Esky C5900 H.264 IP Camera, Internet WiFi Wireless/Wired, Pan Tilt, 2-way audio, Build-in DVR, Moti

The picture quality is outstanding (compared to my other cameras). The setup was relatively easy. The only negative thing I can say (and it's minor) is the monitoring software is not compatible with my other non Esky cameras. Also, it doesn't work well with my android phone app. But these are minor issues because I found a way to work around them. I

I'm returning this product. The hardware seems fine. The problem is the software. The camera resets its position every day, which means that I can't keep it pointed in the direction I want. The software is poorly written, which means I never know when the config has actually taken effect. Example: If you change the admin password (as you should), you're actually limited to something like 8-10 characters. But the interface doesn't tell you this. When I tried to configure a longer password, it took it, but then it wouldn't let me log back in to the admin interface. I had to manually reset the camera to factory defaults in order to get back in.

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We have been using the camera for few months and we really like it. There are so many iphone apps that are compatible with it. The only reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5 is because sometimes we have to reconfigure it. But to be fair, I am not sure if this is problem with the camera or with the router we are using. Most probably it is the router, but I just wanted to mention it.

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This product has ZERO technical service. I am an IT professional and could not get this product to work with a Mac. I would strongly encourage you to read reviews about this product from other sites than Amazon. If I had I would not have purchased. Oh, and it is impossible to return.

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Items were delivered within the estimated delivery dates. Items were packaged very well. These cameras are fairly simple to setup. Getting an email from the motion sensor has proven them worth the money spent. The cost is certainly reasonable. The image resolution is not high quality, but enough. Will purchase more of these cameras.

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Hauppauge Computer Works Hvr950q Hdtv Stick (1191) -

I love this thing. I recently dumped cable (which was costing me $1800 a year) in favor of a broadband plan and TV antenna in the attic run to my TVs with CAT6 lines, and a subscription to Netflix and Amazon Prime (all of which costs me around $300 a year, depending on how many shows I get). But that didn't fix the issue of how to record programs if I'm watching something else, and I didn't want to pay the high-price for a DVR. And why would I, when my computers have more than enough room to record TV shows? A friend gave me an older model of this HDTV stick to use with my laptop, but it didn't work with Windows 7. (Do your research!) I found this one, which was recommended for Windows 7, easily installed the software and set it up in my kitchen with the little antenna in the kitchen window. (You can go to to see where your signal is strongest, and I live close to the signals. If not, I could always hook it up to the antenna cable from the TV antenna.) I get some 20 free stations, and the software that comes with it makes it super easy to record a show. Works perfectly! I watched (insert crappy summer reality show here) and recorded (insert ANOTHER crappy reality show here) on the laptop and just watched it later. Free TV rocks!

I've had this tuner for about two weeks, connected to Windows 7 with Media Center. It records commercials with ease and matched with the Media Center guide it's a breeze to setup recording times. However, when it comes to recording the television shows I want for viewing later... I do get a picture and the sound effects, but no vocals. I tried contacting Hauppauge, but they have failed to respond. If you're looking to record commercials for the super bowl, by all means purchase. If you want to watch a drama, look elsewhere.

PS The supplied software from Hauppauge (Win 7) is utter trash, no radio, no scheduler, just a simple tuner that can do still screen captures.

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The thing came as it was described, it was missing some stuff, but it said that when I ordered it. Came in mail quickly, great condition, no scratches or things like that. Works pretty good. Didn't know you have to pay for the software.

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Morris Mini DC Slave Flash Wide Plus with PC Cord, Guide Number 24 with ISO 100 in Feet.

This thing packs a big punch to be so small! I like the angled bottom, and it's only about the size of a tennis ball, and I even glued some Velcro straps to it so I and mount it about anywhere needed when I am outdoors.

ZMODO 4CH CCTV Security DVR Recorder With 4 Outdoor Waterproof Day Night Camera - 500GB Hard Drive

Package arrived a day early. No missing components, but wished it came with a VGA cord.

Not a problem, just uses my PC monitor for time being until buys VGA cord for TV hook up.

Easy install, everything works great!

DVR is small, compact-which is nice.

Cameras are built in a heavy-study aluminum frame. With proper lighting the night vision works great.

Came with a USB mouse and software.

VGA cord not included.

Very happy with the product and shipping time frame.

Will be purchasing more item from this seller in the future.

The DVR and cameras are easy to setup. Remote viewing was a little more of a challenge. The only bad thing about this system is the cameras at night. They are pretty much worthless for night viewing. If I want night viewing now I will have to purchase 4 better cameras. Not sure why they are not very good. Suppose to be up to 30' viewing. And also read all the description that says no monitor included. I did know this but thought I could hook it up to an old tv. I ended up purchasing a used flat panel monitor for $35.00 and it works great.

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Got all this set few days ago, all work perfect except 1 thing, I cant change cameras view at all, not manually and not remotely. any ideas about how to set camera view at least first time ?

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This is just what i needed but found one for a better price. I ended up buying this one because I thought it came with a screen which it didn't. The pictures of the item showed the screen so it was a bit misleading. It was partially my fault for shopping on mobile phone where information wasn't read easily,

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I have since upgraded to an 8 ch system, but it is from Zmodo also. Great system, easy to set up. Transferred files I needed to a usb and then to my pc to print out.

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Produplicator 1-7 Lightscribe Burner 24X CD DVD Duplicator (No Shipping)

This is a fantastic product... I would recommend this product for any photographer or music artist who wants to get their product out in front of an audience fast..

This product was purchased to use for a church so that we could make certain homilies and special talks available to people to take home and share with others. We were very excited to have the opportunity to do this! However, this product is not very good for people like us who don't do duplication as a career. The manual that came with it is far from helpful. It skips steps and assumes that you already know how to do things and the tech support is only available during business hours on Monday through Friday. For our purposes (seeing as the people using this are volunteers) we are pretty much only using it on nights and weekends so the tech support is of no help to us. The one time we did call to ask a question we were told they would call us back and after waiting for almost 3 hours we finally called them back the response was apologetic because they had forgot about our call however, it was at the end of the day by this point so the "help" was very rushed.

We have also had a problem in that we bought a 7 disc duplicator and 2 of the trays don't work.

When we can get the duplicator to work we are happy with it and it is great, much easier than burning discs one at a time. However, getting a project to the point where we can use it is very difficult.

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Toshiba D-KR2 Progressive Scan DVD Recorder/Player

• Multi-drive Playback and Recording
• Compatibility: DVD-RAM/DVD-R/DVD-RW
• Digital Cinema Progressive Scan
• ColorStream Pro component video output
• 3-D Y/C Comb Filter/Video DNR for recording

The rave reviews posted here are a bit startling, when you consider that there are three major defects in this unit. First, the input noise reduction is so mild it's ineffective, and the output noise filters are simple blur effects that do more harm than good. Second, you can't get a true black or white level from this machine, so recordings look washed-out when played elsewhere (a professional proc amp doesn't help, either. This machine filters all input to 15 IRE and won't allow a true black from any source, including cable). There are settings for "Darker", "Enhanced", etc. they do nothing for black-white levels, they just dim or wash out the image. Third, DVD-RW is a fantasy with this machine, they just won't work. It's a shame, because even at long recording times there are very few artifacts. Too bad Toshiba designers prefer lackluster images. They seem OK when played on this machine, but look closer and you'll see they're just dark, not richly colored. Another glitch: Record a home-made (not retail) VHS tape into this machine, and when you try to copy it to another DVD recorder the Toshiba will not allow it until you use a pro-level TBC unit on the Toshiba's output. In fact, you can't even make copies of your own, home-made DVD's. Supposedly many of these problems were corrected on later units, but newer Toshibas for 2006 might improve to the point where they could replace your high-end VCR. But don't count on it. Home DVD machines have a long way to go before they can compete with the 30+ years of evolution behind a quality VHS machine. IF this will be your one and only DVD player/recorder, you could live with it. Just don't expect good performance from your recordings if you have to replace this unit or give your washed-out images to friends.

