GoVideo DVR4200 DVD-VCR Combo

• Plays DVDs, audio CDs, VHS tapes, and MP3s on CD-R and CD-RW
• Watch a DVD while recording a television program
• Dolby Digital output for easy connection to surround sound systems
• Complete Program Record automatically adjusts tape speed to ensure you record a complete program no matter what tape you use
• Convenient child lock protects the front panel from fingers, toast, and other non-media

The DVD player in this dual deck is OK, on a par with

lower-end budget players. The VCR in this deck is OK, on

a par with lower-end budget VCRs. So far, so fair.

BUT the recorder won't record any DVD that is Macrovision

encoded (which is most of them), so don't expect to use this

as a one stop way to record your DVDs. The DVD player also

doesn't play VCDs or SVCDs. So it has basic functionality,

but little more.

Overall, this is useful for those who want both a DVD

player and a VCR, and who want to save a bit of space. But at

the price you could purchase a better DVD player and a better

VCR separately. So this only makes sense for those who need

to save the space.

David

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My daughter is the *very happy* recipient of this dual deck. She is not exactly an electronics wizard, but she called to say thanks and just bubbled over about how "simple" it was to connect ("really, Dad, I just plugged it in and connected 1 wire and my roommates and I said 'it can't be that simple' but we turned it on and it was like working great"!). She said the remote was "smooth" and the picture quality was "awesome". She also raved about the audio volume the CD player was able to produce and she was "wowed" by its ability to produce this volume cleanly while playing MP3s, ergo becoming, I am informed, the new music center for her dorm room. Anyway, she should remain happy, as GoVideo (& now SONICblue) has been around for quite a while, producing the first dual VCR decks (mostly for copying tapes that were [of course] not copyrighted, such as personal videos) more than a decade ago and since then having greatly expanded their product line, all the while maintaining a pretty good reputation for quality and service and an excellent track record for high value electronics.

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Ordered one USED and quickly realized that the other Amazon reviews were probably written by folks that did the most basic connection you could do (coax in...coax out).

If you have a halfway decent home theatre system and utilize the dedicated DVD and VCR RCA audio outputs using good quality cables (Monster cables or other gold tipped audio cables), the audio is great. Dolby Digital is fantastic and the onboard menu allows you to configure for several different variations.

Easy setup (less than 10 minutes), easy to use, on screen menus are easy to navigate, plays MP3's, great picture, great sound!!

If you want to get an inexpensive unit that will handle DVD and VHS plus also play MP3's (!!!), get one of these!!!

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This product simplifies some of your A/V issues (fewer cables to hook up and one less item to stack in the entertainment center), but wait for a better version to come out from a company that knows what they're doing.

Problems:

DVD playback has digital 'glitches' blackspots and blurs, jumps in dialog.

DVD/CD play has background flutter noise the discs don't spin noiselessly....not great during quiet movies.

CD playback doesn't have much functionality. Play/stop, that's it. No random, continuous play, or other functions you'd expect from a CD player.

$ is cheap, but wait until a better-known company launches a product...

I know it's not the best DVD player on the market but for this price range, you can't go wrong with this unit. I've owned 3 DVD players now (under $$$ and this one has been my favorite. It's simple to hook-up, sounds great with a good A/V receiver, and is very simple to use. Are there better DVD/VHS players out there? Of couse! But in the under $$$ range, this one reigns supreme. The only reason I didn't go with 5 stars is that I feel the instructions are very sparse and a novice may get confused figuring out how to best hook the unit up for best performance. With that said, this unit is as advertised and well worth the price.

Panasonic PV-GS35 MiniDV Camcorder w/30x Optical Zoom

I just got back from my local electronics store which, to my surprise, had the GS35 in stock and on sale. I was very pleased with the ease of use and accuracy of the thumbstick control. Though, the menu button was a bit out of reach for my thumb thus requiring me to use my other hand to push it. The built-in LED lights help shed some light on dark situations, but I noticed an even greater benefit from the increase in gain when the light was switched on. The lens used on this camera is out-of-sight! Not only does it offer high telephoto optical zoom, it offers what few other camcorders out there have: built-in wideangle. The lens is 1.9-57mm which equates roughly to a 35mm equivalent of 35-1040mm. So, go ahead, shoot video indoors and get the whole group in the shot at once!

I was a little worried about purchasing this camera, the reviews on all the sites i checked were all 5 stars (nothing below that) but i'd never used anything other than cannon and minolta. I wont say I know everything about camcorders/cameras but I know enough to know a good one compared to a bad one, and this is a GREAT camcorder/camera. I have only had it about 2 1/2 to 3 weeks, but I've so much videos that turned out crisp and clear, with great sound. I love the light for low light shots, although I dont take many in the dark, it's still a nice feature. I love that you can take video as well as use a memory card to take photos, thats a great option. I Highly recommend this camcorder/camera to anyone who wants a great zoom, with great features....you'll love this camera, I know I do!!!

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I recently purchased this camera due to my husband being deployed, I wanted something inexpensive that I could use as a camera to take still pictures and for a web cam to talk to my husband over seas. This camera can do all that and then some. The LCD is great for taking self portraits and has a bright enough screen that even in the sun light you can still see the picture. Plus it is small enough that I can take it with me were ever I go. This shipping through amazon is great, I live in Alaska and it only took about a week to get it up here. I would give Panasonic and Amazon 10 stars if I could. I would definetly recommend this to anyone looking for a great camera at a low cost.

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Just bought this camcorder a few days ago and so far, I've been very impressed. The low-light capabilities appear very adequate. The ease of transfer to the PC via the DV-Firewire link is excellent. Haven't had a chance to check out many features yet, but easy of use for picking up the camera and shooting a video is great. So far, I think I've made a good choice.

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There have been several reviews on this model camcorder reporting poor quality video, particularly indoors. I have ben using the GS35 for about 3 months and have not found that to be the case. I have taped family events swuch as birthday parties, Christmas, the kids playing, indoors and outside, and some school plays. This camera has proven to be easy to operate, with an exceptional optical zoom, and very good picture quality.

I copy my digital tapes to DVD. I perform this task on a PC sometimes but have found that this devices transfers very nicely onto a component DVD recorder as well. If you use one of these devices, I suggest using an S-Video or Component cable if your unit handles it, as this does a very good job using the supplied RCA cables, but the S-Video will be superior.

This device also has great battery life.

My only complaintthe controls. I realize that to make something this small with so many features, some concessions are necessary, but a few of the features are cumbersome to get to requiring a few steps to enable.

Sony CCDTRV608 Hi8 Camcorder with 3.0" LCD, Video Light & USB Streaming

Hi.

I got this camcorder few days before, and now using it daily almost 5 hours in day. I have listed out some of the Advantasges and problems i face with this new avtar of sony lineup.

1. The quailty of the recorded is very good and i feel happy when i shoot videos inside the house in low light, the lense did a good job.

2 Nightshot feature is also impressive and i have shoot some videos in total darkness and quailty is really good.

3. The battery that comes with the Kit is seems to be OK , if you are not planning to use the LCD while recording. You can also choose the battery with the higher life time.

4. The most welcome feature is the USB straeming of your data by connecting to ur PC. i have brodcast my movie using the yahoo messanger webcam feature and its done very well.

Well now i m sorry to say but this machine has some inbuilt problmes like.

1. If you are planning to capture the recorded video on your computer using the USB and the supplied software named PIXELA, u will be disappointed with the quailty as it was very very bad.

2. The built in light does not seem to have an great extent while working on the low lights.

3. The external Microphone Input is not provided and u have depend on the inbuilt mic.

In last, if you are a new comer and ur requirments are not like gorge lucas , u can easily go for this low budget handycam and enjoy the pleasure of movie making.

I got this camcorder last week to take with us on vacation. Last year we had used a VHS-C camcorder that we borrowed. We enjoyed using it, but we had to get this adapter to play those little tapes in the VCR.

