Digital Dash Camera

Customer Ratings:

Here is a camera that records at 320 x 240 at 15 FPS (a specification left out of almost every description of the product). I am fine with that. It's only $80.

The field of view is also very small, so that you can see little more than what is right in front of you. I am fine with that. It's only $80.

What I am not fine with is that 1 in 5 times you try to record, it will simply not respond. The only way to get it to respond is to unplug it, and plug it back in. If you are using batteries, you have to remove a battery and replace it (by the way, Energizer lasts about 2 hours total with the thing. I did not try the Lithium flavor of Energizer though).

And if that is not enough, sometimes it acts like it is recording (you know this only by a flickering blue light). You see some real ridiculous stuff on the road and you are all excited to get it off the memory card and post it on the internet (maybe even add some music). Well, turns out it recorded everything in black. At the bottom of the solid black video there is normally a line that looks similar to recorded video, but it being only one pixel in height you really can't make anything out. Why it does this, I don't know... but it has happened to me several times the worst of which when the roads were icy and it did not record lots of footage of cars going sideways. Expect to see solid black footage in at least one in ten videos you record.

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Canon EOS-1D 4.15MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Customer Ratings:

I know it has only 4 MP sensor, but pro autofocus, 8.3 FPS, pro body with weather sealing, built in hand grip. Put a fast lens on it and I seriously doubt any of today's camera will focus any faster. Just a touch on the shutter button and 45 points come into action and in AI SERVO MODE it is impossible to loose your subject. A regular camera you just fun with, but this one you have fun but times 5.

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Yamaha RX-V475 5.1-Channel Network AV Receiver with Airplay

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $449.95
Sale Price: $349.99
Today's Bonus: 22% Off

This is my first receiver purchase in 20 years. This receiver replaces an old Denon that had great sound but, of course, it didn't have Airplay to work with my vast iTunes library and a DAC to improve the sound coming from compressed digital audio. I am very picky about sound but wouldn't characterize myself an audiophile, since I don't have the budget to go there. Having said this, the Yamaha RX-473 seems to have a reputation as a one of the better sounding receivers for the price competing with Onkyo, Denon in the entry level audiophile components. I almost purchased Denon, but my gut feeling after reading hundreds of reviews is that the Yamaha was the way to go. Onkyo was never an option, due to its history of problems (although to be fair, they seem now living up to their high quality reputation recently).

Virtually every review of the RX-473 makes it out to be one of the best values on the market without sacrificing sound quality. What made me wait for the RX-475 is that it now includes a Burr Brown DAC made by Texas Instruments. The DAC functions on every appropriate sound source per Yamaha's literature. Another thing is that the RX-475 has bluetooth capability so that I my wife can use wireless headphones (once the soon to be released receiver is available), though I'm sticking to a better sounding traditional copper wire connection for my cans.

For those who don't know, a DAC is a Digital-to-Analog Converter. It turns 0s and 1s on a digital file such as that on a DVD, CD or Pandora, usually in the form of Pulse Code Modulation, into an analog electrical signal that our audio electronics can understand and amplify so that our speakers make sounds. As you might imagine, an ADC turns analog signals into digital signals, which is important for recording. Processors/receivers often have both ADCs and DACs in their circuitry in order to do many different audio related things. Burr Brown DAC 's are known as quality products but nowadays there are many good DACs. 2013 RX-X75 line features Burr Brown DACs as opposed the undisclosed DAC in the 2012 line. Most other receivers in the this price category don't list their DAC circuitry as something to brag about. All indications are that the Yamaha Burr Brown does the trick . I use an Audio Engine D1 DAC for my desktop listening and love the mellow 3D sound that it produces. So I'm picky about how my digital sources are treated. The sound on the RX-475 using Pandora, iTunes & Netradio sounds controlled smooth and non digital. So far so good.