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It really is hard to beat the price of this product, and I have been using mine for over a year without too many problems, but there are some problems for which a good price cannot compensate. Reliability is very important to me in determining the value of any recording device, and this one is not very trustworthy. Recording stops if there is dust on the lens (you won't know until after recording starts, so if you're expecting to come home and watch the show you missed, guess what?), if it thinks the dvd-r is dirty, or if it's just not feeling up to snuff that day.

Picture quality is key. The D-KR2 is okay over a composite connection, but it is red and green and that's pretty much it over a component cable. At least that's how it looks on my lcd tv. Maybe it's okay on something else.

You can't just make extra copies of your home movies or edit them on your computer. This puppy copy-protects your memories. I'm not kidding. So don't toss those Hi-8's. You will need them again the next time you want to make a dvd from the content.

I've ordered another dvd-recorder with a hard disk drive. It may not be much better than this, but at least once I load my home movies, I can burn an extra copy for my Mom. It's her family, too, after all.

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I was looking for DVD recorder include IEEE port for Camcorder and DVD-RAM capacity.

Many brands offer, first one or second, but was so difficult to find latest format technology, IEEE input ports and good brand support in only one equipment, navigation menus are so easy to understand has many options to use as a common VCR, has a wide options for audio output. I'm happy with this selection and price was really good.

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I like this unit so much, I bought a refurb when my first one died.

The primary value of this unit is its ability to record RAM disk, which allows recording copy protected programming. It can only be played back on this unit, which has obvious drawbacks, but I love it.

The UI is clunky and I've never been able to master the editing features, but as I said I bought this for the RAM disk recording, not to create portable DVD's.

THE PICTURE IS EVEN BETTER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. IT WAS A LITTLE HARD TO OPERATE AT FIRST. BUT, I AM HAPPY WITH IT..YOU CAN'T BEAT IT FOR THE PRICE.

VideoSecu Day Night Built-in 1/3" Sony CCD IR Outdoor Dome Security Camera 540TVL Vandal Proof 3.5-

This camera was not as good as I had hoped, I have installed systems for over 30 years, and this was the first time I had tried this product. The zoom/focus is a joke and even at its best resolution it is not that great. Stay with a 600tvl if you need to make out who is in front of the camera. The color shows browns as a baby blue and gets worse from there.

Enough said about this product.

It's a great camera and I've been using it for sometime now at the front of my house. The only thing I would say to would be purchasers is consider the area in front of the camera you wish to place this. The IR lights are sooo bright there is actually a halo at night visible in a clear circle. So it lights up the bushes as bright white approximately ten feet in front of it. Best to use this camera where objects will not get close to it at all as it will wash out with no detail at night due to this. When I get around to buying another camera I'm going to replace this one with one that has less IR's and move this to the back yard.

All in all I would recommend this, just consider the area you will use it in as there is no way to dial down the power of this light. They aren't joking when they say out to 50 feet at night as you can clearly see how powerful they are in situations less than that. I considered creating a light diffuser to go over the IR's but just haven't gotten around to it. So I could correct the issue I have but it would be far nicer if you could control the power of these IR's to begin with.

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Sanyo VWM-900 4-Head HI-FI Stereo VCR with Remote

I have had this VCR since 2005, and it still gives me reliable service. Programming it is easy, the menus make sense, and the video/audio quality are good. I use it to record several shows a week and it shows no signs of giving up. DVRs have their advantages, but you can't beat VCRs for economy. They are cheap to buy (at least when you could buy them) and cheap to operate. No silly monthly fees. Too bad Comcast instituted those DTA boxes. Makes it harder to use my VCR because the DTA does the tuning instead of the VCR.

I ordered this unit based on the Sanyo name and the price. I should have known you get what you pay for. Not even 60 days after receiving it, and with very light use probably about 40 hours total, it conked out. It just shut down when we tried to rewind a tape (nothing wrong with the tape) and would not stay turned on after that. No rewind, no play, no eject nothing. You pushed the ON switch, the wheels moved the tape about six inches, and then the power cycled off. On-off, on-off. The tape was locked inside, and I had to take off the top of the housing to retrieve it. Wow how much plastic can you put in a VCR? I think Sanyo was going for a record. Very few metal parts, and lots of thin plastic ones, just waiting to break. I had to pry the cassette out of the holder I couldn't even make the retention mechanism "let go". We decided to simply throw this one out, and go purchase something that is designed to last a while. What a piece of junk!

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I ordered a VCR based on the write up that said it had auto clock set.

I wanted one with a clock. It didn't have a clock so I returned it for one that has. I am still waiting.

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Biscotti Video Conferencing Camera

The Biscotti is by far my favorite electronic in the house. It was super easy to set up and is so much fun to use. My kids love being able to talk to their cousins and their Grandma it is just like being in the same room with them. We highly recommend this product.

The Biscotti is a great device for the ones that want to sit on the couch and do video chat. With apps for Android, IOS and PC you can talk to all your friends and family on most any device. I only find alot of my friends don't video chat. But if you do the quality is great and the sound is nice and with HDMI pass through the hook up to your HDTV is simple.

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Biscotti, Biscotti HD TV CAM (Catalog Category: Cameras / Digital CamerasDesktop)I had trouble installing the camera and it was the day before Christmas Eve. The support center was closed till January 2nd. I wrote an email explaining my problem and a support specialist answered it from home. We tried several changes over 5 emails. Conclusion--she fedex'd a new complete set overnight after totally testing it in their office before shipping. I got the new camera and had it installed and tested in 30 minutes. It's very simple to use, has a great picture. We love it and I highly recommend it. Great support.

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We bought Biscotti for my 88 year old mother who lives several hundred miles away. She has to do nothing to make this work. When we call Biscotti, it turns on her TV and we start the video chat. It works excellent with any broadband service. Video is clear, audio is clear. When conversation is over we hang up. I will call and check on her from my laptop or my daughters use their iPads to call her. Anything that works Google Talk will work Biscotti, of course calling a Biscotti, with another Biscotti is ideal also.

I suggest you watch the video at Biscotti web-site to get a better idea.

This has been exactly what we needed to check in on mom.

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Easy HD video calls right on your TV...the future is here!