I got this camcorder mostly because it has streaming USB. It is incredible!! Technology sure has changed. The software and driver were easily installed (even on Windows XP!!) and then there was the movie, on my computer!! I could capture stills and then either edit them with the packaged software or export them to Photoshop Elements. It is very easy to use with a ton of features and it even films in the dark!! We went into our bathroom and turned out the lights, turned on "night-shot" and lo and behold we could see in the dark and record!! Also the camcorder just hooks to the VCR so you can play your movies on the TV. It's like have a digital camera and camcorder in one... I am really impressed with this product and am very glad that I got it!!

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1. The Camera is esay to use, simple which makes it great for use at anytime.

2. The Camera is stylish and not at all heavy.

3. For connecting to your PC it's easy and works great.

4. Price is great, not too expensive.

5. Disappointment: The pictures are really pixeled and not at all that clear, even at close distances. Even still shots, aren't that clear. I'm not sure if this is related to the PIXELA program or not. Also I have to import the movie and then the sound which makes it hard to even make a 1 minute movie, then edit the sound into the movie and having it come together in unison.

In conclusion: The one most important thing is missing, a clear picture. This is the reason many of us bought this. To capture the smile, laugh, or action of a loved one.

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This is my first camcorder of any kind. i have used other types, VHS, VHS-C, 8mm, but this is probably the best that i have used. It's easy to learn the basics with and takes really great videos. The USB streaming capability is really easy to use and works great. Pixela seems to pixilate(spelling?) the movies, but it's nothing that really hurts and it's that severe. The NightShot is great, the lamp is really good, and the camera has a few little effects for the pictures. No big complaints except a remote would be nice for playback, and a colored viewfinder. But with a 3" color LCD screen, the chance that someone will use the viewfinder is small. i recomend this camera to anyone who doesn't want to spend a lot on a good quality camera.

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I love it! it is a great quality camera and does alot of stuff. It even hooks up to my computer and lets me do alot of stuff. I can edit videos or copy them off and even stream video like a web cam its great! Works well with WinXP. I bought from Amazon and they got it to me quickly even with the super saver shipping and the lowest price I could find with a free bag who can ask for more!

Canon ZR30MC Digital Camcorder with Built-in Digital Still Mode

As a novice to the camcorder world I was very concerned and confused about the wide range of features and prices available in the market so, unusually for me, I took a little time and did my research.

Boy am I glad I did, and I am especialy pleased with the result. The Canon is perfect and does everything I want. It's easy to use and the results have been extremely good, especially considering that I am really new to all this.

It seems from the reviews I have read that most camcorders with built still photography features lack the quality of purpose built digital cameras, and while this is also true of my Canon, its not really an issue as I have several still cameras in 35mm and digital formats that I like to use.

The quality of the video on the Canon is really very good. I do not have the needs of a serious hobbyist or professional but I still want something that gives good quality and I am very pleased.

I am also very happy with the overall ergonimics of the camera and its ease of use. One of my first outings was a car trip out of NY city and I shot a lot of city shots from the car. The results were very satisfying.

I have only used a few of the special features and have not done any editing yet but on first glance I found the instructions a little confusing but I put that down to my lackof experience.

I really have no negative comments, my only small niggle is the hinge on the little door that covers the DC power seems very flimsy and I sense it may snap one of these days but apart from that the camera is really sturdy

In terms of value, after much research I feel I got a very good product at a fair price. I compared it to Sony and JVC products and felt that I bought a lot of quality and flexibility and saved over 200 dollars over the Sony without losing any features that I needed.

So this has been a very gratifying experience and I look forward to using the camera for a very long time. I strongly recommend it.

I recently purchased a ZR30MC and am thrilled with the output and the design of the Camcorder. I read many reviews on the net on the ZR10 and have heard many complaints about filming in low light conditions. The quality in low light is just fine maybe they fixed the problem with the ZR30mc. I do have a friend who has a Sony TRV20 that handles low light significantly better but it is almost double the price. On outside video I cant imagine the quality being any better.

As for design Canon has a real Gem with this one. It is small and ergonomically designed. The quality of the Still photos leave something to be desired But I have a regular Digital Camera for that purpose.

All in all Canon has made an excellent small Digital Camcorder with a nearly perfect design !!! Would definatley recommend the whole ZR20,25,30 series.

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My original goal in purchasing this camcorder was to record a festival in Russia where I would need a reliable battery between charges, good low light shooting,and plenty of space on tapes so I wouldn't run out.

In my first week of shooting, I tried various scenarios. I interviewed a friend in low light conditions. I was very impressed by the quality of the sound both hers and mine as I was interviewing. The picture quality was good better than I had been led to believe by reading other customer reviews.

I agree with others that the digital zoom is useless. I tried to film deer in a pasture that I could clearly see, but since it was out of range of the analog zoom, all I got was jitters and smeared video. Evidently the image stabilizer does not work above 10 power or with the digital zoom. Wish I had known this before I purchased the camera.

My other complaint was that I never got accurate readings on battery life. So I could never tell when to re-charge. The battery symbol was always empty, even though the camera was clearly full and worked. I assumed that this is a defect in the camera, called Canon Tech support who confirmed this, and am now getting a replacement.Question for other users...Do you remove the battery every time you stop shooting? It does say to do this in the manual. Just asking.

My final goal is to edit digital video and make a movie, saving it on a CD. This is because, as some of you may know, our video ( NTSC) is incompatable with European video standards (PAL). By editing the video and saving it to a CD it should be playable in Russia and elsewhere.

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Great size, excellent video quality and very easy to use. It's nice to not have to haul around a big video camera. This one fits in a coat pocket, a purse, or a back pack and doesn't get in the way. Don't let the small size fool you though! It has a lot of nice features, but keeps it simple...

I'm a satisfied customer!

--Mike from Portland, Oregon

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I must apologize for my previous review of the Canon ZR30. The review was rather negative, but the problem was in my ignorance--not the camera.

I had complained that the recorded picture was too pixelated--That anything with hard edges was represented by over-sized wobbly digital blocks. This temporary problem, I since learned, resides in my iMovie editing software.

iMovie cannot reveal the true quality of the digital footage. It simplifies the images to save processing power for editing. After reading "iMovie: The Missing Manual", I learned that the only way to see the true glory of a digital camcoder's video is to hook it up to a real television using an S-Link connection. By the way, videos edited in iMovie WILL still look great, but only after you dump the project back to the camcoder and then play the resulting DV through a real television. Merely exporting to Quick Time doesn't do it justice.

Well, I finally tried the obvious and connected the ZR30 to my real television (duh?). It was a very pleasant surprise! Gone where the jagged pixels. The picture was very smooth--and I have a large screen to boot.

Probably the main difference between the look of my footage and pro footage is in the lighting. Don't forget, real TV shows are shot under perfectly manufactured lighting conditions. My stuff shot in my house looks like... well... my dark house.

I still find that the ZR30 requires more tweaking than my older Sony TRV did. The Sony was really idiot proof: Hit the red button to record. While the ZR30 does offer automatic modes, I don't feel that they work as well. On the other hand, you can manually adjust many of the parameters and get better results that way.

The image stabling is of the optical variety. It's great because it doesn't interfere with the picture quality. It doesn't respond to bumps quite as quickly as electronic types, though, so some jerking still gets through. Just leave it on and try to be careful.

I'm feeling really happy with my ZR30 now. Sorry if I mislead anybody with the previous review

Sylvania 6260VF 4 Head VCR

• Compact, full-featured 4-head VCR; measures 14.1 x 8 x 3 inches (WxDxH)
• Schedule to record eight programs for up to one year in advance; one-touch recording capability
• Freeze frame, slow motion, and frame by frame advance; auto rewind and repeat
• Easy hook-up of camcorders or video game consoles via front A/V input; also includes RF and A/V input/output connections on back
• Auto rewind and repeat functionality

It still looks brand new and it broke after only a few months. Put a tape in the machine, it plays for a minute, then stops, and the tape pops out. Tried several different tapes, and the same thing happens, so it wasn't the tape. Cheap!!