Setup was ok. It could be easier since the manual focuses on non set top box setups. I use Tivo, but any cable box would be treated a setup that is certainly an option, just not as primary option detailed in the manual. btw make sure you load the Manual CD and immediately get the manual, which is in PDF format to your tablet so you can have it to refer to in FRONT of the receiver. Once I got The RX-475 networked I was stumped by it not able to use my network even though the status was CONNECT. After a bit if frustration I restarted the receiver. That did the trick. Installation of the IOS app was easy on my ipad and iphones. Airplay works great and I can now play Pandora from my Mac to my whole house including the RX-475, Airport Express and other computers with speakers using 3rd party applications like Reflector. I've used the RX-475 for 3 solid days and have to say that I no longer use the remote. I only now use my Tivo Remote. but for anything related to the RX-475, I use the iOS App exclusively. In fact, sometimes I just go back and forth between the Tivo and Yamaha apps on my iPad and have complete control of my entire entertainment experience . The only minor complaint I have is that there a slight audio click that I hear when I rewind or forward 30 seconds on Tivo. Whether its a Tivo or Yamaha problem I have no idea. Other than that, the RX-475 is great upgrade for anyone in the receiver market . Let's hope RX-475 bluetooth transmitter/receiver solution works as well once its released.

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SYNC by 50 Cent Wireless Over-Ear Headphones - White by SMS Audio

Customer Ratings:

Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program

There is a lot to love about the SMS Audio SMS SYNC by 50 Wireless Headphones. You can see a few of the features in the video portion of the review, but here is the executive summary to the review. Please note that I tried and owned dozens of headphones and earbuds including the Beats Studio by Dr. Dre (which I returned). So hopefully I can bring some perspective to the comparison.

Sound Quality Very impressive sound certainly comparable to the Beats Studio by Dr. Dre. They may not have quite the booming bass as the Beats Studio, but they have smoother response across the entire audible range. I noticed a difference classical music they had a very nice response and were not overly bright. I am not disappointed.

Noise Isolation These headphones do not offer noise canceling technology, but they do offer very effective noise isolation. Even when the music is comfortable levels you will struggle to hear the people around talking. I was very impressed by the amount of ambient sound that I couldn't hear.

Comfort Easily the most comfortable headphone or earbuds that I have ever used. The cuffs fit the ears snuggly but feel like giant puffs of cotton strapped to your ears. The band does not pinch your head no points to poke your head or hard plastic to rub against your head. In terms of comfort these are the top-of-the-line.

Durability and FitVery solid construction no sign of flimsiness (If that is a word). In my opinion the feel much more solid that the Beats Studio I am very impressed.

Wireless Functionality Probably the main reason why you will spend the extra case to buy the SMS Sync by 50. The wireless functionality works well, but I was not able to get 50 feet probably closer to 30 feet before I started getting some drops in the music. At first I thought it had something to do with my house, but then I went outside and found similar results. While 30 feet will work great on an airplane or in an office it may limit you if you are working outside or wandering between rooms.

My main beef with the wireless functionality is that the tack forward and reverse does not work wirelessly. I understand why, since the wireless dongle plugs into the headphone jack so it can not control the ipod/ipad/iphone/device that it is connected to. This is a clear difference between using the Kleer technology and Bluetooth.

Other Points of Interest -

One thing to recognize is that these headphones are enormous they do not fold (which probably adds to their comfort)

There is a blue light on the sides that blink. While it is kinda cool your fellow passengers on an airplane may become annoyed. Fortunately, you can disable the blue light.

Up to 4 headphones can be connected to a single Dongle. This is a bit cooler than it sounds. This is great for gaming, movies, or other group listening activities.

Comes with a headphone wire that allows you to run them without the need of a charge on the battery. The headphone jack also has an integrated microphone and volume control.

Battery life is 17 hours which is crazy long.... this means that your battery life will last long enough for both ends of a trans-Atlantic flight.

Final verdict If the price was 50 percent less these would be an easy 5 star recommendation, but at the current price point it is hard to look past the flaws with the wireless connection.

4 Stars

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Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 3 Student and Teacher Edition

Customer Ratings:

I am a college student with very limited funds and there is no way I could fork over $300 for the regular version. As much as I loved this program during the 30 trial, I knew it would be years before I would be able to get it. Then I found out Adobe discounts it for students and teachers! This is the same as the regular version. When you get it in the mail you have to provide proof you are a student, or teacher or whatever, through a website and then they email you a serial #. I really do appreciate Adobe lowering the price for us poor folk. Thanks again.

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Sony Alpha DSLRA350X 14.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Super

Customer Ratings:

I don't have several hours to do a proper review on this excellent camera, but I can quickly share the high points. It has great "human factor" engineering, meaning it fits your hands like a glove and all the controls are easy to access. The camera/lens combo is very light and easy to handle. If you have any Minolta lenses, they fit. The ability to view the picture on the large, bright LCD instead of through the viewfinder is a definite plus in many situations. 14+ megapixels ... really, how many more do you need?

Here's the bottom line ... I worked for Kodak, I've been a serious amateur photographer for decades, I've shot thousands of pictures (hundreds so far with this camera) and it leaves nothing that I can think of to be desired. If you want to spend more bucks on a Nikon or Canon, have fun. But for my money, this little beauty is a clear winner.

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Motorola RAZR V3 Unlocked Phone with Camera, and Video

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $299.99
Sale Price: $58.90
Today's Bonus: 80% Off

I've been using a black RAZR for 3 months and here are my thoughts:

THE GOOD

========

FREE!! with a T-Mobile 1-year family plan

Better reception than my previous, 3 yr-old Nokia handset (6610)

Can use the same phone when travelling in Europe, Asia. Just need to get a pre-paid SIM chip locally.

Can be charged from laptop using included USB cable.

It's BLACK.

THE OK

======

Passable voice quality. (Maybe it's just because it's GSM technology, and coverage is not fantastic in outside of cities.)

Slim profile, though a little heavier than my previous handset

Nice colors in screen. Great ringtone sounds. Though these are pretty standard nowadays.

Decent bluetooth range. Paired this with a Jabra BT800 headset and I can run into the coin laundry with my ear piece and still connect with the phone in the car outside.

THE BAD

=======

Short battery life. 7 hours talk-time as advertised is a imaginary. Phone starts to beep after 2-3 hrs of talking.

Organizer (calendar, alarm, notes, contacts) doesn't sync correctly with Outlook.

Oily screens!! The inside and outside screens and the metallic keypad get oily fingerprints after every use (is it just my skin?!) Looks yucky and kinda destroys all the aesthetics.

Tried wiping now and then but notice minor scratches start to accumulate. (My clothes are not always cotton and I don't usually carry eye glass cloth.)

Low camera resolution. Other new phones have close to twice that resolution. Pics always kinda dark.

Camera doesn't take video.

No MP3 or radio. Some of the newer Nokia and Sony models are close to iPod Shuffle capacity already.

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Plantronics Voyager Legend Bluetooth Headset - Frustration-Free

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $70.23
Today's Bonus: 30% Off

UPDATE (Oct 2013)

Thought I'd add to my experience a year on from the last review.

It seems the headsets dont hold up like they used to. I had 3 of these all of them have died on me. Let me explain -

1. Each of them start with the same issue callers on the other end say I sound like Im really far away. The only option is to turn off the headset and use the phone instead.

2. Calls randomly drop off from the headset and transfer back onto the phone

3. Battery life has dropped over time.

I wish this experience was just me but its happened to my wife's headset as well. After replacing my own with a second unit I've come to the conclusion that these headsets dont hold up in the long run.

Hope this helps someone out there.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

I've owned Plantronics headsets all the way from the glorious Discovery 640 days; moving on to the 975, Voyager PRO +, PRO UC+, UC V2 & M50.

I work as an IT consultant and attend many conference calls through the work day and sometimes require 2 headsets to keep going Not that I'd like to; but even the best battery life these headsets offer fall short sometimes.

For anyone coming from a Platronics Voyager Pro series line of headsets :

HARDWARE:

Feels much better this time around. Im sure there are a few out there who may have this problem the tip at the end of the boom mics of previous Voyager Pros use to shaped like a bulb (sort of...) and since the tips are made of metal its easy to dent them if you accidentally place a heavy object on it. I've managed to do this on two of my headsets cos I threw them in with my laptop charger while getting into flights. The headsets continue to work fine but the body is damaged. The Legend headset addresses this issue by giving the boom a smooth psuedo-cylindrical design

The call button has moved to the back of the boom mic as well takes some getting used to; but better cos I dont accidentally end calls when trying to adjust it on my elephant ears.

The Volume control has been changed to give a more 'toggle/rocker' like feel as compared to the old headsets where the volume buttons used to be flush with the piece that goes behind the ear. You can be rest assured that you'll be doing volume control a lot more efficiently with the Legend

I'm not sure if this applies for everyone; but the reduction in size and weight of the new headset is definitely a blessing for those (like me) who wear glasses.

Ear Gels Same as before; this is one aspect I dont really like about plantronics headsets cos they never seem to fit snug in your ear. While they more than make up for this flaw (in my opinion) with excellent volume levels and clarity; I wished they would come out with a design thats close to the in-ear buds you get on stereo headsets these days they could just copy the earbuds on their own new Backbeat Go models.

Mute button finally. The bottom of the boom mic comes with a dedicated button you can use for voice commands. This button can also be used to control Mute On/Off while on a call. This is a HUGE improvement as compared to Plantronics old approach where you'd have to press both the volume control keys to mute on/off. I'd never get it right most of the time cos of the issue with the buttons that sit flush with the headset (refer comment on that above) and I'd have to control mute from my handset to achieve this.

SMART APPS -

The apps that come with the headset arent much to brag about. The battery meter for one; is now available on Android. This used to be an iPhone exclusive feature.

Voice based answer/rejection of calls This is 50/50. I found that I had to yell "ANSWERRRR!!!" at the headset for it to pick up my voice and answer a call for me. This is really strange cos this headset now comes with 3 microphones instead of two and still cant hear me??? To validate this further I tried speaking to the caller at the same raised pitch I used to "answer" the call and they said I was talking way too loud or seemed agitated. Makes me think this is a software issue then cos the phone can definitely hear me; it doesnt seem to process the actions well enough.

Smart sensor Works much better that the original Pro UC +. The original went bad so quickly that Plantronics pulled it off shelves before ppl knew it and replaced it with V2. I've had them replace my headset because of the sensor issues on the original. They launched the Voyager PRO HD next which was actually the stabilized version.

BATTERY LIFE Offers the best battery in the market in my opinion. I've tried to wander off to other brands to check if I were missing on something and I've tried headsets from Motorola and Jabra. My most recent test was the Motorola Elite Sliver cos I wanted a break from the boom mic and thought the simple behind ear-concealed design was an excellent idea. I returned it in a week cos I faced issues with dropped calls, callers asking me to "speak up", faster battery drain, etc.. Granted that it did come with a charging case, but the charging case didnt hold that much charge either and drained itself pretty quickly if not used. So I went back to my UC V2 and waited till this one came out. Ive been using it without re-charging for two days and I'm at 50% o I believe the 7 HR talktime claim.

Charging the proprietary new charging connector by Plantronics may send a lot of loyal customers in the opposite direction. But I genuinely believe they did this out of consumrs best interest cos of the really tiny usb ports. Like I said, I need upto 2 headsets on some day and plugging it in for charge is one of the many things I do while multitasking and I really do feel relieved when the headset latches itself to the magnetized charger. I do agree with other reviewers that it is a concern as well cos you're now stuck with a single cable and cannot charge as easily with just any micr0-usb cable as before. You can love it or hate it its purely a consumer thing.

Bluetooth 3.0 they've advanced on the tech here; so it should instantly improve on call quality and battery consumption. The call quality has always been solid for me on all previous Voyagers so I cant say its improved much but I wouldn't doubt it either. Most mew smartphones come with Bluetooth 4.0 nowadays that means lower energy consumption. If Plantronics were to integrate this and launch a flagship that looks like the Motorola Elite Sliver, sound like the Plantronics Legend, weigh as much as the Plantronics 975 I'd buy it in a heartbeat.

But like I said they prefer to get better; step by step.

Hope this helps someone out there.

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Nokia Lumia 720 Yellow Unlocked Quad Band GSM Smartphone - WCDMA

Customer Ratings:

Throughout my experience with smartphones, the experience has largely been the same through their lifetime. This is with Android devices and with trying IOS devices. This is my first Windows Phone. Well with each one, in the beginning honeymoon period, I would try everything I could. I would download an excess amount of apps trying to see how I can make the phone more interesting. Then I go around trying the camera. Then progressively it just becomes a weather, e-mail, social networks, and most importantly a telephone and texting device. This happens every-time. I look at new phones and think how much more powerful they are getting and then soon after I realize that not much has changed and I'm not even stressing the hardware with my usage. I try to watch videos from Hulu, Crunchyroll, Netflix, or Youtube and each time I realize that I don't like watching videos on such a small screen. I would rather on a tablet. So this review is mainly in the opinion of using as just a phone with a good calendar and email app.

The performance is great. It is incredibly snappy and consistent. I haven't had a single crash in the two months having this thing. Things run fast and there really isn't any frustration at all with this phone. It is really straight forward in everything. People will caution you on the 512mb of RAM but that is only a real problem with the best looking games. Everything else is fine. Gaming on a phone isn't even that great of an experience. I always ended up on any phone trying the nicest looking games and then defaulting back to puzzle games, tetris, word search, sudoku, and bejewled. Battery life is the best thing about this thing. I'm not a heavy user. I can get through a couple days without needing to recharge. I use this thing mainly for email, communication, news, and to monitor my Fidelity account with their app. This is the most pleased I've been with a smartphone in terms of battery life since the days of regular tank Nokia phones. The screen is very nice and even though the resolution is sub-720p, everything looks crisp and vibrant. The camera takes very detailed photos in comparison to most other smartphones especially in this price range. My main motivation for buying this phone was for the camera and battery life. This phone excels in both of these.

It's a gorgeous phone. The design looks amazing in person. The thing feels solid and built tough. I put it in a case just out of paranoia but it probably isn't necessary. the screen so far hasn't been scratched so that I could notice in my pockets. I haven't dropped it once. I was able to put in a 64GB SDXC card and it worked immediately after formatting. It does very well as a music player. It pretty much doesn't eat at the battery much at all. To manage the music I use Window Media Player; the sync app is atrocious. Nokia has a pretty nice equalizer and it supports Dolby headphone. This thing can drive an AKG Q701 pretty well at about 50% max volume. My desktop needs amping with those headphones but this phone does real well with them.

This phone is a great deal. Look around and find it for less than $350. Unless you require the customization of Android, this phone will be more than sufficient. Unless you want to play the most graphics intensive games available, this phone will suffice. Just think how you use your phone before buying one of the $600 top of the line phones. If your just using it for communication phone, text, facebook, email or news and finance apps, this phone will please you. It has a great camera, comparable to the high end phones and the battery life will get most people though the day without reacquiring a recharge. You can use it to watch movies/tv but I don't like watching on such a small screen. I love this phone. I only worry about Microsoft being slow to update things. Nokia though churns out great applications and features. If you're buying a Windows Phone, right now Nokia has the best support for their devices.

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Complete Professional 8 Channel Real Time H.264 (2TB HD) DVR

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $2,350.00
Sale Price: $1,060.00
Today's Bonus: 55% Off

This system provides very good quality videos. It is not hi-definition but very good for standard definition. My only real complaint is that the seller does not send any instructions for installing the system and that it took a while to get in touch with their tech support people because they were so busy, but once I did talk to them, they were very helpful including setting me up with access to my system via the internet or smart phone. They did send me an onlink with some instructions I wish they would have provided instructions or a link when they shipped the system. However, their instructions are 12 links to 12 specific items and not a comprehensive instruction manual. That is the main thing GW Security needs to improve. I am very happy with the system. It was a bit of a pain to run all the wires from the DVR to the 8 separate cameras, but that's to be expected with a system like this. I like that this sytem comes with 500' of bulk siamese wire for two reasons: (1) this wire without end-connectors routes through mich smaller wall/ceiling holes than wires that comes pre-terminated, and (2) I can cut each wire to exactly the length I need and therefore there is no waste. I used 488' of the 500' wire so it worked out great. Lastly, I linke that the cameras I purchased are adjustable focal length (zoom) so I was able to set each one just like I wanted (most I left at full wide angle 2.8 mm which covers a lot of area more than a 90 degree view). Thanks!

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JVC GY-HM150U Compact Handheld Pro-HD Camcorder

Customer Ratings:

After 6 months of research, I finally went the the JVC-HM150. In the end, the reason was a no brainer. I am a wedding and event videographer. My clients expect me to deliver a great video

for which they a paying top dollar for. Imagine telling the bride you lost the footage of the most happiest day in her life because of SD card failure. This would truly give you a bad reputation. The fear of loosing footage is now over. The JVC-HM150 has dual card slots, where you can record on to two cards at once. If one card should ever fail, the second card will keep right on rolling

with no loss of footage. This was a big factor for me. Another big selling point was this camcorder is final cut pro friendly. While every other videographer are scratching their heads and

loosing sleep because they can't figure out how to import their AVCHD files into their computer...Here I am with 3 hours of footage that will take only 30 minutes to capture to final cut pro. "WHAT A BLESSING THIS IS"...The JVC-HM150 records to .mov format which makes capturing as easy as pressing a button. I also don't know what all the fuss is these days about 1/4 size sensors. This camcorder has three 1/4 size ccd chips and works great in low light. Sure, you might have to tweak it just a bit in low light but at 15 db of gain, the image is still fairly crisp.

You should always use an on board light anyways...no matter what size chip cam you are shooting with. Oh, and I forgot to mention, NO jello or rolling shutter effect, thanks to the ccd chips.

The JVC-HM150 is compact but yet very solid and well built. It looks very professional, just slap on a head set and most people will think your from the local news. And if you don't want to stand out in public, the handle and shot gun mic is removable allowing for low profile shooting. The shotgun mic that comes with the unit works very well. I love having the lens cap

built into the lens hood, that way, you will never loose it. It also has full manual iris, focus, zoom, white balance, gain and shutter control. I am amazed at how this camera shoots in

automatic mode. The iris wheel might seem a little small and sensitive, but like anything else, once you get use to it, it's really not a big deal. The LCD is very sharp and clear and easy to see

when filming out doors. The view finder could be better, at times seems blurry even when properly adjusted. The zoom rocker works very well and comes with 3 levels of adjustments.

There are six user buttons where you can custom set all the settings of your desire. There is also gamma and color control along with all the shooting modes from, 1920/1080 60i 50p 24p to 720 or 1440 and more. The picture quality is stunning. It leaves bigger and more expensive cameras in the dust. Don't let the size fool you, this is a beast when it comes to filming any event. Yes, there is no perfect camcorder, so it seems, but for the money, I think this one comes close. The pros out weigh the cons on this machine. If you are an event videographer this

camcorder will full-fill your needs and if you work with final cut pro you will be more than happy.

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Canon EOS 1D Mark III 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Customer Ratings:

In the last 3 years I have gone from 2 different point and shot cameras to the Canon 30D to the Canon Mark III. With each camera, I was telling myself this should do it for some time. I read and learned as much as I could with each camera. When I got the 30D I was on cloud 9 this was great it would be nice to shoot faster though. When I heard about the Mark III coming out, I knew that was hopefully the last stepping stone I would require for sometime.

This thing rocked couldn't believe how fast it could shot. I was surprised at how many shots were out of focus though (birding). I didn't experience anything like this on the 30D. I read about the AI focus problems and thought well this is what is happening to me. For the next 5 months Canon stone walled me on a weekly basis. Promised firmware fixes, this fix that fix, reps telling me off.

I wrote a letter to Yoroku Adachi (President of Canon U.S.A.) and got a call back from one of his people. Very apologetic but same old please be patient and apologies galore but still we won't replace it with a functioning camera it is a minor issue (again I was told that by numerous reps) I say it is only minor if you don't use those features.

5 ½ months later it got fixed. I missed the birding season but there is next year (I was told that by a rep too!). It looks like the problem is fixed and looking forward to spring migration. If someone is reading this and hasn't purchased any camera gear yet, buy Nikon. I have too much invested in Canon gear to switch.

I would probably give the camera 4.5-5 stars now. Canon Support would get a 0.

Updated: May 29th, 2008

With the latest firmware updates and hardware fix, I would give this Camera an easy 5 stars. I have shot plays indoors at ISO 1600 (no flash) and can't believe how sharp shots come out.

My issue is still with Canon Tech (lack of) Support. I called yesterday about the WFT-E2A and got the usual run-a-round about the product. If you don't think you will ever need Canon Tech (lack of) Support, go Canon.

Updated October 11th, 2009

Well, I finally sent my camera in because I have been getting Error 99's since February It is nice that it is working agaiin but I have no idea what to say about this camera when it works it is great but I have had it for about 26 months and out of that time it had either the auto focus problem out of the box and error 99 problems. I would say I have had to deal with the camera being defective for about half of the time I have had it. Canon Support had me do all this useless stuff which of course involved me spending money on memory cards, calibrating the battery, using the AC adapter, various lenses, and cleaning contacts.

I was able to limp along with the camera for about 8 months because I came up with my own 'solution' of pulling the memory cards out, removing the lens, using the ac adapter (instead of the battery), and plugging in the TC803 and just setting that to shoot away until the error 99's stopped. I would than leave the camera on it on and changed the tc803 to take a picture every 3 minutes so it wouldn't go off into error 99 land again.

If I were a pro I would have dumped all my canon gear because this thing has been so unreliable. I have resisted purchasing any other canon bodies because of all the headaches I have had with this thing. Canon Support was friendly but wasted a ton of my time and some more of my $$$. It would be nice to get some sort of gift card from Canon or a lens at cost for all my mental anguish.

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Yukon Nvrs Tactical 2.5X50 with Internal Focusing Night Vision

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $719.99
Sale Price: $517.62
Today's Bonus: 28% