orientation. Or sometimes I have to turn the phone a couple times.

3. Battery life can last 1 day with mid-to-heavy usage. I would like that to last a little longer.

Closing thoughts:

I know this review sounds like there is a lot wrong with the phone, but I am actually really happy with it. This phone is fun to use and a lot of the features are well though out. It has everything that I require from a smartphone. And I cannot stress how important the size is to me. The Symbian OS may be coming to an end, but I am OK riding it out with the C6-01 and waiting for what Nokia comes out with next. Last thing: people with big hands might want to try the phone out before purchasing.

Buy Nokia C6-01 Unlocked GSM Phone with 8 MP Camera, 720p Video Recording, and Ovi Maps Navigation--U.S Now

Well, after years looking for the real iPhone killer i think i found it!. This Nokia has EVERYTHING that an iPhone can offer you and a lot more!. I had all type of phones before, HTC's, Palm Treo's, Palm Pixi... and more. Let's start for the physical characteristics... is a heavy phone, a thing that i like, since the case is made of really nice Metal hard to scratch (not like other cheap plastic phones). Is smaller that the iPhone but the screen size is perfect. It comes with a GPS that works like a charm, even in other countries (like Colombia) without a data plan since you can download the OVI maps for free via Wi-Fi or on your PC and transfer them via USB or Bluetooth. The app store is GREAT a lot of useful free stuff, apps, games and videos. I got a mosquito repellent app, a 360 degrees panoramic photo app, Compass, Fingerprint security, a lot of Internet Radio stations just one click away from your home screen, Pop-mail and Facebook notification on your homescreen and the best protection against thieves!: An app that you can send a msg from another phone to your C6 and sends back another MSM with the exact location of the phone! and if somebody change your SIM card the phone is locked, your personal info is send via email and deleted, and besides that send you an MSM with the notification of the change and a photo taken with the front camera. The 8MP back camera is really good and the HD video @ 720dpi looks really smooth. The front camera is really useful for the Skype app or Video calls. The camera flash works also as a REALLY! bright flashlight... Comes with FM Radio but i never use it since you need the hands-free as the antenna, i usually use with the internet radio. Other apps that come with the phone are Quickoffice, Zip and Adobe PDF Reader. I'm more than happy with this cellphone and i highly recommend it even if you don't live in the US.

Read Best Reviews of Nokia C6-01 Unlocked GSM Phone with 8 MP Camera, 720p Video Recording, and Ovi Maps Navigation--U.S Here

I have to add my two-cents worth to the other glowing reviews for this phone. I just received it yesterday and I am very happy with it. Very solid and expensive looking with a great (AMOLED I think) display. I am particularly impressed that the steel back cover is so rigid yet the phone isn't too heavy. Call quality is good and it was a cinch to import the contacts from my Nokia E71. The screen is (finally!) glass I had an N97-Mini for a couple of months and I did not care for the resistive-touch and plastic screen. To me, it is a little small for comfortable e-mail reading and I would say that it is too small for surfing the internet. I have to say, though, that it's Symbian OS is a little bit of a pain to navigate perfect example is checking remaining space on your micro-SD card who would think that you would find that under Applications / Office / File Manager? But I can live with Symbian's annoyances to in order to get a great little phone with a beautiful display for half the price of a plastic device from one of the other makers.

*********************** Added on June 21, 2011 **************************

I've had this phone for another week+ and I just want to reiterate what a great little device it is!! Battery life is great and it recharges quickly. I've carried it on many evening walks and it shows zero wear and tear thanks to it's metal construction and glass display. It's my primary phone for calls between Germany and the US and I've had zero dropped calls or other call-related problems. And, much to my surpise, once I downloaded the new Ovi Store I found there are quite a few good free games on Ovi Angry Birds Seasons, Rio, Monopoly, car racing, you name it I was really pleasantly surprised!! This continues to be a compact and very well-built smartphone I highly recommend it.

*********************** Added on November 6, 2011 ************************

The Nokia C6-01 continues to be a superb phone. Still runs like a top and looks like new despite another four+ months of carrying around and using. Another advantage I really like is it supports both AT&T and T-Mobile 3G bands in the States and works here in Germany with Telekom. Last but not least I like it so much that I've ordered a second one for my wife to use. Keep in mind though this phone isn't for you if you want a large screen to surf the internet or check FB. It's a great phone with super battery life and a very clear screen.

Want Nokia C6-01 Unlocked GSM Phone with 8 MP Camera, 720p Video Recording, and Ovi Maps Navigation--U.S Discount?

Updated on 05/28/2013.

Still going strong, however the latest upgrade to Nokia Belle made it less responsive to touches and in general more buggy.

Latest navigation update added a pedestrian mode. navigation itself could be a bit quirky some suggestions are downright dangerous like

making turns where it is physically impossible. Also the new browser does not have an option to remove the status bar at the bottom that

eats into already small page space.

Recently was running car navigation and listening to the Internet radio streaming at the same time all on 340MB of RAM impressive!

Also I can view 720P movies shut on my GoPro camera via OTG cable with USB flash reader. Pretty cool!

Will take a look at Lumia 620 next. It also has worldwide navigation with free map upgrades.

End of Updated on 05/28/2013.

First, the negatives.

1) Reboots a lot. While searching for the GPS location, playing MP3s, running the custom application I wrote for the Symbian OS NOT ANYMORE see below

2) Limited applications availability. Only one music player that came with the phone, no player that plays by folder so the music has to be tagged/organized

3) Browser experience is sub-par

4) Cumbersome navigation. Read the manual!

4) Nokia OVI store on the phone stopped working after I swapped the supplied 4GB micro-SD card for a 16GB one NEWEST UPDATE FIXED THE ISSUE see below

5) Nokia app for the computer is not very intuitive

Now the positives that BY FAR outweigh the negatives, mostly what was not mentioned by the others

1) High quality body/screen

2) Excellent voice quality

3) Sensitive wi-fi radio

4) Works perfectly as a standalone GPS with the maps of the whole world available for download. Maps of Europe are superior to Google's. last year in Croatia Google was forcing me to take the ferry since supposedly it was no road available. Nokia maps got it right.

5) Availability of cheap GENUINE Nokia accessories on the famous auction site and various Chinese outfits on the WEB. You can get an outstanding car holder for peanuts as well as some basic covers and extra battery with charger that works with the supplied with the phone proprietary power cable.

6) With a dirt-cheap (see above) OTG cable you can connect a USB flash drive as an external memory to the phone and it will be treated like an internal memory or an inserted micro-SD card

7) Skype works perfectly over wi-fi and 3G

8) GSM coverage EVERYWHERE in the world

9) Good still/video camera

10) Small. No damage to vital organs when kept in the pocket.

Suggestion: make sure that USB cables you buy are for Nokia, generic ones might not work. OTG cable model number: CA-157, GPS holder: CR-114 or CR-115.

Also do not buy into Symbian 'obsolescence' myth. NOTHING in Android realm can touch this phone for the price. Android has more apps and seamless download but this phone will do everything you need in a small form factor. Highly recommended.

Update on 09/28/2011.

Go to and download Store QML client. It updates Ovi store functionality on your phone. Works perfectly!

Update on 10/29/2011.

Installed a new version of software (prompted by Nokia itself on the phone). Rebooting seems to be fixed, at least partially.

Update 0n 11/26/2011

New OS update solved the rebooting issue have not had it once! Also GPS fix now is very fast. Ovi store now works seamlessly-I download and install apps while riding on a train.