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I got this thing on closeout for about a Ulysses S. Grant. I got it to replace a rather expensive Sony VCR that gave faithful, quality service under heavy, daily usage for at least 5 years. I tried really hard to hate this thing, or find a reason to return; not. I have to admit that it is fully capable, budget VCR with no untoward habits, so I am forced (reluctantly) to give it top rating.

Issue #1

The menus are hard to set up, the instruction manual only of marginal use, and you will take a lot of trial and error to figure out how to set up the menus. I keep pressing the wrong, doggone button. However, this is not unlike the old Sony, so PAR for this issue.

Issue #2

Lightweight, plastic, cheap, Made-in-China quality. The footprint of this thing on the shelf is barely half of the Sony. It barely weighs more than a bag of movie theater popcorn. So what else is new? PAR.

Issue #3

The instruction manual is pretty sketchy. I am still trying to figure out how to use the program-search feature. However, I have yet to ever see a VCR manual that is complete and easy to understand. PAR.

Issue #4

How long will it last? Judging by the hard, mechanical 'klunk' of the various relays in this VCR, I suspect that it's lifespan is better measured in months rather than years. So what? At the price, I have no problem with just buying another one. Certainly, the 'extended' warranty is a waste of money; when it craps-out, just by another one. BIRDIE.

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This is a very poor vcr. I have only used it a few times and when I put it on "record" it will stop recording halfway thru the program. This also happens when I use the programmable recording. Either way its a piece of junk. I've bought different brands of tapes and it doesn't make any difference. If you are able to record (which has only happened once) the playback is awful. Save your money!!!!!!

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I just purchased this yesterday morning at our local K-Mart, & even though this is definitely not the first VCR that I've ever had to connect, neither the picture nor sound would show up/sound on our TV no matter how much I fiddled with the connecting cable(Our TV is quite old, but not broken....)!

Also, the Fast Forward Button just wouldn't work on a completely re-wound tape(It only started working after I had loosened up the tape by using the Play Button on the tape for a few seconds....); & this thing'd make extremely loud noises whenever I pushed a FF, Rew., or a Stop Button.... I've ended up returning this item within an hr.....

I purchased this item and was very surorised at the speed it was deliveredBUTI connected it and was going to record a program that i really wanted ,as it was the only time it was to be aired. i put a tape in the slot-NOTHINGto make a long story short i contacted the service dept of sylvania and got the address and phone nr, of the closest waranty repair shop-72 miles after a trip there and a wait of three weeks i finally had my recrder back. so check carefully anything you buy on the web

Acumen Disc CD DVD Disc Copier Duplicator System Tower with Sony 24x DVD-burner writer drive

This thing is fabulous.Total no brainer. Put the original in the top drive and the blank in the bottom drive, close the drawers and it begins to copy. Takes about 2 minutes. It was one of the lessor priced units advertised( about $120 I think) and so far has worked flawlessly. Much faster duplication than the computer. Converted all my old VHS to DVD and made copies for several family members. Also made hard copies off several borrowed music C/D's before uploading to ITunes.

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Dane-Elec High Speed 300X 8 GB USB 2.0 Compact Flash Card UDMA DA-CF30-08G-C

My 4 year use of Dane Elec compact flash cards has proven to be my most reliable card brand in my 10 years of digital photography. I have more confidence in Dane Elec than any other brand I have used.

I have purchased Dane-Elec Digital Compact Cards in recent times. They have got to be with the best on the market. They are my look to purchase... Thanks, David Cornwell

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I usually do not write reviews, but since seeing this CF card had such little reviews, I was a bit hesistant as first, but once this card came in the post, I am VERY happy with this card. Works really fast on my Canon 7D.

Pros: 300X speed which is pretty fast

10 Year Warranty!

UDMA

Best cost:speed:size ratio. You will not find a card this fast, this large in memory, with THIS price.

Go for it, you will be glad you did!!!

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it is clearly the difference vs a regular card the speed of this card makes the use of my cam easier.

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New 4gb Usb2.0 Mp3 Wam Music Player with Fm Radio Function Voice Recorder Black

I have not checked everything on this device seems to be ok however the earphone DO NOT WORK! Good thing I had extras laying around the house or I would have thought the device didn't work at all. I even attempted to plug them up on the computer and still didn't work. The earphones are trash and if you buy this be sure to buy another earphones somewhere else.

Toshiba W714 Hi-Fi Stereo VCR

• 4-head hi-fi stereo VCR with front and rear AV inputs
• 19-micron video heads deliver a clearer picture in EP play mode
• V3 chassis with unique flying preamp design gives superior audio and video performance
• Onscreen programming with icons for quick and easy programming
• Auto setup with channel memory , auto clock set

This is a very good VCRs. This is another unit I saw while shopping. Visiting audio and video stores with the kids continues to be a regular weekend pastime with us. This machine replays VHS tapes giving one of the best pictures on the market today. The picture was very good. The color alignment looked good on both the Panasonic Super-flat TV and especially the Sony Wega TV sets. Resolution was excellent. Usually a good TV set makes VHS tapes look bad. That was not the case here. For controls and features I like the jog shuttle on the remote control. It also has digital tracking which is a must-have now days. Front and rear A/V inputs are also a feature that is a must-have these days.

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This is one of the better VCRs on the market this year. It plays back tapes with very good imaging having one of the best pictures around. The 19-micron video heads record and playback a sharper picture in the EP mode. Pre-recorded tapes play back with an excellent picture too. How good a picture looks is what it is all about but it also has automatic head cleaners, superfast rewind, and an auto clock set feature.

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Easy setup and operation. Great picture! I'm amazed at (the value) these days in a VCR. I remember seeing these "high-end" features (jog/shuttle, hi-fi, etc.) 8-10 years ago at 10 times the price. Good job Toshiba, and Amazon!

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I bought this VCR...through Amazon.com....There is not an extended warranty offered. My first mistake. The VCR worked for about 3 weeks. When it worked, it was great. I loved everything about it. All of a sudden no picture, just audio. I went to the Toshiba site and found a repair shop that Toshiba recommends. To make a long story short, this is the 3rd time it's been in the repair shop. They told me they replaced the board. Sounds bad. The repair shop STILL has it from the 3rd trip in March of this year. Now I'm back waiting with Toshiba to get a new VCR. The repair shop tried to pawn a used one off on me. Toshiba was very nice at first, now I'm left hanging by the manufacturer. I have an older Toshiba that still works great. That's why I bought another Toshiba.This VCR was a lemon for me. I read the customer reviews, most weren't good, but I purchased anyways.Even more reason to read the reviews.Save your money and possible headaches on this one folks.

Purchased this unit in Nov 2001. The picture is above average to great, depending on the tape (even on purchased tapes) and the flying amp does make the stills and slow motion a whole lot better.

There is one problem that I have noticed that also affect others who use the linear timing track on the tape. The quality control on some purchased tapes is so poor that this tracking track is too weak for the player to hold track and the picture cuts out very often. An example is the tape with Tommy Lee Jones called U.S.Marshals. It will play on some VCRs but not this unit. Although, other tapes play fine in this machine.

I have noticed that when this tracking problem occurs, playing the tape in Fast Forward does allow you to see the movie (no sound) but the picture is OK.

So I guess you need two VCRs to keep the bases covered.

Overall, it is a good machine.

Samsung YP-E32 Yepp MP3 Player

• 32 MB built-in memory with SmartMedia memory expansion slot
• 7-mode audio equalizer with 3-D audio setting
• 3-line LCD screen
• Records up to 2 hours of voice audio
• Telephone directory stores hundreds of contacts

The YEPP is a good MP3 player (I have the 64MB version). I couldn't get it working on my Windows NT notebook, but on my Win 98SE machine the install was a breeze. The magnesium case is nice, and the voice recording feature is quite handy. Sound quality is good, but not great. The player can play at a decent volume.

Some things to consider before purchasing (I'm comparing this to a friend's RIO 500):

-the headphones that come with the YEPP are absolutely terrible. Then again, the RIO's headphones bite as well.

-the parallel port transfer isn't very fast (~140 kb/s .. about 7 minutes for the entire 64 MB). Compare that to a USB RIO which takes about 2 minutes to transfer 64 MB.

-the 3 line LCD screen is not backlighted and in MP3 mode one line is wasted by displaying the EQ setting (I'd rather see the line used for information about the MP3). The RIO's screen is much nicer. Granted, I don't look at the screen that much.

-the YEPP uses 2 AAA batteries, versus the RIO's single AA battery. If you plan to use Alkalines, the RIO will end up costing you alot less (2 AAA batteries aren't cheap .. especially with a battery life of ~6 hours).

If you can live with the drawbacks, this is a very good MP3 player. It can do voice recording, and is quite a bit cheaper than the RIO. Skip the 32MB version and head right for 64MB.

Did I mention that MP3s and these MP3 players are awesome?

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I first heard about MP3 players a while ago, and thought they seemed like a fairly cool idea but wouldn't have considered buying one (impoverished student, the usual... :), although I have about a hundred MP3 files of varying quality on my HD. However, I won a Yepp in a competition about a week ago and I am hugely impressed! I can't be too objective as I hadn't surveyed the market beforehand, but I am very pleased with the Samsung. The gadget itself is tiny, sparkly and pleasantly understated, and the sound from it is brilliant: very low background noise, accurate reproduction of the file's quality (it plays files with a variety of conversion rates) and 7 different preset EQs (of which, to be honest, I have only used "normal" and "rock", although it has 3-D sound capabilities). My biggest complaint would be with the earphones that came with it, which were pants, but once these had been replaced with a pair of my own I could better appreciate the player. It is very small, very shockproof and sounds great, as well as having a large amount of that mystical "gadget value" I'd definitely recommend it.

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I bought the 64MB version of the Samsung Yepp. Why did I choose Samsung over the others? Well, I crossed the RIO 500 off my list early on because it lacks the voice recording capabilities of virtually every other mp3 player in the market. Sure, not essential, and USB connectivity might be more useful than a voice recorder, but hey, the Yepp is supposed to have a USB cable in the pipeline.

So why the Yepp and not the Nomad or RaveMP? Well, the Nomad has a FM tuner, but it's not upgradeable important since 32MBFlash cards are probably going to be dirt cheap in a year or two. And the RaveMP has an ugly design in my humble opinion.

So what did I think of the YEPP when I got it? It's a great wee player. Loud enough for even the soft music I listen to, VERY compact unit with a good belt clip (Which the RIO and the Nomad lack). Battery life was less than expected, it's more like 6-8 hours. Button interface is very logical and easy to use, I like the erase on the fly button, allowing you to free up memory for voice recording while "on the road". Sound quality was excellent, and as expected. However, the headphones really suck, hardly a revelation.

If I liked the player so much, why did I just give it 4 stars? Well, my player SKIPPED like crazy sometimes several times during a track. I'm quite sure it is a flash memory problem because it skips in the same places each time you play it, and in the same way. I've just sent my unit back for replacement, and hope the flash memory problem is not a common one. I've looked around for reviews from people with the same problem without much luck, so I felt compelled to warn everyone to check that their unit doesn't skip Samsung emailed me to say that the problem I described pointed to a defective unit.

In the end, I can't be too harsh, because I quickly fell in love with my YEPP, and would highly recommend it above others on the market. The Rio is good if out of the box USB is vital to you, but you should seriously consider the YEPP for it's additional features over the Rio. Just be careful with flash memory problems.

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To begin with, when I fist bought this little player, there was no review on it, so I was a little bit scared to buy it. But I did it, and I didn't regret. It has an easy to use software if your computer supports ECP mode. The good thing is you can run software on NT (My friend has an eiger lab mp3 player and its software does not run on NT, so everytime he wants to copy mp3s to his player, he needs to switch his OS) One of the best things about YEPP is you can record sound for about 2 hrs. The energy consumption is good, I am using my player extensively since last week and its battery is 2/3 now, but keep in mind that it uses 2 AAA battery. You can also store your telephone entries in your mp3 player but I believe that mp3 player is not the right tool to do such a thing (I'd prefer a palm). The worst thing about YEPP is its earphones without discussion, so if you plan to buy a YEPP player, add an additional earphone cost onto it for a realistic cost analysis. In summary: Pros: EQ modes, sound recording, design, low battery consumption, easy to use software (also works on NT), low cost/benefit ratio Cons: Low Quality Earphones, the navigation button makes sound

I've been using cd players for a while, but since i'm fairly athletic, i was constantly annoyed by skipping! (even though my discman was an esp2) I was also frusterated cuz I had to carry around like 10 cd's wherever I went just to get my favorite songs. I considered buying a cd recorder, but those usually run steep, and you have to wait like an hour to burn one cd. So, while browsing on amazon, I found the Yepp. It's the coolest, lightest, best-sounding player I've ever used! Songs are free, and if you encode your cd's at 56kbps, you can fit up to 80 minutes of music on it. People say it'll sound cruddy, but really, it doesn't. The voice recording feature is also really cool, as is the phone directory. The +'s: lightweight, super small, NEVER skips, sounds great, lots of features, easy to use software, big LCD display-the list goes on. The -'s: no mac adapter(yet:), needs to ship with a better manual. Overall, this is the best MP3 player I've seen on the internet for what you pay. Definitly worth the money! Don't waste your bucks on a mini disc!

Olympus VN-5200PC Digital Voice Recorder

Update 7/17/2009: Olympus has just introduced its new Olympus VN-6200PC Digital Voice Recorder. The VN-6200PC is identical to the VN-5200PC in function and features, but now has twice the memory, 1 GB, for the same suggested list price as the VN-5200PC. My VN-5200PC is great, but the VN-6200PC should be even better!

If you need a quality, low-cost, monaural digital voice recorder that easily records and transfers Windows Media Audio (WMA) files fast via a USB 2.0 connection to your PC without any extra software, the Olympus VN-5200PC is a great choice. It outperforms the popular Olympus VN-4100PC Digital Voice Recorder in nearly every way...more storage, longer recording time, longer battery life, more folders and files, greater frequency response, greater output level. Over 221 hours in LP record mode, and you still get over 35 hours in HQ mode...that's 200-13,000 Hz range, good enough to hum or strum your spur of the moment musical inspirations if you are into songwriting. It also has variable voice activation and a dynamic display of audio recording level. About the only feature the VN-4100PC has which the VN-5200PC doesn't is timer recording and playback if you really need it.

It does take a couple of readings of the instructions and a little practice to familiarize yourself with operating the VN-5200PC, but once you get the hang of it, it's really easy and intuitive to use. There are 5 folders, each able to hold up to 200 files. Every time you start and stop a recording, a new file is automatically created. The files and folders are easily transferred to your PC via the USB connection. Just plug in to your PC, and your VN-5200PC automatically looks just like any disc drive or storage device on your PC with a Windows directory displaying the files and folders. Just "select all" and move or copy the files to a disc drive to save the files in one operation. Playing the files just involves clicking on the audio file icons, and Windows Media Player pops up and goes to work. You can easily play all of the files in a folder in sequence with just one click on a Windows playing option that automatically creates a playlist of all the files. The files can easily be renamed both on the disc drive and on the VN-5200PC. They can be any name you choose. They don't have to have any specific format. Any file of any type with any name (text files, PDF files, etc.) can also be copied to and stored on the VN-5200PC. However, for an audio file to play on the VN-5200PC, it must be a WMA file and it must be copied or moved into one of the five specific audio folders on the VN-5200PC.

The Olympus VN-5200PC has no editing features. You can easily place and remove index markers to quickly return to specific file locations in playback mode, but any file editing must be done on the computer. While Windows Media Player allows you to select and sequence the files via a playlist, you will need to purchase separate software if you wish to edit or combine the files or convert them to other audio file formats such as MP3 or WAV.

One annoying feature of the VN-5200PC is that the earphone jack is monaural and, without an adapter, not compatible with the stereo headphones everybody has for their iPods or their old Walkman players. That's just plain stupid on the part of Olympus. Even my old mono GE microcassette recorder has a stereo earphone jack. A 1/8" stereo jack to 1/8" mono plug adapter can be bought at Radio Shack for $2.99 to solve the problem, a cost and inconvenience that should not be necessary. Another gripe is that the USB cable provided by Olympus with the VN-5200PC is only 6 inches long. This is okay for a laptop computer, but a USB extension cable may be necessary for your desktop computer. Target sells the 6 ft. Belkin USB Extension Cable (A-A) for $7.99. A type-A plug to 5-pin mini-plug USB cable can also be used.

In short, the Olympus VN-5200PC is for notes, meetings, lectures, dictation, emailing audio messages, and even songwriting. Its features are basic, price is modest, and the value is good. If you are into live music and MP3, news interviews, need stereo and fancy features, then go for the higher-priced Olympus digital recorders.

NOTE: Free, full-feature (not a "demo" copy), open-source software downloads to edit and convert audio files are available. SUPER© from erightsoft works on Windows platforms and will convert just about any audio file format to any other audio format. Audacity from Sourceforge is a full-featured audio file editor that works on Windows and Mac. Audacity is not licensed to directly import and convert WMA files, so it makes use of 3rd party software for WMA conversion. With Audacity 1.2, SUPER© or iTunes can be used to first convert WMA files to a format Audacity can accept, such as WAV. Audacity 1.3, a beta-test version, makes use of a free, separately downloaded ffmpeg import/export library to seamlessly import, export, and convert WMA files. (Currently, for use on the Mac, the ffmpeg library source code must first be converted to binary code... a job for "Mac-techies" only!)

I first owned the VN3100, then went to the VN4100PC, both of which were very decent units. When I saw the VN5200PC with a large memory and slightly better feature set I thought, this is the one for me! Well, I was wrong, regardless of the room size the voices that are picked up by the built in mic are always soft or muffled, sometimes inaudible. You need to be within a couple of feet of the unit to get any decent definition of sound. Perhaps mine in a lemon, I haven't checked on that possibility, but regardless it is truly disappointing. On the bright side I purchased an ME52W Olympus external mic for the unit and now voices boom on playback regardless of room size. I'm referring to conference room sized rooms, not auditoriums. It would have been nice if the unit would function properly without an additional external mic.

One more peeve is the lack of organizer program for your PC. The VN4200PC came with a very basic, but very useful program that allowed you to sort and file recordings on your PC. The VN5200PC does not. The best you can do is dump the files on disc and then use some other program to figure out how to arrange and file the recordings. So far this has been a tedious and annoying process.

In short, this unit would have been great if only two points had been given some thought. 1) A useful built-in mic, 2) Simply update the VN4200PC file organizer for the VN5200PC. As it stands it's not worth the trouble or price.

Buy Olympus VN-5200PC Digital Voice Recorder Now

I am a physician and bought this recorder to dictate patient charts. The recorder is easy to use with a user friendly screen. Also if you are recording something where you do not have to stop the recorder at any time and continue in the same file then this is for you. However, what they do not tell you that if you are dictating or recording yourself and you are 10 minutes into your recording and then want to rewind one minute and record over a the previous minute, you can not do it. There is no way to pause a recording, rewind and then record in the same file. The machine will start a new file. Even the old tape recorders allow you to rewind if you make a mistake or want to go back some and continue recording in the same file. So I'm giving this and all recorders that don't have this function a poor score as they deserve.

Read Best Reviews of Olympus VN-5200PC Digital Voice Recorder Here

I purchased this digital voice recorder to replace an old cassette recorder used to record monthly Academic Senate meetings here at a Calif. University. The recording quality is as good or better than the cassette tape, it's MUCH easier to use (no waiting for rewind or fast forward to find a specific spot in the meeting), the recording of each meeting is easily transferred onto a computer via a USB connection and from there it is simple to distribute to the appropriate people and the recorder will hold more than one year's worth of meetings. A very good product that I can highly recommend.

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I bought this recorder to replace a sony recorder that I had lost. I definitely like this one better. The other recorder would stay on and use up all my batteries if I forgot to put it on hold, this one actually turned itself off! I was really excited when I saw it do that.

I think another reviewer complained that when you move the files to your computer the files names are too confusing. I found that if you just use each of the folders for a different class, it's pretty obvious what the files are the file created on april 15th at 9am in folder A is law class on april 15th at 9am. Just move the entire folder to your computer instead of individual files. Or keep track of what folder you are moving the file from put the recorderings from folder A into a law class folder on your computer. Its also really easy to just rename the file once it's on your computer.

I have windows vista 64 OS and the recorder works great with it, I've never had a problem and I did not need to install anything for it to work.

The recorder is super easy to use, I've never even bothered to read the manual. This recorder is great because you can just press the folder button to scroll through the folders. My last recorder required me to go through 10 menu options to do that, plus it make a superloud beeping sound every time you pressed a button so at the beginning of every class my neighbors were giving me dirty looks!

I definitely recommend this recorder for students who need to record their classes!

USS808 8 CH Security Surveillance PC PCI DVR Card, Real Time 240FPS Software Included

Where to start

I have experience with many cards and this one is total junk

The image quality of the card, not the camera, is very bad. I highly doubt it is any higher than cf or 320 so if you want detail you will be very disappointed.

The software is even more rediculous. Motion sense area says multiple motion areas, not true, one per camera.

Playback does not indicate the type of record mode on the timeline so finding motion events is impossible

In live mode there is no indicator of what type of record mode the camera is in

I could go on and on and on but I hope you get the picture.

If you want a real cheap low res starter card that needs Very specific pc requirements, which I followed to the letter, and you can get itbfor under 40 dollars then it is what you pay for.

Otherwise run away very fast!

I will be throwing this on in the garbage as I would not give tis away.

Honestly.

If you are looking for a pretty simple card that will do the trick and give you good service this is a good choice. If you have any PTZ cameras don't waste your money. After attempts to get a Pelco-D PTZ running I have had no success. Trying to contact this company is impossible. They are more than happy to sell you the product but clearly they have no intention of supporting the software packaged with DVR. After weeks of emails and phone calls to the number listed on their website not a single reply from anyone. BTW I am running there 8.4 version of software.

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Why do sellers get the chance to sell garbage like this is beyond me I just received it yesterday 9/28/2011 installed it today software drivers will not install, and it does not recognize my cameras. I guess its going back another item sent back to Amazon maybe they should think about Q.C. with regards to the products they allow to be sold via their site sure would save the customer allot of time and money and might even keep the customer happy I think those days are gone.

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When I read the specs and requirements in the ad, NOTHING was said about the fact it will not work under an AMD CPU! The ONLY place that information is presented is half way into the on-disk user manual. Of course, it would cost me the postage both ways to return it; so I'm stuck with YET ANOTHER $100 piece of electronics I cannot use!

One more such purchase and I will DELETE MY AMAZON ACCOUNT!!! and buy everything locally.

Unless your system has the following, it will not work:

Intel CPU

(mandatory, not optional; it doesn't run better on Intel... it won't work with anything else)

Windows 7 32bit version

(we have ways to make you upgrade; but NOT to 64bit, which remains mostly unsupported by most companies)

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As far as the dvr recording it works fine. However the software appears to be corrupted or incomplete. In the configuration on the time shows you can only go to 20:00. The settings in the video motoin detection box doesnt coencide with the pointer of the mouse. Setting up the ip cameras the bottom of the screen is for the labeling is just a sliver so that is pretty useless. And of course the help button on all of the setting screens is cut off at the edges.

Viewing the cameras remotely works ok with internet explorer but i was hoping to get app that works with the smart phone, no such luck yet

M-Audio Micro Track II

This is a great unit for what it is. The recording quality is amazing with the right microphone(s) and the true 48 volt phantom power makes every microphone a viable option. Even the included t-mic sounded fair to good when recording in high resoulution (WAV / 24 / 44.1 or higher).

What I like Ease of use. One touch recording is a snap and navigation the file is easy once you get used to it. It ain't no iPod. It's small, light, built well and has a low learning curve. Additionally, one of the BEST features that this unit has is the analog limiter. A loud peak in your audio source will cause distortion but the limiter corrects it before it even gets to the DAC. This is a huge plus for recording live music. The 1/4 inch input makes connecting to a mixer or a condenser mic a breeze. One warning though.. it should be a balanced 1/4 inch (TRS) connector. Don't use and unbalanced input for 2 main reasons. 1. it will not pass phantom power to the condenser mic, and 2. it will be a bit noisy for signals such as an instrument or other unbalanced inputs.

What I don't like It ships without memory so you'll have to buy your own. I bought mine at the big guitar store and a 512MB card cost me 40 bucks! I have since found it online for a MUCH better price so memory is not that big of a deal but would it hurt them to throw a small card in the box? There is no stand for the unit as well so you're gonna have to be careful where you place it for your recording. You also can't change the battery so when it dies, you have to send it in.

All in all, I compared it to the Edirol, the Zoom, and another smaller Yamaha unit and this is hands down the best of the lot. The Edirol was a close second because of the remote. The sound quality is about the same.

Good Luck!

I've recorded for years. Mostly live jazz or piano at home. As background I still have Revox open reels and larger digital recorders. I tested this mike in several settings using the included mike and a pair of Shure SM81s powered by the Microtrack IIs phantom power.

Recordings were made at 16 bit 44.1 and 24 bit 96K. Bottom line is the recorder has a very natural analog type sound. The mid range is full bodied and the recording is liquid sounding and rich in acoustic information regarding placement and room ambience. What I mean is the recorder has the resolving power and quality of electronics to capture suble detail.

Some other units I've tested are a bit drier in sound.

This unit is simply superb if your focus is sound instead of features. The phantom power drove the SM81s well and the noise floor was reasonable.

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This small "miracle" really does the job. I'm a singer for more than 50 years, and it's the first time that I have very clear digital recordings.

Very easy to handle. M-Audio MicroTrack 2 is really the solution for my recording problems.

The sound is studio quality.

GREAT! THANK YOU!

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This is one nifty little device. Sound quality is great.

HOWEVER, M-Audio may be misleading consumers. You cannot just connect the MicroTrack II to any audio equipment at home. Microphones are never a problem, but for other uses, it's best to connect the MicroTrack II to what is known as a *balanced* output. Normally, consumer equipment such as CD players have UNbalanced outputs, the usual RCA phono connectors that consist of only two conductors per channel (i.e. there is the left and right channel for stereo). There are technical problems connecting these to the MicroTrack II, and sound quality may be impaired or even worse: you may DAMAGE your equipment.

M-Audio is being irresponsible, and in their knowledge base recommends users to just connect unbalanced sources to the 1/8" input jack. There is a 5V microphone power on this jack, that CANNOT be turned off! I confirmed this by measuring the voltage, on a new MicroTrack II bought in March 2009. So beware that in the worst case you will damage your equipment's output stage.

For those who know what they're doing, the MicroTrack II is a greatly recommended digital recorder for its price.

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This unit is extremely unpredictable.

When it works, it works well and is a great portable recorder.

Most units lack a digital input which I think is a critical component for the application i use it for.

However I have had several instances where the unit stops recording for no reason when it should be recording.

I'll start a recording, put the hold button on, it will be recording fine then out of the blue it just stops the recording.

It does not happen all the time but it is a big problem when it does happen as i'm taping a live performance.

M-Audio technical support is clueless.

VideoSecu 4 of Outdoor Built-in Sony CCD Bullet Security Cameras Weatherproof 3.6mm Wide View Angle

I love this camera, and it was a great deal at just $59.99 which included a 100 foot power/video cable and BNC to RCA connectors, everything needed to get started. Picture quality is better than I expected, I am very satisfied. I would recommend this set up for anyone, especially for the beginner, it is the easiest set up possible.

Mike F.

in Florida

VideoSecu Indoor Outdoor Bullet Security Camera Built-in Sony CCD Weatherproof 3.6mm Wide View Angle Lens Camera for CCTV DVR Home Surveillance System 1CNIf a surveillance camera does not have the resolution required to easily ID the perp then why buy it? Is the picture on this camera clear enough to ID the perp? And, what is the maximum distance that still allows easy ID? To be fair, I do not have this camera, so this is not a comment but a question!

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Avermedia ULTRATV USB 300 TV Tuner (MULTRAU30)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1 star is to much.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Z

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

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

SanDisk 32 MB CompactFlash Card

At 1024 x 768 resolution, this memory card holds 200-390 images on my Polaroid PDC-700 camera (that's like 8-16 rolls of film). The price and capacity are just right for weekend trips or special events. **Go crazy** and take pictures of anything and everything that catches your eye!

I took 89 pictures in 5 hours at my company's "Relay for Life" event on Friday, and really enjoyed not having to "budget" my photos or worry about running out of film. The image quality was excellent, and downloading was quick & easy with a digital film reader.

I'm planning a 2-week trip to Spain this fall, and am considering an additional 32MB SanDisk memory card just in case I get **Too Crazy**. Does anyone know if they make a storage case for spare memory cards?

I have a 32 MB Sandisk Compact Flash card for my Nikon Coolpix 950, a 2-megapixel digital cam. This card will allow you to record about 50 pictures at the standard (640x480) resolution, so if you find you're not a 'power user' of your camera, it should be plenty and the dollars-to-megabyte ratio is right!

However, if you regularly shoot at higher resolutions such as 1600x1200 (i.e. 8" x 10" photo quality), you won't be able to fit 20 photos on this card. In that event, you might want to think about going for their 96MB card (also available from Amazon!)

With this size card you might also want to think about going for Sandisk's inexpensive USB card reader it's up to 50x as fast and a lot less hassle than hooking the camera up to the computer!

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When I purchased my digital camera (Kodak DC280) I included one of these for extra space. The card works properly and was at a good price. What else can you ask for?

Not much, unless you find that you sometimes take lots of photos. I guess that includes me. In which case you'll wish that you purchased a larger card. I bought the Viking 128mb card, and now feel completely prepared with the combined cards providing enourmous storage. Unless you are going to be away for an extended period, I can't imagine needing more space.

The bottom line is that this card works, but you need to really consider what your storage requirements will be so you can select the right size.

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I didn't realize that there are large differences between brands of CompactFlash cards until I purchased (thinking that I was saving money) an inferior, "no name" brand. The generic card literally fell apart on me.

After making that mistake, I researched through the tech boards and unequivically, the SanDisk and the Viking disks received the best reviews and the highest ratings.

I chose the SanDisk brand because its price was better than the Viking's without foregoing the quality as I had done previously.

This is a great buy at the current, discounted price. Take advantage of it while the sale price is still available!

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The most common application for this type of memory card is a digital camera, but these can also be used with a number of electronic devices, including the HP Jordana, and even your laptop computer with a PC Card adapter. You can store any type of data on the cartridge, and they can be quickly changed between devices. I have never had a problem with any of my SanDisk Compact Flash Cards.

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Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom

I got this camera today, I wanted to get HG10 as it is cheaper, but I went with this one as it has higher Hard Disk capacity with small price difference.

The first test video taken was indoors and with low light, I noticed lot of dots in the frame, however, after setting the AWB to indoor and exposure to low light, the video looked much better, then I tried the sport setting with 24p and the video was impressive!! I hooked the camera to my 40" HD LCD TV, and the colors and sharpness are breathtaking!!

One tip is to use the P (Programmed AE) setting with different selections of White Balance, the LCD screen is clear enough to make a quick decision on the fly to pick the best selection, I used 3 different settings walking in day light, then on a shady area, then inside a shop.

One thing to note that the battery works only 2 hours, Canon offers better battery with 4 hours duration priced around $100.

You also need to read the pros and cons of the video codec, there are lot of information on the Canon HG10 reviews, and very useful. In general the higher the frame bit rate and resolution, the longer it will take to process and edit the video and much longer to burn it on DVD or BluRay.

I actually found out that Google's Picasa 3 application (free download) can open the videos recorded by the camera, this tool can export any clip (or portion of it) to wmv format, once the file is exported, you can use any video editor like Microsoft Movie Maker to compress the file or change it to DivX format, etc.

Great camera. The biggest flaw is not the 60 gb drive which is bigger than you will ever need, or the menu interface which is easy, intuitive and user friendly, the biggest flaw is the lack of the view finder on this camera. Big deal you say, its got a modern screen instead of a view finder, but that modern screen in really bright sunlight kinda washes out (like all those screens do) and might lead you to adjust the settings or force you to trust your autoexposure when you are taking those priceless outdoor shots. The hg 21 has the eye piece viewfinder which is a reliable indicator of what you are shooting in those conditions, but for the extra 300 USDs it's hard to justify. The AF is super in this camera, no distiguishable periods "out of focus" as you rapidly zoom in and out. Also the head set or yellow AV jack, is a must have. Ever record tons of footage and find out the only thing you can hear is the wind buffetting your microphone? Record wearing regular ipod type headphones and you don't have to review the footage to find out if you have the shot. Don't get a camcorder without that or the mic input which this camera has. Terrific simultaneous video record and still photo to the regular full size SD card, cool, works great. Requires class 4 SD card, the speedy type. I think the HG21 with the 120 gb has tons of storage, but it's overkill and takes longer to do a full hard drive clean than the 60gb hg20, but both have a quick clean function for the hard drive. Finally don't expect much from the packaged software if you really want to edit. Corel has pro x2 which works great for avchd. Last thing is the battery. It charges when the camera is pugged in and it works great. I was made to believe that this camera is useless without an external charger and tons of extra batteries, which is not true, 95 min is good. Or just stay plugged to the wall. As a guy who typically struggles with technology, I hope all my "research" helps some one else and as the owner of the hg20 this camera delivers and is simple for anyone to use.

Buy Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom Now

The HG20 is great. Super Picture. Sound is ok. The HDD makes some noise. SW runs on older PC with 1 GIG Ram and 2.5 GIG Pent. But its right at the edge. Could use a Video Light. Cost goes up and down on this model a good bit. Computer HDD space to edit and store will need to be high. Mini HDMI cable is a must for HD sets. Did a test with A HD tv, by recording the TV. Its interesting. Have not tired yet with a IR light source. When the Cam is off, the Lense protector shakes a little. Battery is min. Will get High cap battery for trips. Lots of Warnings on Care for this unit. But at a good price, this unit have a lot of value. The HF10 and HF100 are good buys also. the HF11 is much more. The HG21 is much more, but has some added features of a view finder. Camrea Mode take Point and Shoot Pictures will. But you have to be still. Lots of manual controls. The Menu system takes a little getting used if you are use to the old canon MiniDV. Wanted to wait a little more, but the old canon ZR45MC is past 6 years. But it analog pass thru. I may use that or a Dazzle unit to put video for family and the web instead of trying to convert the MT2S files. With the video files as big as they are, having a Laptop will not be good with the unit or any HD machine.

Again wanted to wait, but old camera was looking pale on HD TV.

Good Things:

60BG harddrive, LP and SP still good for video.

Optics are great. 12X. Attachments.

Easy Button

Connections (HDMI, USB, Analog outputs), Mic in, Head Phones,

Lots of things to add on with Canon (battery, Optics)

Card Slot option

Auto Lense Cap.

Bad things,

Joy Stick control on view finder.

Heavier than Full Flash based unit.

Some Rattles (Not in function mode, just in off mode with Lenses Protector.)

Not much Software or Hardware to edit with. (Vista Requirements seem twice that of XP).

Things to consider:

Add Battery Pack (One big one, or 2 small ones).

Tripod

Optics (Filters, Wide Angle, Telephoto)

Video Light for low light.

Quad Core, 6 MB Ram, 1 TB HDD computer for editing video.

Read Best Reviews of Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom Here

My wife and I were looking for something to replace our aging DV camcorder, and decided to step up to HD.

Since we've been happy with our Canon Digital Rebel XSi SLR, and the XTi before it, Canon seemed the logical choice.

The biggest obstacle in choosing a new camera was deciding between the HG20 and the Canon VIXIA HF10. After a ton of research, we found that the HG20 and HG10 are basically the same camera. The HG20 has a 60GB hard drive, the HG10 has 16MB flash. Beyond that, the optics and Digic processors are the same (though the HG20 is capable of recording at a higher bitrate, due to the hard drive).

Since the HG20 gives you the option of writing to SDHC cards, it seemed a better value.

We've had the camera for just over a week now, and the image quality is generally outstanding. In low light, the HG20 produces an acceptable picture, though it is a bit grainy and "digital" looking. With adequate light though, the picture is outstanding.

The image stabilization works better than expected, especially when you're zoomed in, but keep in mind that this is the primary reason it's there. If you have jittery hands and aren't giving some thought to what you're shooting, you're still going to produce movies that look like they came from any old camcorder.

Taking still pictures is reasonably easy, and the camera's ability to focus and take a decent photo at full zoom is incredible. However, if you have a digital camera that's less than three years old, it's probably going to take better pictures. This is definitely a "nice to have" feature, but you shouldn't go in to this expecting it to replace a point-and-shoot digital camera.

If you're familiar with Canon Digital Rebel, PowerShot, or Elph cameras, the menus on the HG20 will make perfect sense to you. All of the settings are where you'd expect them to be. And if you're not familiar with other Canon products, learning the menu system is quite easy.

Now, some caveats...

Right off the bat, editing AVCHD video is going to pound on your computer. If you're using a Mac, a current-generation MacBook Pro is probably the minimum you'd want to use for any sort of editing. On the bright side, iMovie 08 (and 09) will see this camera and do its thing without any hiccups. But actually getting a full-res movie from the camera to your computer is only marginally faster than DV (to those who may be confused: it takes about as long to import the video as it does to play it).

The next issue -which is true for so many Canon products -the Genuine Canon accessories are ridiculously expensive. Unlike their digital cameras to date, a third party battery isn't going to work 100% properly in the HG20. So if you're not prepared to deal with not knowing the "real" charge on your battery, plan on spending more for a battery. The included battery claims to get about 108 minutes on a full charge. Step up to the Canon BP-819 Lithium Ion Battery Pack, and you'll get in the high 200's without having a massive battery pack jutting out of the back of the camcorder.

On a similar tangent, a big irritation for me is that you have to connect the camera to wall power to import video to your computer. If you're planning on going on the road with your camera and laptop, you might want to look at a power inverter for your car. Otherwise, you're not dumping video until you get home (or somewhere with an outlet).

That said, there are some universal accessories you can pick up without breaking the bank. I own these all, and can confirm that they work just fine with the HG20:

Tripp Lite Mini-HDMI to HDMI Cable (6 feet)

Lowepro Edit 140 (Note: this bag is just about perfect for the HG20's size, and can hold all of the included accessories, as well as an HDMI cable and two filters)

Sunpak CF-7026 UV 37mm Ultra-Violet Filter

Sunpak CF-7051 CP Circular Polarized Filters 37mm

Now that the 2009 models are out, you can pick the HG20 up for an excellent price. Considering the features and picture quality, the camera is a great value. And as long as you go in to it knowing you're going to need to spend some more money for accessories (or computer upgrades, video editing software, etc.) you won't be disappointed.

Want Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom Discount?

This camera was on sale for $300.00 off MSRP at a local chain Amazon.com had it even cheaper, but I was in an unusual hurry to tape my son's event that evening. I wasn't looking for an HD quality recorder, but for the price, I couldn't really pass it up!

This thing has an "Easy" button, which meant I didn't need to read the manual before heading out. I packed up my tripod and set up my camera within a few hours I used the power cord.

The camera performed very nicely, auto adjusting for lighting condition and color, with the "Easy" button turned on. If you have ever video-taped in a gymnasium, you know how not-wonderful that light can be.

The next morning I installed the included software to convert the AVCHD format to AVI for editing in Pinnacle Studio 12, Ultimate. While I had a lot to learn about the editing software, the camera software transferred the file very simply [I had read terrible reviews of it, but seems to work well.]

My final movie was proof that the camera adjusted well for lighting conditions, and that the stabilization and auto focus worked nicely. I don't think one could go wrong with this camera it seems to be a lot of bang for the buck. I can't wait to get into the advanced, priority modes, and other features.

Caveats??? Of course you knew there'd be something I'd only given four stars!

1 Small battery, but detailed battery meter. You will need to get a back-up. A high-capacity battery is available;

2 Battery only charges on the camera no separate battery charger;

3 No on-camera view-finder. For that you need the HG21, and a few more $$$.

4 Only 12x optical zoom. BUT... I normally won't use digital zoom, but I needed it to get in close enough my son was across the gymnasium. The digital artifacts were not distracting it did a very nice job. ALSO, note that a telephoto extender, and a wide angle adapter, are both available if you need this capacity.

So far, that's all I've got. I thought I had some "buyer's remorse" at first, but when I saw the output, that went out the window. Thank for reading I hope this helps.

REVISITED 05/10/2009:

So... That was a very encouraging review, wasn't it? Well, sorry to disappoint... I took the Vixia HG20 back... it even cost me a restocking fee to return it. "But why?" you ask... Go ahead, ask...

Although this camera made phenomenal videos, and was lightweight and very easy to use, and had great features, the most important factor for me was edited output. I don't think it is this camera's fault. From my research I have discovered that this AVCHD video format is simply not yet supported efficiently by the major editing packages. I have tried several, including Ulead, Pinnacle, Microsoft, etc... This format is unusable. I've even downloaded conversion software to create MP4, AVI, MPG, and other file formats. The AVCHD file is way too compressed, and this causes problems.

Don't get me wrong. For straight-out-of-the-camera use, I don't think you can find a better deal. Personally, I'm going to find a good digital tape recording unit getting harder to find these days, and I'll just suffer through the download times prior to editing. This will give me an uncompressed file, and a cheap media for backing up the original recordings.

I hope this helps. Please don't take my word for it; research AVCHD and see what the rest of the world says.

Thanks.

Apex AD-1500 DVD Player

• Composite- and S-video outputs for use with standard (yellow RCA) and S-video-equipped televisions)
• Supports DVD, SVCD, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3 formats
• Compatible with NTSC and PAL televisions and discs (as long as the discs are Region 1)
• Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 surround sound (through coaxial digital-audio output)
• Parental control lets you restrict viewing on discs of your choice

I just purchased this player as a first time DVD user, and I am more than pleased. The picture is perfect and the sound is amazing. For those who said that the video didn't play well, I am wondering if they tried hooking it in through a VCR, as that will mess up the picture (either no picture, or a picture that fades in and out). THIS IS EASILY REMEDIED.

If you have an older TV, one with only a cable input and no video input jacks, you have to buy an RF Modulator (which the directions could have more clearly explained in my opinion), for about $30 at any (local store), in order to properly split the connection. This allows me full function of my two VCRs and my cable box along with the DVD player.

The machine is easy to hook up, is lightweight and attractive, and works very well. The directions are a little unclear, but it is a great "starter" machine, especially for the money.

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I bought a few of these units a month ago and NONE of them worked from the start. Some would continuously close and open the DVD tray when plugged in asking for a disc; the rest would not even open the tray all you could hear was constant clicking until they were unplugged. I got tired of going back and forth exchanging the unit. Besides, the guys at CC told me that most of the AD-1500 players come back to them sooner or later.

It is such a waste to produce something that no one at the factory has time to power up and check. It would not take more than 15 seconds to do, save shipping costs across the world, and maybe it would even get them a few loyal customers in the long-run.

I would be very reluctant to buy an Apex DVD now no matter what advanced or other great `hackable' features it might offer on paper. This unit sounds too good to be true, so when you buy it, make sure the store is close by, so you can easily return or exchange it...

Read Best Reviews of Apex AD-1500 DVD Player Here

You would have to triple your cost to get all of the features packed into this bad-boy. It plays DVD's, VCD's, MP3's, CD's, CD-R & CD-RW's, just about anything you stick in. It even has the zoom feature.

I'll admit that when I purchased this player with a (low) price tag I was a little worried. But after getting it home and setting it up, (really easy by the way) I was impressed with the crisp picture and overall quality of it performance. My sound system leaves much to be desired, so I can't really tell you too much about the audio quality. But if your looking for a cheap fully functional DVD player, this is the one.

This model does have its limitations in regards to outputs, so be certain you check those out before you purchase it. It had everything I needed though!

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I just purchased my third DVD player, and the decision to buy the APEX AD-1500 was one of the easiest choices I've ever had to make. I'm a very picky shopper, and I compared no less than 50 different models before I discovered the AD-1500. I was looking for a model that would reliably play VCD's and MP3 CD's burned on my home computer. I have 3 small children that love music, but I'm very uncomfortable allowing them to watch music videos on TV... since you never know when something too violent, or mature is going to play next. Instead, I've been downloading and/or saving my own video files for the songs that they like... then burning them to CD. With my 2 previous DVD players, a Sony and a Toshiba, neither of them could play VCD's very well. Most of the time, they skipped around and played songs too fast, too slow, or not at all. The Toshiba could play MP3's, as long as you met a long list of recording criteria... and then it could only play the songs in sequential order. When I first heard about the APEX 1500, I ordered one right away and as soon as it arrived, I returned my 2 week old Toshiba for a refund. The APEX has Zoom, plays MP3's in shuffle mode, plays every CDR and CDRW I've tried, has a decent remote control, and has performed flawlessly since I got it 2 weeks ago. For someone that wants to play MP3's and VCD's, you can't find a better deal under $200 anywhere... so don't waste any more time shopping and order the APEX 1500 before they are all gone!

(...) Once it was hooked up, we tried playing Little Mermaid for my daughter. It would not read the DVD at all. Next I tried Lady and the Tramp. It played for 10 minutes and froze up. I was less than happy.

(...)The quality of the parts is less than any other electronics component I have ever owned and they obviously have quality control issues.

Functionality is near perfect. It played DVDs wonderfully ... with one slight exception -I played Little Mermaid with the Spanish language track and English subtitles on. At ends of three of the over 20 chapters, the transition was not smooth but jumped slightly as if a couple of frames were dropped. Other than that, DVD playback was great.

VCD playback was good. I honestly could not tell any major quality difference between the VCD movie and the DVD movie; the DVD looked only a little brighter and sharper. Having never played a VCD before, I was shocked to learn that almost all the DVD functionality was gone. I could play, stop, rewind, fast-forward and goto a specific time in the VCD no chapters, menus, etc. I understand this may have as much to do with the individual VCD as with the VCD format and the DVD player. Still, I just can't wait to start capturing home videos into my PC and burning my own VCDs now that I can play them.

Audio CD and MP3 CD playback was awesome. I have burned just over 100 of my favorite songs to a single CD-R and it played them with no problems. There are some neat features here as well. (...)!

In summary, I would say that this player has awesome features at an amazingly low price, but at this price, something had to be compromised. That compromise was quality of parts and assembly. I am left with the impression that I need to "be careful with it and not hurt it". I could never let the kids use it by themselves. I really like it and certainly do not regret buying it ... as long as it keeps working.