I've used Skype for years. It' s pain, and is always dropping the calls. It only works ok, but I have always wanted an easy and elegant way to video call from my big screen TV. I have held off to date because the solution was to either hook a computer to my TV or use a Skype TV camera that is rather large an unsightly. Enter Biscotti TV Phone. At less than 6 inches in width and 1 inch deep, Biscotti is about the size of the italian cookie it's named for. The curvy device hides its camera behind a sleek black exterior, so there is no "bug eye" look. That means it blends with the TV so well it is basically invisible. Biscotti lets you video conference with other Biscotti and any Google Talk user on their Android, iPhone, iPad or computer, so you can video call almost anyone from your living room, even if they don't have a Biscotti of their own.

I 've made calls to friends and family with Biscotti and Google Talk with pleasing results. When calling other Biscotti users, I have experienced a full high definition picture with good clarity and brightness. Unlike Skype on a computer, it feels like you're in the same room as the other person because the camera has a wide angle lens that picks up the whole room. When calling a Google Talk user, the quality you see from the Biscotit will depend on the other person's camera in their iPhone, computer etc. But Biscotti was smart, and they process the picture to fill your whole screen, even if someone calls you from their phone. My niece broadcast her ballet recital to my TV right from her iPhone. It was so cool! I have family that lives in Australia and its so easy to connect with them and feel like you are with them in the same room!

Setting it up was a breeze. Just plug in the power supply and HDMI cable to the TV and you will be walked through a simple 3-step setup that includes connecting to Wi-Fi (they recommend at least 1 mbps uplink), selecting a username and inviting people to call. I was literally on my first call within 10 minutes.

Biscotti has some very unique features too. You can set it to automatically turn on your TV when you receive a call (yes, I am not kidding, it does this and it works well). Further, you can even set it to answer the call from select contacts, This is great if you want to keep an eye on someone (like a child, older parent or pet) or something (like your house). I set my Biscotti to automatically answer when I call from my iPhone. That way I can feel closer to my family at home when I am traveling for business.

All in all Biscotti is a great value. Bottom line...get two Biscotti and send one to someone you love :-) This is perfect for sharing with Grandparents and grandkids!

HDE® Worlds Smallest Hd Digital Video Camera Mini Dv DVR

I bought this little camera to take aerial videos from my RC planes. It is really tiny 44mm x 30mm x 12mm, and very light. It actually takes pretty good photos and videos, I was pleasantly surprised. I've seen better, but come on, it was only$15! The instructions are tough to understand so here are the easy instructions:

1. Plug the unit into a computer with the enclosed USB cable and charge it up, mine took a couple of hours the first time (red light comes on and blinks while charging, solid red when charged)

2. Unplug USB cord and Insert mini SD card (I'm using a Sandisk 8gb)

3. Turn on camera by holding the (round) on/off button down for 2-3 seconds, blue light will light, let off button and red light will be solid. Camera is now ready to record.

4. Quickly push round on/off button and camera is recording video with audio (red light flashing). Click round button again to stop.

5. For photos only, press (oblong) mode button once and light will be blue, ready for photos, just click round button to take photo.

6. For audio only, press oblong mode button til you see a red and blue light, then click round button to begin recording, press again to stop.

7. To shut camera off, just hold round on/off button down for 2-3 seconds til no lights are on.

I wasn't able to get the included disc to load on either my Macbook or my PC so I'm not even sure what's on it. I didn't have any luck trying to transfer the photos to either computer with the USB cable either. So to get the recordings off of the camera, I just put the micro SD card from the camera into a Sandisk micro SD card adapter and plugged it directly into the card reader slot in my laptop, and the files showed right up, it worked perfectly on both my PC and Macbook. Three folders will show up Photo (still pictures), Video (video with audio), Record (audio only), and a file named Time.txt. your recordings will be in the appropriate file folder so you can drag them into your computer, save, delete, or whatever you want done with them. If you open the Time.txt file you can set the time and date which will show on your videos.

All in all I am pleasantly surprised at the quality and functioning of this little camera. (I hope the instructions help)

The "HDE® Worlds Smallest Hd Digital Video Camera Mini Dv DVR" keep the time and date reliably.

They are great movie and picture quality. Most importantly they record up to impact instead of dumping movie files.

They are EASY to operate and to switch functions also. The directions are not easy to navigate at first, but still helpful. I have bought a few of these and even though they are "plastic and flimsy" as someone put it, a bit of scotch tape will prevent the case opening during most impacts of R/C flying, at least so far.

I have had two "lighter cams" that died quickly, (not from battery failure) but they were a pain to make sure they recorded/recording. Also the memory chips weren't fitter tight enough and caused glitches.

I have the "fob cameras" also. They are good pictures/movies, but the time and date are off key sometimes (had 2 battery failures and replaced). EITHER of those (lighter and fob cam)don't record during impacts.

The "HDE® Worlds Smallest Hd Digital Video Camera Mini Dv DVR" will. Lightweight and compact. They support voice recording, dvr function, and photograph also. They also arrive with a charger that takes only one "AA" battery. A nice extra.

Overall the price and reliability are terrific!

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Not bad for the price. With a class 8 card I did not see any dropped frames. Good color in bright light.

It's not 720. Not very good indoors with low light.

I use it out of the plastic case on Micro Helicopters and Quads. You would get better video quality from the average cell phone

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It works although it is not full screen. I just want to make sure that people know that although the picture isn't horrible it is regular size format not full screen. I still like it though, it fits nicely on the belly of my MJX helicopter.

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The directions could be better but if you look online many have simplified the directions and offer them for your use.

Once you know how to use it for the price and size does the job. Using on RC race car

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VideoSecu 2 Pack 150 Feet Video Power BNC RCA Cables Security Camera Wires Cords for CCTV DVR Surve

I'm not sure if it's the quality of the cables or the length of them but the cameras I used these on have very noticable worse quality then the 60' ones that came with my system. If you can get by with 100' go with those and maybe it won't be bad but my logic was they were only a couple of dollars more then the 100' ones so I bought them but wish I had gotten the 100'. I'm not about to change them out now but for you future buyers, you need to know. The longer the cable, the worse the signal. Wish I had known before just how bad the signal would be. I compared a 25', 60' and 150' cable and it's very noticable. The 25' ones are much clearer.

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Panasonic PVL452 VHS-C Mulitcam Camcorder with 2.5" Color LCD & 8MB SD Memory Card

I purchased this camcorder/digital camera in May 2002 and found that it takes excellent video, is easy to use, and seemed to be a good value. Unfortunately my good first impression came to an end. Despite every trick known to a computer geek and following Panasonic's instructions to the letter, I cannot get the camera to "talk" to my PC. Therefore the digital camera function is worthless to me now. Panasonic's product literature states the Windows 95/98/Me/2000 OS is required. I am using Windows XP. So I went to Panasonic's website to download the newest iteration of the software but that didn't solve the problem. I called Panasonic's customer service and despite numerous busy signals, finally reached a rep who was basically clueless. It might be the cable, but I don't want to buy a new one. I'd really like Panasonic to solve the problem!

I have wanted a video camera for years and years. When I finally decided to get one, I chose this one. I read all the reviewers comments, and compared it to other products. I even found it here on Amazon for ...less than I saw it at another online store. As for using it, so far it's been easy to figure out. And the videos are bright, crystal clear and colorful -both indoors and out. I still have to play with it a little bit (it's my first camcorder ever) but I have the basics down pat. Indoors and out, my family and I are having a ball with this. I agree with the others who said it's a great first camcorder.

***************

June 29, 2004

My father died a month ago, and I am the only family member who has him in living, breathing, talking and singing color on video thanks to this cam. A few weeks after I bought it, I took it with me on a visit to see him. If I thought it was a splurge purchase back when I bought it, it's value has become priceless as I've found comfort in these sad times by watching and rewatching the video I made of my dad back in 2002!

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I think this camcorder/camera is very nice!! I have used it to download pictures and they turn out great. I did have a little problem with it saying that it was not connected but after just trying a few more times it worked. I love it and especially for the price and the accessory kit. I am anxious to use it more!! You can find the memory cards at at good deal. I bought a 64mb one so that I will have lots of room. Lots of gadgets on the camcorder but will take time to figure them all out but I think a VERY good deal for the price!!!

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This is probably one of the best electronics I have bought in a while, the only complaint I have on it is you need good light to take pictures or video tape anything, otherwise it comes out fuzzy and slightly blurry. It works great other than that. I already have transfered about 300 pictures onto my computer and have enhanced and printed them out. I would like to have something smaller to take pictures but I am happy w/ what I have until I get some extra $$$ to spend on a small digital camera.

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This camera takes amazing quality digital photos. The features are extremely handy for making home movies, incorperating still photos; It is also nice to be able to get a still photo out of a movie! I have gotten a lot of compliments on the close-ups I took of my dogs... no red eye, no blurs... I also managed to get quite a few wildlife photos because the zoom quality is so good. I could also take a picture of a dew drop on my roses at night. So, that should tell you how good this camera is. The ONLY thing I do not like is the smaller sized video casettes. But, that is pretty standard with camcorders.. and a small price to pay for the size reduction from the much older, more cumbersome models. I would definitely recommend this product.

Toshiba HD-XA2 1080p HD-DVD Player

• HD DVD (720p / 1080i / 1080p) playback
• Video Up-Conversion (720p /1080i /1080p)
• Multi Format Compatibility
• Dolby Digital Plus, DTS HD & Dolby True HD
• Bi-directional RS-232 out & HDMI 1.3 - Deep Color

First let me say that I have or have had an A1, A2, XA2, 360 HD Drive, and PS3. This is by far the best HD-DVD player out, as well as the best SD player. The Reon's NR is awesome on SD discs, and the edge enhancement agorithm is so refined I have yet to find a reason not to leave it on level ALL the time, even on HD material. I have had experience repairing one of these and can shed some light on a couple of issues.

1 Does your XA2 power down randomly when playing HD discs? If so it is caused by a bug that only affects some players. If the unit is turned on while its' input is selected (on the receiver or TV) a bug occurs during handshake that causes the shutdown at random. I speculate it is to do with setting the overheat threshold uncommonly low. The unit will only have this problem with HD media, when set to 1080p. Set it to 1080i and it's fine. Play SD discs at 1080p and it's fine.

-The workaround is to select any input other than the XA2's when turning the player on (or leave the TV/receiver off). Turn on the player and wait for it to boot up completely. Once it is finished you may select the player's input and it will play HD discs at 1080p for days on end...no shutdown.

2 Does your player seem to have a high pitched whine? This is in fact not caused by the fan in the XA2 which is awfully quiet compared to most active CE cooling devices (about 1/5th that of the PS3 during HD playback). It is caused by the transformer on the power supply unit ringing. The only way to fix it is to exchange the unit, or send it to Toshiba for a PSU replacement. For the tech savvy, this unit uses the same PSU as the A2 (which can be gotten on the cheap right now). The service manuals can be found on AVS, and it is a simple job of loosening a few screws and a couple of connectors. If you can change a CPU in a PC you can do this. Otherwise, it should be covered under Toshiba's warranty.

3 Does your player play SD discs fine, but read "no disc" when you insert HD media? This is caused by a blue laser diode failure in the drive itself. Face it Blue Lasers are still new, and unfortunately the yields are still pretty poor. Some faulty parts slip through after seemingly making the grade at the factory. Again, this requires a repair by Toshiba to replace the drive, but if you're brave and have access to an A2 the drive is the same. The swap is even easier than the PSU. 5 screws and a ribbon cable. If you have a screwdriver handy this should take about 10 minutes. Of course, it is covered by Toshiba under warranty, but why not fix your XA2 yourself and part with the A2 for a while instead (which is much lighter, and thus cheaper to ship as well).

4 Does your unit hang on the welcome screen? Welp, it could be one of two things. A bad/overheating motherboard or an undervolting PSU. The PSU fix can be done easily if you have access to an A2...then you'll know. If it turns out to be a bad mainboard Toshiba is your only hope. Their procedure is to just send a new player if the mainboard is bad. They only repair the unit if it's a bad PSU or Drive. Either way turn around is about a week.

5 Did you get stuck with a remote whose backlight doesn't work? It's no joke. the XA2 remote is VERY difficult to read in the dark, but once the backlight lights up it is a sight to behold. It goes from barely usable to "best of the bunch". the lights are extremely bright and very legible. What you may not know though is that you have to press and hold the backlight button for 5 seconds to turn on the feature. There are thousands of people who think they got stuck with a broken remote. trust me, once it lights up you'll love it.

The latest firmware as of this post is 2.7, and that fixes 24p output as well as adding HBR bitstream output. With this update this player is once again the king of all HD players. It sports the best PQ for both HD and SD discs, and offers all of the new features (even those of the A35 which is the inferior player). The bad news is, as of this update these are becoming scarce, and since Toshiba is building these for Onkyo now (list for $899) they have discontinued the XA2. the Onkyo is the exact same player in a new box for more $$$. get an XA2 while you can. Enjoy! I hope I've helped some people get by the initial bad impressions they may have had. No electronics model is without a few lemons. The XA2 has a few, but the above should help some of you avoid a return or exchange. If you did get a lemon, and there is no more stock, consider fixing it yourself by getting an A2 to sacrifice, then send the A2 for repair...or just let Toshiba fix it. once you have a working unit you'll agree...it was worth it. This is any HD TV's best friend!

Buy Toshiba HD-XA2 1080p HD-DVD Player Now

"Blew me away" is a phrase seen too often in HDTV and A/V equipment reviews, but that is the reaction I had to the Toshiba HD-XA2. And I am talking about DVD upconversion. I have about 1200 DVD's in my collection, and was concerned about obsolescence again. I rememeber giving away or selling my VHS collection, and was not looking forward to repeating the experience with DVD's. With the new Toshiba player, my fears were put to rest. I have a 1080p HDTV (Samsung HL-S5688W) and I set the player's output to 1080p using HDMI. One of my reference discs is the "Vertical Limit" superbit edition. There is a scene where I look at the detail in a glove worn by one of the climbers. I was always amazed to see the threads in the "Marmot" logo. With the new Toshiba player, I can see another level of detail beyond that. DVD's 480p resolution had produced more detail than I thought possible. I put in my "Charade" DVD, which was filmed in 1962. Again, I was amazed at what I had never before seen, like the fine print in Charles Lampert's fake passports. I never saw macroblocking or false contouring, or any other digital artifacts.

I agonized for months over whether a 56 inch widescreen would be too large at my viewing distance of 7-8 feet while watching standard DVD's. With this new player, I am glad I went ahead with the 56 inch instead of 46 or 50. Actually, I now think that hi-def DVD's NEED at least 50 inches of widescreen 1080p to fully appreciate the fine detail, at least at my viewing distance. I checked out a dozen or so DVD's of movies from 1939 to 2006, and they were all improved by this player's upconversion capability. With some of my old favorites, it was like watching the movie again for the first time.

I checked out four HD DVD's to assess quality with 1080p source material;

"King Kong", "Superman Returns", "Apollo 13" and "Seabiscuit". To me, the jump from DVD to HD DVD was not as great as the jump from VHS to DVD. However, certain scenes were stunning. The experience was like watching a super-sharp Superbit DVD, but with moments of jaw dropping clarity. The Saturn V lift-off in Apollo 13 was riveting. And there was detail in the scenes on Skull Island in King Kong which were incredibly clear. The clarity was so striking that there was an unintended effect. Some of the CGI sequences had a more fake appearance than in the DVD version. The divisions between the actors and the bluescreen were almost too sharp. Color fidelity was excellent in HD DVD's, a definite improvement over standard DVD.

The player is a substantial piece, and seems sturdy and well constructed.

My build date is January 2007 and I am running the latest firmware. Load times were not bad, 31 seconds from disc insertion with HD DVD's and 16 seconds with standard DVD's. Others had mentioned juddering, a jerkiness evidenced in panning sequences. Perhaps it has been corrected in firmware, but I did not notice this in the titles I checked out. The remote is actually made of metal, and has a nice heft and finish. The buttons are laid out logically, and I like it that the "play" button has a nice sharp bump so that the layout can be sensed in the dark easily. Like finding middle C on the piano, the rest can be figured out from there by feel.

My intention was to sit out the Blu-ray/HD DVD format war. However, the reviews on this player's upconversion circuitry convinced me to take the plunge. I have seen high end Denon DVD players which cannot equal the output of this Toshiba HD DVD unit, and at the same price. So, I figure I cannot lose, no matter which format wins. I still get a great upconverting DVD player, and the HD DVD discs I buy will still play at 1080p even if Blu-ray "wins". Yes, $800 is a big chunk of change, but considering that I have extended the life of my $$$ DVD collection, it was worth it for me. Plus, the jump to 1080p hi-def discs is substantial. BTW, my buying experience through Amazon and Electronics Expo could not have been better.

Read Best Reviews of Toshiba HD-XA2 1080p HD-DVD Player Here

This is the best upconverting DVD player out there. I've compared it directly to the Oppo 981HD and SD DVDs played on the XA2 look even better. In fact, ones that are mastered well look almost HD quality. Of course HD-DVDs will always look better and have more visual 'pop' but this player does a great job on SD ones too. In fact, sometimes I forget that I'm even viewing a SD DVD.

Compared to other HD-DVD and Blu-ray players, this one beats them all. HD-DVDs look and sound amazingly stunning and the picture quality exceeds Blu-ray players costing twice as much.

Another benefit of the HD-XA2 is that is has 5.1 direct audio outputs. If you don't have a receiver that can do HDMI, this is the only way you will be able to get the HD audio (either Dolby Digital Plus or TrueHD). Hooking any HD-DVD player via the optical audio only downconverts the audio to either DTS or Dolby Digital. But using the 5.1 direct audio (6 RCA cables) means that the player decodes the DD+ or TrueHD audio track and directly outputs it lossless, to your receiver. That way you can take advantage of the better audio on HD-DVDs. Hooking it up via HDMI will accomplish this as well but only now are HDMI capable receivers starting to hit the market and most people with existing receivers probably don't have HDMI. I'm very happy with my current receiver and don't see myself replacing it with an HDMI capable one any time soon, yet with the 5.1 direct inputs, I can still enjoy the HD audio.

The HD-XA2 is very well built, the case has a nice metal construction and the transport seems very robust. My only complaint with the unit (and why I'm not giving it 5 stars) is that the fan on it is slightly too loud. If it was just a little quieter I think it would be ideal but as is, during very quiet scenes in movies, I can hear it running. That said, I would not let this dissuade you from gaining purchase of this DVD player. And if you have a large collection of SD DVDs, you will not be dissapointed playing them on this player.

Want Toshiba HD-XA2 1080p HD-DVD Player Discount?

1) First This is a great piece of Hi-End electronics ( mainly a computer at heart, with a Pent CPU, a Gig or two of super fast DDRAM, a drive of sorts, and a GPU or Graphics/video procesor chip ,fans, etc ) Thus she isn't blazing in her (boot-up) time , but don't worry it boots up cold in about 30 sec, then when you open the drawer, and pop in a HD DVD it takes about 15 sec to load and be ready to play. if its a SD DVD it takes about 5-8 sec or so and a CD is about 1-3 seconds.

The SD upconversion via a HDMI connection to my HD Pioneer PureVision 50 in. Plasma is unparalleld so far with the the Silicon Optics Reon-VX HQV Chip. Nothing I've seen comes close to making your SD DVD'd as look and sound as good as they possibly can.

Now to the HD DVD performanceEvery HD DVD that I own all play with stunning clarity, vivid colors, deep blacks and no problems what-so-ever. They appear almost 3-D in nature, as if you could reach out and touch one of the puppets/people in Corpse Bride. In short the XA2 is a step aboue the earlier HD player models as it does 1080P, and upconverts slightly better, and it is better ( not cheaper tho !) than the Xbox360 HD add-on( $199) for no better reason that it is connected via HDMI (not Component or Compositeboth inferior to HDMI)I would say a 15% increase in clarity/ focus/colordepth, and realism from the straight HDMI connection. AS well as the Xbox add-on doesn't exactly decode the s/pdif digital bitstream correctly everytime. It (the xbox HD drive) ALWAYS says it's decoding "Dolby Digital 3/2.1" no matter if the track chosen was a DTS type or DD+, or DTHD or whatever it is!

Now for the soundThe XA2 has both s/pdif connections ( i.e., Digital COAX, and fiber optic connect (Toslink). Either one works perfectly to output the spdif "bitstream" or digital multichannel output to my reciever. There it is either output as regular DD , Dolby D+, DD EX, DTS, DTS EX, or DTS HD, or Dolby True HD. Now here is the tricky part. The only sound formats which I listen to via the 5.1 analog outputs are HD DVD's that have a Dolby true HD track or DD+. These lossless formats are decoded only by the player and output as analog signals to be amplified by my A/V reciever and output to each speaker realtime. This sounds very good in all channels except the Sub channel. But I have an easy fix for nowjust go over to your powered subwoofer and reach IN THE BACK AND TURN THE GAIN UP ABOUT 5-6 notches(> Db) over where you normally would have it when choosing to listen to the the Digital (S/PDIF) 5.1 bitstream sound output from the A/V reciever. For some reason the LFE (.1 or sub bass) sounds are set out at a lower level that the other 5 channels when using the 5.1 analog multi direct outputs, thus the reason to bump the SUB gain by several notches-Just don't forget to turn the sub gain back down when you choose the digital bitstream sound output via the s/pdif( Dig. coax or Toslink (fib. opt.cable). The legecy sound formats ( i.e., DD,DD-EX, DTS, DTS-EX, etc) sound excellent using the digital s/pdif bitstream. When listened through the digital s/pdif outputs, the AX2 downmixes both the DD+ and the Dolby True HD to a new 5.1 Dolby Digital bitstream, but at a much higher fidelity and bitrate that the old standard DD. They sound very good played back this way. DTS or DTS EX is still seen and decoded as a DTS bitstream by the AVamp when using any DTS type track for playback ( And I still prefer to listen to a DTS type soundtrack over anything else just because I feel it has the most sonic impact, i.e,m more clarity, better separation, better sound stage effect and spacial imaging, less noise and better dynamic range.)

Bottom line is --If you have the coins, and can spare the $750$780, and if you can't wait for the price to go down get this player NOWit is an excellent piece of hardware and with firmware updates all issues such as the low 5.1 LFE channel level output, should, eventually be solved. Wait 6 months and maybe this player will be about 500 or 600 Who knows? I even got 3 free HD DVD's with mine making it cost just a tad over $700.NOT to Bad for all you get !

This HD DVD player is simply awesome! Picture quality is just amazing and it's is easy to use with no "boot up" time like the old HD-A1 which I returned within a week. I have the XA2 paired with an InFocus 7205 and it's hard to believe how clear and sharp the picture is. Even up close there is no pixilation on a 133" screen. Everything in this box is quality. Sorry Amazon, had to buy from another source because you did not have them for sale yet. No complaints at all, unpack, plug in and go. You WILL NOT be disapointed. Now we just need more HD titles.

Lorex QLR464 4-Channel PCI DVR Card with 4 Indoor/Outdoor Night Vision Security Camera (Black)

I first bought the LW2702 wireless system. It would not carry a signal 50 feet through my vinyl sided 1/2 inch sheathed split level. I called Lorex and they wanted to send me a new system right away. In the mean time, I looked over their website snd found this. I decided to try this system since Lorex was so suportive. It is even less expensive than the LW2702.

Four cameras, a 32 bit card and software that sends email alerts and a snapshot; plus you can access the system on the internet via a ddns net run by Lorex. THIS seemed to solve every concern I had; I did not just want to discourage and record, I wanted a system that would email us while we were on vacation and that we could use to call the police.

I decided to put 3 cameras in the house in logical traffic areas. These will be set to alert us. The fourth will go outside to capture vehicle traffic in the drive.

The software allows each camera to be programmed seperately; alert types, when to record, etc. You can also set up schedules for each camera alert and monitor function; for example, basement shop every night between midnight and 5 AM; bedroom hallway every workday from 8AM to 3PM; and all inside cameras for the two week vacation while leaving the driveway camera always set to record activity without sending alerts. Pretty powerful stuff.

You neeed to precisely follow the instructions for setting up internet access which allows you full control of your monitoring system. It took a day for the internet to register my system domain; but it works.

OK, the mediocre. Although Server 2000 is supported, it will not run on windows home server. Or, it must be installed on any 32 bit winXP or higher system. IT CANNOT run on 64 bit; needs a new card plus new software.

There are is one irksome quirk, which is worked around by using internet access. The program window has NO minimize/size/maximize/close icons in the upper right corner. Also not present with a right click. It settles in the upper left corner of your monitor and CANNOT be dragged someplace else (like your second monitor with extended desktop). SInce you access your system via IE (have not yet tired Firefox), you CAN relocate the display and controls since you simply drag the IE window where you want.

We live in a rural area with a lot of ground floor windows. I have always been skeptical of alarm company monitoring services. THIS system allows me to verify for myself what is happening and to call the police; or, since I have a computer based phone answering machine (left very loud so we can hear it thoughout the house) I can call the house and deliver a pretty creepy warning to whover is in the house.

Each camera is provided with a 60 foot video and power cable. This works well for my interior cameras, but I will need an extension for my driveway camera.

I only installed this last week; but I have tested it pretty hard and it works so far. Turns out I am glad the LW2702 did not work as expected; while it would have captured events the LW2702 cannot send out alerts nor provide the control of this system. The "downside" is that you have to run wires to your computer and you must have a computer that is always on and configured to reboot after a power failure.

Plus, you can check the house from ANY computer anywhere in the world either with IE or the provided client software.

AS far as I concerned, this beats paying a monitoring service $10 a month. I hope it continues to work.

I purchased this system to monitor my suburban house. It has performed admirably. Do not expect super high resolution with this kit. However, for the price point, it is very good at what it does. I can check on the live feeds from anywhere with an internet connection, and can also retrieve the saved video remotely. There are four recording options that cover pretty much any way you want to record. Love the holiday feature. If you know you are going on vacation, just type in the dates and it will automatically record. Recommended for home or business users that need an affordable system.

Buy Lorex QLR464 4-Channel PCI DVR Card with 4 Indoor/Outdoor Night Vision Security Camera (Black) Now

I ordered a desktop specifically to install this card and run the surveillance software. Installation of the PCI card was a snap, and the software loaded smoothly allowing me immediate viewing and recording ability. Getting everything set to remotely connect to the system is another matter. After a month of trying, I can connect remotely from another computer within my network, but not outside. Probably firewall issues. Definitely not a smooth, clearly explained process.

One thing you will need to do to view the system remotely is to download a DVR.exe file onto the computer you want to view from. This has posed a security problem with the folks at work (to view my home system).

With the above in mind, I would rate the system highly if you didn't want to remotely view the system (but that's one of the main selling points).

Operating the software is intuitive. Setting up the cameras, how the display looks, and how the system backs up is very easy. Search capability has been trouble free.

The cameras perform as advertised, even in low light. Just keep their range limits in mind if you want to be able to identify someone.

Read Best Reviews of Lorex QLR464 4-Channel PCI DVR Card with 4 Indoor/Outdoor Night Vision Security Camera (Black) Here

easy to do if you have basic handyman/pc skills. even the computer software/firewall setup was easy with ddns. the software could use a few improvements related to more effect FFW and REW functions and motion search but it gets the job done.

i have a laptop setup in the family room with a remove view to the web interface so we can see it while we're socializing or watching TV.

really neat!

I wish I could have offorded the 16 camera version, but 4 is good enough for the main areas of a house.

Want Lorex QLR464 4-Channel PCI DVR Card with 4 Indoor/Outdoor Night Vision Security Camera (Black) Discount?

I purchased this camera two weeks ago and have had non-stop problems.

First of all, the software that ships in the box is bad. When you call tech support they will tell you that it has compatibility issues and to download the latest version form their website.

Secondly, even the latest version is very limited on compatibility. Our Windows 2003 Server would not run this software properly.

Third, the "storage management" process makes no sense. The software asks you to decide how much "workspace" you want to allocate to the DVR software, but it does so in strange terms like append, recover, delete, etc. I am an expert user and if I have this much trouble, so will you.

I spent 30 minutes on hold for tech support before someone answered, took down my info, and said they'd call me back. I called again the next day because they never got back to me, and they still could not resolve my issue.

Bottom line: I'm sure it's a great product once you get it working. However, the hoops I have had to jump through in this process have earned it a 1-star review regardless of how amazing it ends up being (that is assuming it ever actually works).

UPDATE: When I left off with them yesterday, they remotely reinstalled my software and said the problem is that I am using an onboard (as opposed to a separately purchased and installed) video card. They assured me I'd be good to go once I did that, so I went and bought a new video card today. It still does not work and I am once again on hold for them. And a note about their tech support: it takes 10-15 minutes for them to answer, and the first 5 minutes of that is listening to a recording talk to you about warranty registration stuff with no opportunity to skip if you've already heard it five times like I have.

VIZIO 3D Blu-ray player with Wireless Internet Apps and HDMI Cable, VBR334

• Enjoy immersive Blu-ray 3D entertainment and high-definition, 7.1-channel surround sound
• Play back Blu-ray Discs in Full HD 1080p resolution, or upscale your DVDs for enhanced picture quality
• Easily access streaming movies/TV shows, listen to music, and get the latest news, sports, and weather with VIZIO Internet Apps
• Enjoy MP3/WMA/AAC audio from connected USB devices, along with customizable slideshows of your favorite JPEG/PNG photos
• Connect wirelessly with 802.11n Wi-Fi or use built-in Ethernet wired networking to access online entertainment
• .. Entertainment from top Internet services like Netflix, VUDU HD movies, Pandora internet radio and more
• Built-in WiFi connectivity with Internet Apps lets you easily access entertainment..
• Built-in WiFi connectivity with Internet:get access to entertainment from top Internet services-Netflix,VUDU HD movies,Pandora internet radio, etc
• Enjoy up to 7.1 channels of digital audio output via HDMI with Dolby* TrueHD and DTS-HD audio technology
• The ultimate movie experience with Full HD Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and VIZIO Internet Apps

I have been testing Netflix Streaming players for quite a while. This is my primary focus.

Having experienced all levels of interfaces I rate them three ways:

1. Does Search (for titles), Also does Genre, and does Instant Queue.

2. Does Genre and Instant Queue (no search function).

3. Instant Queue only. You manage what you can select from a PC at the Netflix website.

The VBR334 is a level 1 , best Netflix interface, does it all.

Most other Vizios I have tested do NOT do level one, they mostly are level 2.

I will say that most products that stream do not do anything other than level 3.

The game consoles also are excellent, but cost more than this VBR334 Vizio Blu Ray player.

WIRELESS: built in wireless how can you possibly go wrong for this price ? Other manufacturers only do

wi-fi ready for an additional cost. This is built in.

BUT... you need to understand that to maintain N level wi-fi speeds you need to use WPA at a minimum.

WEP will not allow N, the player will do WEP, but other Vizio models need to be reconnected

each time they are booted, the WEP key is remembered, you just have to select your SSID and connect.

Once you learn this and get past it it is okay. But if you have an N capable router , use WPA or better

and it should all be fine.

We are actually pretty excited. I have been testing these units for months and can finally stop,

purchase enough VBR334's to go around and be done with it.

Hope this helps others out there who are also looking for capable streaming devices that play Blu Ray.

Buy VIZIO 3D Blu-ray player with Wireless Internet Apps and HDMI Cable, VBR334 Now

Beware.. although this is advertised as having "Vizio Internet Apps", it DOES NOT have the standard suite of apps offered on the Vizio Internet Apps Web site!... Includes a very limited suite of apps and DOES NOT include Amazon Instant Video! I called Vizio customer support to see if there was a software upgrade and was told this unit is not upgradeable to the standard suite of apps. As other have noted, it is painfully slow to load... and generally slow to respond.. I have already packed it up for return...

Read Best Reviews of VIZIO 3D Blu-ray player with Wireless Internet Apps and HDMI Cable, VBR334 Here

I have had the vbr334 for a month now. It has worked perfectly on all types of disk. The netflix streaming is great and the wireless network is great. It is worth noting that it only supports 2.4Ghz so no dual band support.

I have finally found my first glitch with Tron 3D. While it works great, I must first disconnect the net to get it to work or it will just stop. I believe it is trying to access some online connect and it fails. This could be both a problem of the player and/or the disk manufacturer.

Over all I am happy with it. I have used vizio online chat for support and it has been acceptable. The one word of caution is this is a new unit and Vizio is still working the bugs out. But, with online firmware updates I assume this will not be too much of an issue.

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This unit works pretty well for playing 2D and 3D BDs (blu-ray disks), although it is often unresponsive to its own IR remote, as well as to a programmed DISH remote. As other reviewers have noted, it cannot play a lot of DVDs (digital video disks). I used it for a year to play 2D and 3D BDs and liked it. But when my family tried to use it to play mainstream DVDs, purchased from Amazon and Costco over the last decade, it failed to load over half of them, each time chugging away for varying amounts of time before ejecting the disk. A long chat with Vizio tech support led to the conclusion (from both sides) that there was no fix for this defect. I have other DVD players and combined DVD/BD players, all of which have no problem playing any of these DVDs; it is only this Vizio product that can't. My conclusion is that this is a serious design defect for which Vizio has no remedy. DON'T BUY this product if you need to play DVDs, or if you want a useable remote control capability.

Purchased at Amazon and wouldn't think of going anywhere else.

We have it mated to a Vizio TV.

Non-HD DVDs look as good as some of the HD DVDs. Only problem we had for about 2 days was that the player was turning on and off and making the DVD drawer come out by itself. Then it all went away and worked fine. We're in a tight neighborhood so maybe someone else's remote was activating it. Other than that, the thing works perfectly. We haven't used the widgets although they pop up pretty quickly when you remote them. Hooks up in a heartbeat and shows beautifully. So far I give it a high recommendation.

Canon ZR65MC MiniDV Digital Camcorder

I have been researching entry-level digital video cameras for quite some time now. The consensus of the reviews seemed to be that the Canon ZR range of cameras was excellent value for money but that some people were disappointed with the level of motor noise captured.

I decided to take advantage of Amazon's 30-day money-back guarantee and try the ZR-65 out.

I am extremely impressed the video quality is great. It has lots of great features that I won't repeat here. The most important thing was that the motor-noise captured was no issue at all. The motor noise seems prominent when played back through the camera itself but was barely detectable (I'm tempted to say *un*detectable) when played back through a TV/VCR.

I'm speculating that this is due to a number of possible reasons :

(1) The response of the built-in speaker is such that it amplifies the motor noise

(2) Some sort of audio filter is applied when playing the tape through the A/V out ports

(3) The motor noise seems worse when playing through the camera itself because you can hear the noise of the tape motor as it *plays* the tape

Whatever the reason, the motor noise is not the issue that some others have suggested it is. If you are not sure I would recommend trying it out and being sure to play the tape out through a TV/VCR.

I've tried the video pass-through and tested that I can capture video input from my VCR into Mini-DV format.

The other main criticism I have seen is that some digital camcorders have problems with low-light conditions (especially indoors). Some preliminary tests here also indicate that this isn't an issue, although it does require some manual manipulation of white-balance. The special low-light mode helps but at the expense of shutter-speed so you get noticeable jerkiness when panning.

The battery life of the standard battery supplied with the camera isn't great, but that came as no surprise to me having read other reviews.

Overall my initial impressions are that this is a fantastic camera for the price. I am looking forward to trying out the Firewire capabilities of the camera when I buy a desktop for non-linear video editing!

I just don't understand the reviews for this camera. I've had the camera for over a month and I find the picture quality to be good in all situations, including indoor shots. I was a little disappointed in the image stabilizer.I've used cameras that are good at image stabilization and this one isn't one of them. I shopped around a bit and found the zr65... so I really can't complain. I have had a very good experience with tech support. I was having a problem connecting with the firewire card and I called to make certain I was doing everything right with the camera. Turns out I needed to update the driver for my video card.The tech walked me thru this and I now have video on my computer. The optical zoom is great. The display is bright and clear. The supplied software works fine. Even my wife can use it,and she can't work the toaster. It may not give professional quality results, but you know what,I'm not a pro.This camera is exactly what I hoped it would be.

Buy Canon ZR65MC MiniDV Digital Camcorder Now

the zr65 is in the middle of canon's zr series. upgrades over the zr60 include a more powerful optical zoom (20x vs 18x) and still photo capability of 1 megapixel, USB port, and direct printing capability.

pros:

powerful 20x zoom. while less powerful than its sibling (22x for zr70), 20x zoom is still better than most (sonys typically have 10x zoom).

miniDV media is widely supported.

generally good video quality in well lit situations.

pass-through analog-digital conversion.

many optional accessories using the accessory shoe.

great connectivity options: firewire, USB, S-video, headphone, mic input, etc.

1 megapixel still photo capability.

direct printing capability.

low price, okay value.

cons:

the deal breaker for me is poor low light performance expect very grainy video unless the room is well lit.

the accessory shoe is not a hot shoe; this means that while you can get a third party video light, the camcorder will have absolutely zero interaction with the light. contrast this with sony, which has some video lights that will even adjust light intensity automatically depending on inputs from the camcorder.

colors a bit washed out in videos.

included battery life could be better.

bottom loading cassette can't remove tape while camcorder is on a tripod.

motor noise can be heard when recording a quiet room.

the supplied 8MB SD card is inadequate be prepared to shell out a few more bucks for more memory.

while easy to hold, this camcorder is a little bigger than its competition: 2.3"W x 5.8"D x 4.1"H, weighing 18.5 oz.

for its feature set, it is hard to beat the price of the zr65, but you get what you pay for. if you shoot mainly in well lit situations, this may work for you. for low light situations, you can also use a video light. but for outdoor shoots with low light, video lights won't help much either. check out the panasonic gs70 and sony trv33 as alternatives (more expensive though). i hope this helps your buying decision. peace.

Read Best Reviews of Canon ZR65MC MiniDV Digital Camcorder Here

The first time I saw this camera I've said "Wow... it's so tiny!!!"... It fitted great in my hand and the controls are quite pleasant to use... I've browsed through all features in couple of hours and they looked great... With some imagination I will make very fun movies...

The construction also seems to be very good... Good plastic, few moving parts and robust design... I think it will last for a few years...

The stills looked far too grainy... It will make very bad prints, but they are ok to be sent through email...

The first time I've used the ZR as a VCR to watch my videos on my TV I've said "Wow... DVD quality!", but my first impressions downloading the movies to my computer it's not that good at all... It's far behind DVD quality, I don't know if I've done everything right (downloaded the movies thru fire-wire with the U-Lead MediaStudio 6.5). Anyway, I've just tried it once and downloaded a couple of minutes of indoor videos... This is my first 5 min impression...

The low light resources doesn't work as I'd like to... I rather the IR solution used on Sony products... In the ZR 65 the FPS drops too much and the videos loses somes frames... Also, the image is too dark and you can't see things as with the IR solution from Sony (Night Vision)...

I've read a lot of reviews here at amazon and I didn't hear any motor noise from the camera that the ZR 40, 45, 50 seemed to have... The audio is very good, but sometimes the wind makes a very irritating noise... I'll try the wind shield next time...

Well... to sum up... It's a good entry level camera... It has lot's of resources, it's small, the controls are user-friendly and the design is nice and robust... The cons are the bad video quality indoors (grainy), the low-light resources (sony stuff works much better) and the low quality stills...

...

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I got this as a wedding present, and opened it right away. It takes great low light pictures and the image and sound have no hiss or noise. The playback mode is great. It takes good pictures on the move. The microphone is omni-directional, so it does not pick up conversation in noisy situations well, such as at a reception.

Vudu XL HD Video Download Box

I have an Xbox 360 and an internet Samsung TV where I get either Netflix or Zune movies but I ordered the VUDU because it gave me more options. Its great the setup is easy and it has a hard drive to store the movies you purchase. The interface is easy to use and has recently been redesigned/updated. I use this now as my main option. You can even get 3 types of picture quality (SD, HD and ultra HD). The VUDU allows you to watch a movie on the latest HD TVs using the latest HD quality specs (use v4 hdmi cables).

A great purchase.

Would not connect to internet! After contacting VUDU, I was told you need at least 1 MB of download speed for the box to connect to the VUDU server. I do have 1 MB of service however that is the most I can get or have at anytime from my DSL provider. If I had known this in advance I would not have purchased this product. I am afraid to return it, and it did make a connection to my network, and I don't know what type of personal information could or did transfer to the VUDU box. Whatever, the case, the VUDU box would never complete set-up!

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I think this box has more than a download speed issue as I have a full 6 MB download speeed but I am having the same issue of not being able to connect to the internet.

I purchased a BX100 about a month ago.. new, never been used, in a sealed box..

It is able to connect to the home network.. But, fails to connect to the internet.. Both lights on the front are green when I first turn it on.. after about 30 sec, the light on the right goes red.. Tech support tells me the unit is dead.. How could the unit go through the the set up process, on the tv screen, walk me through the process, then be considered dead??

I'm feeling that it's an internet protocol issue that I just haven't figured out yet.

Anyone out there that can help, it would be greatly appreciated..

Thanks!

Read Best Reviews of Vudu XL HD Video Download Box Here

Toshiba DR430 DVD Player/Recorder - 1 Disc(s) - Dolby Digital Virtual Surround DTS

Functions as advertised. Very simple to use and it gives great results. I would recommend this product. I chose it because of a brand that I have had good results out of.

VideoSecu Color CCD Infrared Night Vision Home Security Camera 4-9mm Varifocal Lens for CCTV DVR Su

Works as advertised. nothing special nighttime is a pain if you have low voltage lighting. star burst obstruct the image when the IR is on. Interior of cover needs to be recoated with something antiglare. Daytime is good though adjustable manually zoom, and focus are a touchy to adjust have a tablet or phone to view your adjustments. be sure to put the cover on before you get off the ladder.

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WindTech CM-01 5/8"-27 Female to 1/4"-20 Male Mic Stand Adapter

• 360° to 90° Rotation
• 5/8"-27 Microphone Stand Threading
• 1/4"-20 Standard Photo Threading
• Serrated Knob for Secure Fit
• Sonic Sense One-Year Extended Warranty Adds One Year to Manufacturer's Warranty.

It just gives me another piece of hardware to adapt to my camera and video equipment. I'm a hardware collector and want any way to adapt things together. It fits just fine and gives me more options with my gear.