Recommended!

Sony DCR-SR300 6.1MP 40GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom

Pros: Excellent picture quality! Ease of use, convenient 4 mega pixel still while in video mode, easy connect base, and mpg video format right from the camera!

Cons: Easy connect base (good and bad news), flash disabled with filters or lens, and a little slow to connect to the PC.

I wanted ease of use, high quality picture, and good still performance I got it all.

I did the tech research on picture quality and the SR300 seemed to be rated the best by most of the experts. The CMOS capture device is what is used in very high end cameras, so I was expecting a decent picture.

Here is the non-tech evaluation of the picture: on my Hi Def TV the picture quality from this camcorder is much better than normal TV picture and not quite as good as a high quality progressive scan DVD. It is better than I expected and I am VERY happy with the picture quality.

The SR300 is easy to use and that is what I wanted. Point it and shoot. In video mode, it does 4 mega pixel pictures. While recording, you can capture 3 stills only. If you are in video mode and not recording, you can capture as many as you like up to the limit of the hard drive and/or memory stick. In straight still mode, it is a 6 mega pixel camera. If you are looking for super high quality still camera, this is not it. I went from a 2 mega pixel camera to this, so I am pleased with the quality and I don't have to always carry two cameras around. I am using this to capture kids and this is just what I need.

The camera will record stills to the hard drive, so you do not need to have a memory stick. I purchased a 2 gig ultra II, kind of a waste since the camcorder can't write to the stick as fast as the stick operates, I could have saved some $$ with a less expensive stick, or no stick at all. A 2 gig stick gives you 600 pictures at 4 mega pixel.

I like the base, it makes it easy to have the camera ready to use. The thing I don't like is that you must use it to transfer video and stills to your computer from the hard drive (cable included). This can be a pain. You can connect the camera directly to the TV to watch video (cable included).

When you attach a filter or an auxiliary lens, I bought a wide angle lens, the flash is disabled. This I do not like.

Video from this camera is in mpg format, the same used for DVDs, so your DVD software does not have to convert the files. Also, this camera will write directly to a DVD recorder. I created a DVD with my , directly from the camera using the Disc Burn button and it included both video and pictures.

I am able to quickly make DVDs using Nero without converting the files. This cam also connects directly to a printer using Pict Bridge feature.

This is an expensive camera that had everything I wanted: easy to use; good quality video; compact size; and good still pictures. Sometimes you need to spend the extra to get what you want.

I also bought the Sony ACC-FH60 accessory kit that includes a camera case and a second battery, check it out.

I've been using it for a couple of days, and I love it. The harddisk is a gift, once you get used to it, you'll never want to use tape again. The USB 2.0 transfer to your computer works like a charm and it's pretty quick even for very large files, also because the video file types are mpeg, dvd authoring software doesn't take forever to compile a dvd, it's very quick.

There are a couple of simple, yet powerful editing features using the camcorder itself. The interface is pretty intuitive, and the touch screen is very accessible even for my thick thumbs. The video picture quality is excellent in medium light, but weak in low light still 'far better than my previous Canon ZR70 though'. The stand still camera is not that good, compared to my current Sony P8.

I love the slow motion feature, unfortunately it can only capture 6 seconds, also taking photos while you're video taping is an excellent feature, but you can only take 3 photos during shooting videos. All in all, I'm very happy with all it's features, also the surround sound works pretty well.

I didn't give it 5 stars because the camera doesn't come with a USB port, or video output options on the camera itself, I have to dock it in the docking station and then connect it to my PC, which leaves me with a choice to either put the docking station beside my PC to move the files, or beside my HD TV to watch the movies on the Camera, not sure why Sony at least didn't put a USB port on the camera directly, pretty annoying! Also, there is no way to capture video using this camera, although that was kind of a standard feature in any cheap mini DV cameras, now I have to think of getting a video capture card for my computer if I need to copy any of my recorder programs from my DVRs or previous tapes to DVD!

Buy Sony DCR-SR300 6.1MP 40GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom Now

I'm not a professional, so this camcorder is the best thing since sliced bread.

I'd rather write a review that someone can actually read and get some value from, so if you're one of those people that insists on comparing everything to an extremely expensive pro camcorder, just stop reading now and go away.

If you want something that will shoot crisp clear video footage of your family and life experiences, this is the camcorder for you. No, it's not HD but I honestly don't feel that it's worth paying 2x as much for the marginal (if even noticeable since this camcorder shoots video at 3.1 megapixels) difference in video quality. 6.1 megapixel stills are the icing on the cake, and I have yet to deplete the battery (if you're planning on shooting hours and hours of video, just get an adapter or the optional battery that will give you up to 6 hours of life).

Read Best Reviews of Sony DCR-SR300 6.1MP 40GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom Here

The DCR-SR300 is a very good BASIC camcorder. It's basic in that it includes very few manual controls. The camera is designed for ease of use. With that said, it takes pretty good videos... not nearly as good as the high end high definition DV models, but still pretty good.

What is nice about the camcorder (and all of Sony's HDD line) is that you can treat the camera as a storage device under USB. Unlike other camcorders, Sony stores its data as mpeg2, so they are likely to be immediately useful (if you can play DVDs on your computer, you can use the files).

Another nice feature is the camera. This is probably the first mid-range camcorder with a decent still image capability, mainly because it boasts of a 6M pixel quality. The camera will allow you to store up to 3 camera stills at 4M pixel while filming (which is also a nice feature).

What's not to like? No microphone input apart from Sony's proprietary boot... so you HAVE to get your add-ons from Sony. Also you have to put the unit into its dock (included) in order to pull files from it.

The build microphone is only so-so.

Image wise, it's not a 3 CCD, it just uses a pretty large CMOS and does support Optical Image Stabilization. My thoughts on those features.. yawn. I'm sure it makes some difference, but it wasn't jaw dropping in my opinion.

The lens is an excellent Zeiss Sonar T* ... one of the best, but the optical zoom is merely 10x... if there is any good news, the camera only goes up to 20x digital zoom, but digital zoom is ALWAYS lousy, so this is actually a good thing (and you can disable the digital zoom of course).

The camera has a night vision mode. This is also a nice feature for shooting in complete darkness. If you don't mind the typical green night vision look, this can be really nice for capturing very hard to see things.

I purchased the larger capacity battery... one things good about an HDD camcorder versus DV-tape is that you can't shoot hours and hours of video... but IMHO, Sony ought to included the higher capacity battery because of this. Definitely a recommended upgrade.

Is this the best HDD camcorder out there? Possibly. Is it perfect? No. If you need the convenience of the hard drive, then I recommend this camera. If you want a really good quality camera, you might want to look a high definition DV like the Sony HDR-HC7 or similar (or their more expensive professional line of course). If you are a newbie (like me), then the simplicity of the SR300 is appealing... lack of features can equate to ease of use.

The SR300 beats the SR100 spec wise except on features where the SR100 (if you can still find one) has the SR300 beat... this is typical of most Sony devices (1st generation devices tend to be packed with features).

In conclusion, this is a good easy to use (if not a bit pricey) entry level hard disk camera. If priced a bit less, this camera would be easier to recommend.

Want Sony DCR-SR300 6.1MP 40GB Hard Disk Drive Handycam Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom Discount?

I have been shopping for over a year looking for a nice digital camcorder, and finally had decided to get the SR-100 only to find it was discontinued. Then I found this Sr-300, purchased, and have never been happier. I'll break it down for everybody:

40g Hard Drive is a dream come true. Instant orginization, instant viewing, and, if you so choose too, instant deletion. No media = no hassle, the only media you really need is a Computer with a DVD burner in it and a blank DVD and your set One Touch Burning is very quick and easy.

Image quaility is excellent, except in low lighting, however this has been a common problem for camcorders since the early days. The picture comes out a bit grainy, but overall does not affect the quality of the video. This problem can also be resolved with a simple video light. (See the pictures that I posted for examples.) I believe sony makes one that will automatically turn on if the lighting level is low. The camcorder also acts like a digital camera, in that you can choose you scene selection, anything from beach to snow to twilight. You can also do black and white as well as other neat settings.

Still Images are even better, 6.1 megapixels is awsome for a camcorder, and you can set it just like any other digital camera with scene selection, etc. Easily switches between camera mode and recording mode with the flick of a switch. The camcorder can also take 3 stills WHILE recording, without messing up the video. Awesome if ya wanna capture the moment on both film and pictures. This cam in handy for me when I was filming some seals at the Zoo the other day.

The one thing I have heard complaints about from many sites is the handycam station. This thing is actually a blessing, not a curse. It is very small, lightweight, and it extends the life of your camcorder. it does this by allowing you to plug into the staion itself for charging, transfers, etc, instead of plugging directly into the camcorder, which I think cuts down on wear and tear. The cam does have A/V output and a D/C input on it, so it is still possible to plug in directly.

Provided software is ok. Not very much editing power to it, would reccomend seperate software if you really want to edit your videos. the main thing is the one touch software, which is very nice if you wanna burn a quick dvd.

The touch screen is nice. Allows for easy navigation through all the menus, which all give an explanation for what each setting affects/does. Plus using a touch screen is really cool :D

The only other con is that the battery does stick out, however you must remember this is a small camcorder, they did the best they can, and it really does not get in the way at all. Sony does make a smaller battery thought, so there is some hope for that.

All in all, its great and I highly reccomend this to anyone wishing to just film life's funniest and awkward moments. If you are not trying to be a professional cameraperson, and just want something easy to use, the Sr-300 is it for you. If you are trying to be a professional, then they make a $3,000 one which would probably suit your needs.

5 stars for both quaility and price paid.

Genius DVR-FHD590 Full HD Vehicle Video Recorder with 128-Degree Wide Angle and G-Sensor

• FHD Vehicle recorder for high definition video recording
• 2.4" panel for focusing and video file playback
• 128 degree wide angle, no video distortion
• Built-in high power LED for low light conditions
• G-Sensor prevents emergency recording overwrite
• Motion detection function enable dynamic recording

I searched and searched for an affordable HD dashcam and this was one of the products I found during my search. I previously owned a Genius dashcam and it worked fine but it was not a true High Def. but this FHD590 was very impressive. The video during daylight was very clear and I was able to read license plates of vehicles in front of me and to the side of me. But what was really impressive was the night video quality. Wow! It was almost clear as day. I am 100% satisfied with this product.

Buy Genius DVR-FHD590 Full HD Vehicle Video Recorder with 128-Degree Wide Angle and G-Sensor Now

We conducted a complete review of this unit and found it to be very impressive. Rear TFT LCD, high power LED for low light and HDR technology for ideal light were very strong aspects of this unit, although the features continue to impress.

http://technologyx.com/digital/genius-introduces-dvr-fhd590-vehicle-recorder/

Protective Hard Shell Slim Camera Case for Canon PowerShot N , A2300 IS , ELPH 510 HS / Nikon Coolp

This vivitar universal case does not come close to fitting the Nikon AW 100 camera. If it did...the workmanship is poor quality..I would not recommend to anyone...

I knew a soft shell cover was not for me. In doing my research for camera case that could survive being in my handbag probably covered by a cell phone or magazine or book or keys I new that this was the case for me. Never have I retrieved my camera to find it accidentally turned on and the battery dead. My only negative review is that I wish it came in other colors.

Buy Protective Hard Shell Slim Camera Case for Canon PowerShot N , A2300 IS , ELPH 510 HS / Nikon Coolp Now

I really love this camera. Is easy to pack and take with me. It is not com plicated to use at all. A great product.

Read Best Reviews of Protective Hard Shell Slim Camera Case for Canon PowerShot N , A2300 IS , ELPH 510 HS / Nikon Coolp Here

Sangean DAR-101 Desk Top MP3 Recorder (Black)

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

It is so good, I bought two!

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

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

Buy Sangean DAR-101 Desk Top MP3 Recorder (Black) Now

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

I recommend this product, especially for business purposes.

Read Best Reviews of Sangean DAR-101 Desk Top MP3 Recorder (Black) Here

The good:

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

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

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

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

5. Recording balance and volume are adjustable.

6. Recording quality (mp3) is selectable.

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

8. Recharges NiMH batteries.

Not so good:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tips:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Philips SA238/17 256 MB Digital Audio Player

• 256 MB digital music player with MP3 and WMA compatibility
• 128 MB of built-in memory and 128 MB Secure Digital memory card
• Stores up to 8 hours of high-quality music
• Digital FM tuner with 10 presets; digital voice recording
• Expandable memory slot; shockproof housing

This unit has surprisingly good features for the discounted price that I paid (sub-$100). Decent audio, light weight, acceptable supplied earbuds, and handy neckstrap + armband made a good package. Pluses are that it can be used to hold data files as well as mp3 as a mass storage device. Also, the FM tuner is pretty good.

128 MB SD card limitation DOES NOT apply on my unit, however it is not explained how to make it function with larger cards. Simply hold the center button down until the unit powers up! For the supplied 128MB card it only takes a couple of seconds, but, for a 1GB card, it takes up to 8 seconds or so, but it will work if you are patient. My guess is that the player has to build a database of files on the card before powering up completely, and the processor is a little slow. 1.128 GB of storage gives a lot of files to listen to during the day.

Cons are that the batteries do not last more than about 10 hours if it includes time consumed by much moving of data to/from the unit with the USB transfer. Also, the latch that keeps the back cover on does not seem to hold too tightly, but I have not had a problem with it, yet.

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This is my 2nd Mp3 player. My first is a San Disk Mp3 Companion which worked fine but has some of the same problems as this one. First this unit does sound good and the addition of the FM tuner and the Voice recorder is a nice touch. If you buy this for Mp3 listening, you need to realize there are limitations. My biggest problem is getting a playlist to work or even get an album to play in proper order. Here is an example of the order I have saved in Windows:

Black Sabbath 01 Turn Up the Night

Black Sabbath 02 VooDoo

Black Sabbath 03 Sign of the Southern Cross

Black Sabbath 04 E5150

Black Sabbath 05 The Mob Rules

Black Sabbath 06 Country Girl

Black Sabbath 07 Falling of the Edge of the World

Black Sabbath 08 Slipping Away

Black Sabbath 09 Over and Over

After syncing with the Philips Rush here is the order it plays:

6Country Girl

5The Mob Rules

9Over and Over

7Falling of the Edge of the World

1Turn Up the Night

2VooDoo

3Sign of the Southern Cross

4E5150

8Slipping Away

The limitations are frustrating and Philips customer service is a joke. I talked to 5 different people last weekend all giving me dead end solutions. Some reps were giving info that was contradicting other reps. One said this unit doesn't support playlists, yet the product manual decribes a step by step process (that doesn't work at all by the way)to create a playlist under Music Match software. The most laughable was a rep said keep checking on their website for firmware upgrades, since they are always coming out with new updates. Last upgrade was August 2004!!! Over a year ago!!! Looks like they aborted this baby...

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Purchased for use @ healthclub. Upgraded the drivers and works like a charm. Allows me to download unlike other users and plays exactly the songs I want. If people actually READ instructions, bad reviews on good products would not happen. I have used several other brand SD cards w/o issue as well. My only problem is switching songs because I have big fingers, but simply reprogramming my card to delete the songs I dont want works for me. Battery life is amazing. Its on week 3 with one simple AAA. We are purchasing a second one for my husbands use. The SOUND IS incredible! Comes with software you dont need as well but are nice to have. Just drag and drop songs onto memory card!

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I bought this item and started downloading all my music, but the only problem is, it will not let me download music to the memory card! I filled the internal memory with music, but can't get anything else to load. Any suggestions??

Otherwise, I LOVE this player. Sounds really great, and I can even use it in the car. Much better than hunting for CD's!

i read all the reviews on this page before i bought the mp3 player. well, i didn't see to many bad reviews so i bought it-big mistake! i have had two problems with this device. one, when i store songs on it it still does not recognize them. i went through my browser and opened the 2 mass storage devices to see if they were actually empty. all of the songs i downloaded to the mp3 player were listed-and yes they were all in mp3 file format. then a few days later it magically recognized them and started playing. now it has returned to its original non functioning state. when i turn it on it says, NO FILES! another problem i had with the device was with the SD card. i called Philips and they told me they just discovered in some units the SANDISK card does not work. well i guess i am just lucky! when i save songs to my sd card drive everything shuts off now. when i try and play only songs from my card only option, the mp3 player shuts off! so, buy it at your own risk, believe me i know how to read the instructions and even when i called Philips they acknowledged there are some problems. so i do not recommend that anybody buy this mp3 player.

Toshiba SD-V391 Progressive Scan DVD-VCR Combo , Silver

• Space-saving combination DVD player and 4-head, hi-fi VCR
• ColorStream Pro progressive-scan outputs with 3:2 pulldown offers seamless, flicker-free image on high-definition and HD-ready screens
• MP3 and WMA Audio Playback with Coaxial and Optial TosLink Digital Audio Outputs
• VCR includes 19-micron heads for clear EP recording, auto clock set, auto head cleaner, and commercial skip
• DVD-Video/CD/Video CD Playback, and DVD-R/CD-R/CD-RW Compatible playback

This unit is simple to set up and use. Good Warranty, its great looking and has simple hook ups. Easy to connect to use with an inexpensive TV like my spare room TV with just a cable connector on the back. In from antenna (cable) and out to TV. (it does have s-video and other imputs and outputs if you need them) It works like a dream with a full feature remote. Play and watch a DVD, hit the one touch record button and your recording your personal DVD's to the VCR. (haven't tried a rental but I am sure most are copy protected anyway) So simple to use with excellent picture and sound quality. Will also play DVD-R and DVD+R. Haven't tried CD's but wouldn't use this unit for that anyway. You can't go wrong for the money. Now if it lasts as long and is as dependable as the Toshiba TV I have in my media room I will be very happy. Don't be afraid of this unit. Its Great!!

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I got the SD-V391 as a replacement for an old VCR that we used to play my son's video's. The combo is attractive and works really well. The remote is simply use. The picture quality is great and the sound is crisp. My only complaint is when you want to watch a DVD you have to remember to push the play button for the unit to recognize the DVD or re-insert the DVD even when the DVD selector switch is set to on. This can be a problem if someone else is using the DVD player who is not familiar with the unit.

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Loved the easy hook-up, easy use of remote, looked nice and played fine. Purchased 11-06-03, and the DVD part stopped without warning 05-29-04. The kids never touched this one; it was all for Mommy and therefore subject to only gentle use. Now if you put a DVD in, it takes a long time to load, then comes up "ERR." And now the door makes a grinding noise when it opens. Severely disappointed, heartbroken, etc. Apparently VCRs, DVD players, and these combo units are meant to be disposable work six months and then discard. If so, we may as well disregard brand names and buy the cheapest ones available. Forget quality, reliability, and pride of workmanship those are things of the past.

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I purchased the Toshiba SD-V391 based on the good experience I've had with a previous Toshiba product. My experience with the SD-V391 will make me think twice on future purchases from Toshiba. I read a handful of reviews that addressed the quality issues that this unit was having and decided to take a chance. Shame on me for taking the chance. My out-of-box experience was that the DVD drive door would not open. This was accompanied by a gear grinding noise and the display eventually showing ERR. This is a fairly big manufacturing defect. If Toshiba believes that a 50% return rate (based on user reviews) is acceptable than I'm switching brands. A responsible company would take a proactive approach and remove defective product from the shelf. Having good customer service is critical but not at the expense of quality.

As I noted on 1 or 2 other reviews, when I got the unit the DVD drawer wouldn't open. Normally that would lead me to rate the unit a 1, but the Toshiba customer service was so exceptional and the unit (once working) decent enough that I rate a 3. First, the customer service was astounding. I had to call 4 or 5 times. Every time, they answered the phone on the first ring. The person spoke clearly and well and was knowledgeable the call never had to be transferred. I was never put on hold. After they had me try a few things, they provided instructions for a return. As promised, the new unit showed up after about 7 days, and worked fine.

Combo units of this type, no matter who the manufacturer, are prone to problems, so it is critical to have that customer support.

I bought from Amazon because they were $20 cheaper than Best Buy or any other retailer. Best Buy wouldn't match the price, which surprised me it's not like Amazon is generally cheaper. However, if the price is close would recommend buying from a retailer in case you need to return it. If you read reviews for combo players in general you will find lots of problems.

So far, happy with the replaced unit. Setup was easy and the remote is easy to use, which often isn't the case.

Professional Cable ST35MM-06 Stereo 3.5 mm 6 Feet M/M Cable - Black

The price on this item was great, however when I tested it in my car with my iphone I found that it only works correctly if you do not move the cable/plugs while in use. After plugging it in, as soon as I moved my iphone to set it down the sound started to cut out. I then tried to test it by wiggling the plugs on both ends, and it appears that the plugs aren't sturdy enough to make a good connection with either device. I currently have a Dynex brand cable for my car for this purpose and it works great with no issues....when it is plugged in, no matter how much you move the cord or plugs the sound stays strong and doesn't cut out...it is much thicker and the plugs much sturdier than this cable which I believe to be the reason it works so much better. This cable was going to be for our boat stereo, however I went ahead and ordered the Dynex cable for just a couple dollars more and will trash this one....not worth sending back for the cost. Hope this information helps anyone who is considering buying this item.

Upon measuring the cord, I found that it was truly on 5 feet long, which isn't a big deal for my purposes, but may be an issue for others looking to purchase. Other than that, it is a good product at a good price.

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I have had this now for a few weeks. The moment I took it out of the package and hooked it to my stereo i knew there was a problem. My reason for buying this was to use to connect my ipod to my stereo. At first I thought maybe a speaker was out. But no, i started to move the cord around when moving my ipod and the music was cutting in and out. Now I have to sit there and move it around until it finally works. I wouldn't recommend this unless you have extra time on your hands....

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The cable is quite thing and has very little if any shielding. The buzzing when plugged into the back of my PC was horrible. Another thicker cable I have had no issues.

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These cables do not work well. When I took it out of the package I was not impressed with the thickness of the wire. They seem very cheaply made. Considering the price, I guess it's not surprising. It wouldn't be a big deal if the cable actually worked. The sound is intermittent when connecting my mp3 player to my car stereo. The wire needs to be bent a certain way for the sound to work. I will be throwing it away and purchasing a different cable.

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Mini Portable Car Dashboard DVR Camcorder Camera F500L HD Full 1080P with LED Light

• Mini full HD 1920 x 1080P@30fps portable DVR car camcorder. 2.0" LTPS TFT LCD display. Recording resolution: 1920 x 1080 (30fps); 1440 x 1080 (30fps); 1280 x 720 (30fps); 848 x 480 (60fps).
• Video reverses recording 180 degree (Menu setting). Loop recording, time and date stamp. Still Image (jpeg) Resolution 2592 x 1944 JPEG 3200 x 2400, 4000 x 3000.
• Video Codec MPEG-4 AVC/H.264. Video output: HDMI: CTS1.2 Compliant. Audio Mic and Speaker (Mono) Equipped. Port USB 2.0/HDMI/TV OUT. Shutter Button Electronic shutter.
• Recording format: Mov. 4X digital zoom (Full HD resolution non), Sensor: 5 Mega pixels CMOS, Lens: 7.0mm (4.5mm optional), Focus: 10cm - infinity.
• Supports 1080i/720p output mode, Composite: NTSC/PAL. Connection ports: USB 2.0 / HDMI / TV. External SDHC/MMC card (Max 32G SDHC Card). Battery: 3.7V 1000mAh Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery.

UPDATE: After five weeks of constant use with this product, I've had no problems. The thing doesn't miss a beat. I record an average of 29 gigs per day, looping constantly.

...This is a long review because I believe potential buyers need to know all of this...

This product is exactly what I expected -a true HD looping dashcam (1920x1080) that I can (and do) run continually while I'm driving, for a very low price. I have been using the f500l every day in my car, even when I'm parked, for a few weeks now and have had no problems. I've captured a lot of fun video so far, though no accidents or anything really exciting.

Pros:

1. Real HD at 1920x1080. Fantastic quality videos.

2. Numerous options to tailor the camera to your needs.

3. Comes with a lot of accessories, except SD card.

4. The included windshield mount produces no vibrations or other degradation of video, even though it's cheaply made.

5. Good quality audio recording, which can be disabled.

6. Date/time stamp optional.

Cons:

1. Cheaply made. It seems quite fragile and light weight, so I have been treating it very carefully to prevent mishaps. So far so good. I picked up a small case at a local Radio Shack to protect it when transferring between cars or bringing inside the house. Cheap build quality is not a deal killer, especially for the price they're charging.

2. Menus are in Russian out of the box. Three minutes of fiddling (and laughing) fixed it. Not a deal killer.

3. Night shooting is grainy. This is to be expected for a $100 camera. The videos are fairly good at night, though. They're still HD and capture plenty of detail to enjoy watching the clips. This is not a deal killer -it's plenty good.

4. Battery seems to last 5 minutes. This might be a menu setting for battery conservation. I really haven't dug into this because I have mine plugged in at all times. Not a deal killer.

General Info:

I highly recommend this camera if you want something to continually record in your car (looping / recirculating) for the purposes of catching insurance fraudsters and liars, or just want to capture interesting driving incidents. I've transferred many of the clips to my Windows PC and edited them without too much trouble (see below for details). They look really, really good.

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO BUY

1. Because the videos are .mov natively, Windows Movie Makers need to do the following to edit the clips: download Freemake Video Converter from download.com and convert the .mov files to .wmv. To view the clips, without editing, download Apple Quicktime for PC. Warning: use Freemake to convert to .wmv or be prepared to have Windows Movie Maker choke on the files, causing hours of frustration. Trust me.

If you have a Mac or use Adobe Premiere or some other quality video editor for the PC, you can probably skip the conversion steps.

2. The camera is cheap, even though its specs are impressive and the quality of the video is high. If you buy, I recommend being very careful. Cover it with some kind of scratch-free, lint-free cloth and keep store it in a rigid case when transporting. Buttons are cheap, so set the camera the way you want, then resist the urge to fiddle.

3. Buy the fastest SD card you can afford. I bought a Class 10, 32 GB card and it is flawless. Card below class 10 cause large gaps between videos. Don't be cheap on the SD card or you'll miss a driving event.

4. The menu button stops working when the camera is plugged into the cig lighter. I almost returned the camera because I couldn't access the menus, until I discovered that the menu button works fine under battery power. Very strange. I can picture an engineer named Igor or Zheng shrugging and saying, "Good enough."

5. I found it useful to change my cig lighter socket so it's always powered, even with the engine off and key out. I wanted it to record while I'm shopping, at work, or parked on the street. Never know when somebody parallel parks, crashes your car, then speeds off. You can nail them if you're always recording, even away from the car. Licenses plates are clearly readable up close.

CONCLUSION

Don't hesitate to buy this camera if you want really great looking driving videos at a very low price *AND* you're willing to be gentle with a cheaply made product. This camera is very unique because the videos are fantastic, and the price is so low. Honestly, if you get unlucky and yours breaks, you can get another for $100. It's an easy sell, really. Seller / vendor was good and reliable and no problems.

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I am not professional driver. Luckily I had not accidents until now unlike my friends. I paid attention that the biggest problem is to prove that it was not your fault. The camcorder is always an unbiased witness of an accident which will save lots of your time with police. As a bonus, you may use it to record your recent trip and share most interesting moments with your friends :)

I should admit that camera by itself is very light weighted and can be easily cared in the pocket. Unlike other camcorders which are difficult to setup/remove, this one uses special locks, which allows you to setup/remove it in seconds. The lens is pure wide angle and because of that, some videos may look unusual or even funny :) Camera uses regular Nokia phone battery, so it can be easily replaces if needed. It can make high resolution photos (I noticed that photos are NOT wide angled and looks as normal ones). The only thing it is really missing caring bag, to protect lens from scratches (if it could be scratched of course).

I will give 5 stars to day time recorded video quality. There is a little bit more white color but you can easily fix that via settings. Gadget has option to rotate video upside down, so that allows you to setup camera on top or bottom of window. There were not delays, jumps or even waves (which usually can be found on cheap camcorders). The video looks Full HD 1920x1080 pixels.

Camcorder also records the sound but I personally did not test it. It has nice option to start recording automatically (when camera is powered) but I personally prefer to have feature to start recording once it notices voice inside the car.

UPDATE: I just found a motion detecting feature, so now the camera starts recording automatically, when it detects motion!!! AWESOME!!!

BTW camera comes without SD card, so do not forget to order it separately. I personally will suggest buying min class 7 SD card or SanDisk with 30 or 45 MB/s writing speed. This is needed to prevent any time gaps between video chunks (videos are recorded in small chunks, which allows circle recording).

As an overall this is really stable gadget. I forgot to say that camera has option to mark any chunk as 'interesting' and in that case, it will not be overwritten automatically. That's useful if you recorded something really interesting and you prefer to keep it on camera.

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Unlike other reviewers, everything was already in english. It was really easy to setup and I am really surprised at how well everything works. I was expecting a lot of bugs but the thing is solid. I have it recording non-stop and it gets really, really hot in my truck and it doesn't skip a beat. 3 or 4 days after I bought it, an accident happened right in front of me. Got the whole thing on dashcam. Take a look. Quality is much better before youtube compression of course.I will probably ending up buying 1 more for my boat.

UPDATE: The camera stopped working after a week. I just sent it back to them. Sucks because now I'm out an extra 10 bucks to ship it back :( I'm rating it 2 stars until I get a unit that lasts more than a week!

UPDATE 2: Got the camera back and have had it for a while. It's been working great. The only issue is that it shuts down on it's own sometimes. It seems to shut off when it's really hot and that might be a on purpose so the unit does not get damaged. I leave it on 24 hours a day so when I get in the car, I just check to make sure it's running and if not, just turn it on. Overall satisfied.

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Camera bought from seller "Loftek" is a fake. The version on the manual is HDC-500. The settings in the menu are also different from the real F500LHD.

The real F500LHD has a firmware that ends in "T2L-KH" that can be updated. The company has released about 10 updates total for this camera model, the newest being V8.9 T2L-KH.

The F500LHD is a good camera, maybe the knock off version is also good. But with the price point of the knock off the same as the original, I rather just get the original version. Would recommend trying another seller on Amazon other than Loftek and maybe you'll get lucky.

Ordered from BrainyTrade since other reviewer warned against ordering from Loftek. The one that came was HDC-500. After a quick search on the Internet (dashcamtalk dot com/dod-f500lhd/), I found out that it's a fake! Sorry Amazon, I'm returning it.

Sanyo Xacti HD1A 5.1MP MPEG4 High-Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom

Yes, technically this is a HiDef camcorder. No, its video output is not on par with traditional HDV camcorders such as those from Sony, Canon, etc. But, it is important to understand that this is a hybrid device with a unique feature set and good performance with a cost point that is about half of what a low-end HDV camcorder would cost. The video quality (in HD mode) is superior to regular DV camcorders and the stills are better than my 5-year old Sony 4MP camera. If I'm going to shoot critical production video or capture stills for color-separated print work, I going to use the proper tools. But, I'm not going to haul pro gear to a high school soccer game or a family BBQ. I can throw this thing into my pocket, shoot for hours and have fun doing it. For me, the unique packaging, versatile operation and efficient battery life means I will shoot more memories. Sometimes, that's more important than the compression scheme or low-light performance. Highly recommended.

This is the best HD camera for the price. It's the lightest HD camera of any kind. The quality is equivalent to professional SD cameras from 10 years ago if you're careful. You can get more resolution, more features, and more weight, for more money. It depends on how much you want to spend and how much excercise you want.

Now the bad news. You have to be careful to get the best quality from it. It has to be tripod mounted. You must keep ISO at 50 or 100. Keep the shutter speed below 1/100 or it produces very grainy images. Lower shutter speed seems to enable noise reduction.

It experiences blooming when shooting bright objects or the Sun. Don't bother using the still picture support. Get a digital SLR for still pictures.

The lens is cockeyed. You have to angle your tripod down to shoot level and you can't use the docking station for shooting. It won't stand up on its own without a tripod because it's top heavy.

The tripod mount occupies the same space as the power connector. You have to remove it from the tripod to run it on AC and download movies off it.

The tripod mount is plastic. Sooner or later it's going to strip. Be prepared to fabricate an alternate tripod mount for it and glue it on or try the restripping compound at OSH.

The biggest problem is there's no exposure lock function and no lightmeter function. The settings it says it's using in auto exposure are not correct, and it only applies manual exposure settings during recording.

The only way to lock exposure is to try different settings in manual mode and record test clips.

For auto exposure, keep it in "measure multi". The spot modes don't work.

For focusing, keep it in 5 point auto focus. The spot focusing doesn't work and the screen is too small for manual focusing. Locking the focus tends to lock it just out of focus most of the time.

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The HD1 is a wonderful, amazing camera. And it is small enough that you can always have it with you -I've carried mine for months in my front pants pocket in its protective case, and been able to capture family and work stills and video that would otherwise have been lost. Even if the quality were not up to par, I would have something instead of nothing. But the quality is great! I'll expand on the quality below.

This camera is genuinely high definition, more than three times the resolution of NTSC. This is best shown by comparing a DV image captured with firewire (no NTSC modulation artifacts) on a computer monitor, to the HD1 image transferred from its SD card. Notice that this comparison should favor the DV -but instead, it makes the increased resolution of the HD1 clear.

HD televisons and monitors are already commonplace, and video captured at less than HD quality will not be as highly valued (like 8mm, good for historical content). Capturing now in HD preserves the value of your video. And this camera fits in your pocket! My bet is anyone who thinks the video from this camera is not significantly better than DV is looking at its output downconverted to letterboxed NTSC, probably on an old TV.

The HD1 records in 720p30 format for an hour on a 4GB sd card (about $70). There is no transport noise picked up by the on-board microphones, as there is no tape transport! Even lens and finger noises are attenuated by the intelligent placement of the microphones on the back of the fold-out screen, where unlike other cameras, they are pointed at the subject! It also has an external microphone jack, missing in other cameras.

Once the camera is turned on, folding the viewfinder puts it in standby mode with no apparent impact on battery life. This way, the camera is ready to go in a couple of seconds after the viewfinder is opened. Mine stays in standby, sometimes for days between uses. Battery life is very good (but keep a charged spare with you, just like you keep a second SD memory card).

The still shots from this camera are as good as or better than most dedicated still cameras. I would rate it just below the Sony DSC-T7. However, the HD1 has a 10x optical zoom, which reduces the need for cropping, thereby preserving resolution. Look at the stills and video from the HD1 on steves- (different Steve), which is a blowaway excellent web site for comparing cameras.

The output of the HD1 is not as clean as the output from the Sony HC3 or the Canon HV10 HDV comcorders, both of which capture at a higher resolution. Ironically both use CMOS sensors which have historically been much noisier than CCDs like the HD1's. I suspect that this is due to better post capture processing, so I'm eager to try something like Noise Ninja or NeatImage on the HD1 output. However, as is, it is easy to mix the video from all three using Vegas Video (and I'm sure other editors), especially when the HDV cameras have been used for tripod shots and the HD1 for handheld, more casual shots. Of course, the HV10 and HC3 each cost about twice the HD1, and as wonderfully compact as they are, neither fits in your pocket.

The program Jet Audio is the best I've found for playing the MPEG-4 video directly from the HD1 SD card on a PC. Even the free version does a great job.

Two other general purpose digital imaging notes: Always make two copies of your image files on different media before erasing the original! And rent some Internet space from a web host somewhere across the country (or world) and copy your image files to a non-public area on your web server space. This costs as little as $6 / month for 150 GB or so somewhere in a secured, backed up facility. And you can still use the public part of the space to create a web site. If there is a tornado, hurricane, earthquake, fire, etc. your "irreplacable family photos" (including any old ones you've scanned or reshot on your digital camera and uploaded) will still be safe. I understand at this point there are folks offering this sort of a service directly, although typically at a higher cost.

Another review mentions the "drawback" of the video freezing briefly when a still is captured while shooting video. On the other hand, this camera in video mode is shooting 30 1MP stills each second! Take your pick and always get the right moment.

Did I mention that the HD1 is a genuine High Definition video camera / recorder that fits in your pocket so you can always have it with you? What an outrageous step forward! I hope you like yours and find it as useful as I do mine.

Aloha,

Steve

Read Best Reviews of Sanyo Xacti HD1A 5.1MP MPEG4 High-Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom Here

After vigorous research and investigation, I decided on this camera because of portability with quality. Bigger cameras may provide better HD picture quality but I believe you may lose lots of opportunities since the camera is not in your pocket.

I used 4GB SD card to take about 1 hour of HD video. With two 2GB SD cards, I am pretty much covered in most occasions. With recent purchase of an 80GB portable hard drive that I can dump SD card to, I don't have to worry about running out of storage.

Battery life is also reasonable: I didn't measure the actual hours but I used all three SD cards with one charge.

Flash is also relatively powerful, but like other digital camera the built-in flash is not effective once it passes 10 ft or further.

Ergonomical design is the best of all like-kind portable video camera. I can control the button with one hand without too much worry about dropping the camera.

High Definition quality is not as nearly good as bulky ones such as Sony HDR-HC1, but much better than average among the same level of pocket size cameras. With a little adjustment on ISO, you will capture better images that you want. However, ISO 400 presents noticeable grain. 5 MP still camera image is not as good as my Canon digital camera but is good enough to print and share with friends and family.

Overall, I finally settled down with my seemingly endless research and enjoy this camera.

Want Sanyo Xacti HD1A 5.1MP MPEG4 High-Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom Discount?

For the size and compactibility you can't get any better. Takes great digital stills and good video. Looks great up on my plasma better than my old dv camcorder. If I wanted something large to carry around, then I would go for the Sony HD camcorder with 5.1 sound; but I just want something you can place in your pocket and run out with. Great for travel and for taking to parties places where you don't want to be carrying a lot of equipment.

SVAT CV500-4CH-002 Web Ready 4 Channel H.264 DVR Security System with Smart Phone Access and 4 Indo

I mainly purchased this system because it was web ready with the ability to view live feeds from your smart phone. Setup was easy and I was viewing live video feeds through my iPhone in no time. Keep in mind; I have an IT background so it may be more difficult for others to setup.

The 4 cameras have quality night vision and built-in motion detection. As with the previous review, I could not get the system to send me email alerts FROM my Gmail account because Gmail requires encrypted authentication. The CV500 DVR does not support encryption. I got around this by using my email which doesn't require encryption. This is only for sending email; you can still specify any valid email address as the recipient. I send the alerts to my Gmail account which is tethered to my iPhone so the results are still what I wanted.

Additionally, unlike the previous review, I was able to setup a motion schedule. You can setup 5 different schedules, each customizable by the hour for every day of the week. You have three recording options: Full Record, Alarm Record, and No Record. The "Alarm Record" records when motion is detected. Each camera can be set on a different schedule. I have my internal cameras set to record motion during the hours I'm normally at work. The external cameras are set on motion recording 24/7. You can also setup a motion grid for each camera. For example, one of my exterior cameras points down the driveway and into the street. I specify only to detect motion in my driveway so it doesn't record every time someone walks by on the sidewalk.

I didn't setup the FTP option but it works exactly like the email option. When a camera is in "Alert Record" mode, it will send video to your FTP site when enabled.

All in all, I'm very happy with the product. It took some readying to figure out the more complicated features (motion grid, schedules, etc), but everything was explained very well in the manual.

UPDATE AFTER 3 MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP: My initial interaction with the company was very positive, as indicated below. Then one of my cameras inexplicably died. I sent it to the New York location via UPS Ground ($10, my expense) and I've not heard a word for nearly a month. Very disappointing. They also promised a 'free gift' should you leave a review on their website, which I did, and never heard a word or saw my review which I spent considerable time writing.

Also, with more time spent using this setup, I've really begun to notice its limitations. First, the motion detection is either far too sensitive or not sensitive enough, even after adjusting settings. Rain or snow trips it throughout the shower, bugs flying into view set it off in one pass, yet it only began capturing video when my neighbor walked half-way down my driveway.

Finally, I truly believe you'd be hard-pressed to capture accurate facial features should someone try to enter your property. After several months, I believe these low-dollar systems (ALL of them) are not yet to the level I would expect. Guess I need to spend big bucks for a pro system to be able to recognize facial features or have any reliable motion sensing. It's better than nothing I guess...

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Customer service: 5-stars. First and foremost, the quality of customer service provided by SVAT is absolutely 5-star. They were courteous, knowledgeable and patient. They were also located in North America something not often seen nowadays. Based on the customer service provided, I would absolutely consider purchasing another SVAT product and have already recommended it to family and friends.

Cameras: 4 stars. The 4 cameras feel solidly built, likely made of aluminum. The array of 15 LEDs lights up our driveway in the dead of night and provide more than enough light on the front porch. The resolution is above average, neither not out-of-this-world nor disappointing. They are rated at 420TVL and have a 3.6mm focal length which is excellent considering the price of the entire setup. Mounting brackets are good but not great. The hardest part of installation is running the wires through the attic, but it's a much longer-term solution with better results than the current wireless options (many of which still require a wired power adapter!).

DVR: 3.5-4 stars. The DVR has a simple, icon-based interface which is easy to navigate. Settings are straight-forward and logical. You can set it to record motion-based events or continuously, and it can intelligently overwrite the oldest data when full. I've actually had to adjust down the sensitivity quite a bit as the few bugs still alive this fall can trigger the motion sensor. I will say that navigating recorded video has both good and bad characteristics. You can sort by day and time or by event which is convenient. However, it could be more elegant and precise when viewing video in detail; I've found that it's difficult to step through video frame-by-frame as it jumps around just a bit. It is nice and convenient, however, to begin playing video and immediately roll into the next recorded event rather than opening individual events one-by-one. Firmware updates could easily upgrade the onboard interface (hint! hint! SVAT).

Remote viewing: 4-stars. Setting up mobile viewing can be a little tricky, but customer service is there to walk you through it if you need a hand. Once up and running, my iPhone could recognize each camera via 3G connection very cool indeed. Cannot view recorded video, only live feeds. Remote viewing via laptop is a much more elegant solution as you have the ability to customize settings even outside of the home network. No additional software, monitoring service or applications to purchase -it's all included!

All in all, this is a great security system with quality components and stellar customer service. A tremendous value if you are looking to protect your property and family.

UPDATE: I recently had one VU-301C camera fail on me. Unsure as to why it happened the weather has not been severe, however they issued an RMA and will send a new one in 2-4 weeks time. I had to pay outbound shipping which was a bit disappointing.

Buy SVAT CV500-4CH-002 Web Ready 4 Channel H.264 DVR Security System with Smart Phone Access and 4 Indo Now

I have had several other systems in the past and the ease of use and low price make this the best system for my use. I have had high end PTZ IP cameras and expensive complete systems from other companies. This was my first SVAT system. This system was installed at my mother's house so I could keep an eye on the house for her. There seemed to be an increase of crime in the area so the peace of mind having a surveillance system is priceless. The system cost is so little when you look at all the options you get. Remote access to your cams from your phone, iPod touch, iPhone, blackberry, and any pc on the internet. I ran the video out to the A/V input on one of the TV's in the house so local monitoring is a snap when you want it. The system records all the time so you never miss anything. The build quality of the entire system is A1 (perfect). The cameras are small and blend in well at the eves of a white house. No one notices unless I point them out. The video quality is good, but not as good as some of the other systems I have had. I knew this going in, as I read all specs prior to purchase. The only difference from this setup to others I have had is video quality. I found over the years that the main features I use are the remote monitoring via pc and phone. This is just for a quick view to see if that package I ordered is on the front step, or to see if a car is in the drive. This system is perfect for these things. If you are really into high quality video, than this is not the system for you. If you are like me and want all the features and an acceptable video quality at an amazing price, this is the system for you. Everything you need is included in this package. Cameras, mounts, cables, system, mouse, remote and power supplies. The instruction manual was very easy to understand, although I didn't need it. The system is that easy!!! If you are looking for a complete system that is easy to set up, works great, and has a low price, this is the system for you!

Read Best Reviews of SVAT CV500-4CH-002 Web Ready 4 Channel H.264 DVR Security System with Smart Phone Access and 4 Indo Here

I purchased this product for the ability to have an email message sent to me so that I would know when there was activity on one of the cameras. The problem is that I have AT&T DSL and AT&T uses either TSL or STARTSL or SSL for authentication. SVAT does not support authentication and thus... no email. I tried to set it up with GMAIL and have the same problem.

I set two cameras indoors and two cameras outdoors. Problem is that if you want the outdoor camera motion sensors to work 24/7 but the indoor cameras only when you are away, you have to go into the setup each time you come home and turn them off and then turn them on when you leave. The schedule is only for recording and there is no schedule for motion. This could mean that you forget to turn the motion back on. The motion/alarm indicators are used when sending the video to an FTP site. If you do not turn the motion off when you are home, you will have tons of files sent to the FTP site.

Want SVAT CV500-4CH-002 Web Ready 4 Channel H.264 DVR Security System with Smart Phone Access and 4 Indo Discount?

I've been very impressed with the 4 camera video recording system from SVAT. Their technical support has been very good, although with long hold delays via phone. I was frustrated by the hard wire video connections, having to route them inside the walls of the house (reason for 4 star rather than 5 star), but otherwise the connections and setup were quite easy. I have been very impressed with the quality of the video, even in a dark room, storage of video on their DVR, as well as the remote access via the internet. I now can think of lots of other places for the cameras, so I wish I had bought the 8 camera model. I must also say that I was so turned off by the work to run wires behind the walls in the house, that I later bought a wifi based camera with no hard wire connection and storage to my PC hard drive (the Panasonic BL-C230A). I have written a detailed review on the latter (in Amazon) and contrasted it with the SVAT camera system. Bottom line: the SVAT video image is much better and sharper as well as giving extremely good images in semi darkness; the wifi based image transfer of the Panasonic BL-C230A is clearly much easier to set up anywhere in the house; the SVAT cameras are much more sturdier than the plastic box Panasonic; and the ease of setup from unpacking to recording images and observing them via the web was much easier with the SVAT.

Update after 7 months: so far a few problems: One camera out of 4 did fail and developed an opaque ring image that made viewing impossible. I called the SVAT and they inspected it (I had to pay to ship it to them.) and returned it saying there was no issue, but the other 3 cameras are working fine outdoors in sheltered (under eves) locations. I ordered a single replacement SVAT VU5 camera which works ok, but with a somewhat fuzzy night time image. I still wish I had purchased the 8 camera option just so I could display more images on one dedicated monitor. Spiderwebs forming do cause continual switching on/off by the recorder box, but waving a mop in from of the cameras eliminates that problem. Still a 4 star rating. The Panasonic works fine indoors and the wireless feature is great, but its night time image is terrible; not a camera for even sheltered outdoor use. In summary, the ideal camera that I wish someone would make would be: each camera under $100., including recorder & monitor for up to 8; good, 30 meter night time vision; wireless for all cameras; optional audio receiver (microphone) on selected cameras; pan and zoom features on cameras; simple wifi setup to internet; true color images for an added cost.

Coby CAM4000BLK 2.4-Inch TFT LCD SNAPP Swivel Camcorder/Camera (Black)

For $29 you can't go wrong with this camera. I was expecting some flimsy junk that took mediocre videos, but this little camera does a pretty good job.

Extremely easy to use , easy software to setup and use and the camera is sturdy as the ones I've seen selling for over $100. The picture quality is very good and will be more then adequate for day to day use. The only negative is the zoom. Only 4 x zoom so no far off shots. But its good for shots up to maybe 100 feet or so and thats fine with me.

What I love about this camera is it uses 3 AAA batteries. They're suppose to last for 2 hours of video ( might be wrong, check ) . I don't know how many times I was taking video with my old 8MM Sony and the lithium battery went dead and couldn't take any more video. Now I'll take along 3 AAA batteries and not worry about the camera battery . Some people don't like that it uses 3 AAA batteries, don't see why ???

Another great feature that'll save you time if you need to take a video quickly, the camera turns on automatically when you open the view finder. And the view finder rotates.

And this camera uses SD cards for memory and thats great. No more 8 MM film for me anymore. Camera comes with a built in 32MB memory, A/V cables, USB cable, installation CD, 3 AAA batteries , hand strap and a carry case. Its a 3 MP camera. Don't be fooled into thinking that higher MP cameras take better shots. 3MP pictures are just as good as 10 MP pictures when you want small pictures up to 8 x 12. anything larger then a higher MP camera is better.

Coby has a winner here.

After searching and reviewing many different cameras, we liked this one best, but were concerned about the low price. After using it for a month, we are very satisfied, and would recommend to anyone just getting started.

Buy Coby CAM4000BLK 2.4-Inch TFT LCD SNAPP Swivel Camcorder/Camera (Black) Now

We bought this for our 11 year old son. He likes the ease of uploading videos onto YouTube, but complained that there isn't a built in light. However, for his purposes, we think the camera is good enough. Remember to purchase a memory card!

Read Best Reviews of Coby CAM4000BLK 2.4-Inch TFT LCD SNAPP Swivel Camcorder/Camera (Black) Here

I have a video review posted on youtube. The hyperlink is listed at the bottom.

I will try to post more videos with this cam in different conditions to show it's performance.

Why only 3 stars?

1) The arcsoft media impression 2 software included is totally worthless not to mention I emailed them 2 days ago via their tech support avenues and have yet to hear back from them. The software locks up and crashes every time you try to use it. I tried uninstalling and re-installing but that only led to the same results. It says it is compatible with windows 7 though I have doubts about this. Besides after viewing what I could of the software it doesn't have much to offer that Windows MovieMaker can't top.

2) There is no mount for a tripod

3) The sound quality after about 4 feet away at normal vocal level isn't very good

4) Once the batteries get down to 1 bar the flash is dissabled in photograph mode

5) For the most part zoom is useless as it degrades the picture quite a bit

6) No input for an external microphone

Overall though I would recommend this cam for an inexpensive alternative for risky outings and youtube postings. If it gets damaged or lost at least you aren't out a lot of money. Good starter cam or gift for the kids maybe.

You can see videos made with this cam at my youtube in the link below.

Want Coby CAM4000BLK 2.4-Inch TFT LCD SNAPP Swivel Camcorder/Camera (Black) Discount?

OK. This is not a high end camera. It will never be used by CNN! That is OK. This is a good camera for the average home user. It at a bargain price, and it has some great features for the price. If you need a good hand-held video camera and you do not have money to burn, this does the trick. As married seniors on a fixed income budget, this camera fits my own and our needs at a price we can afford!

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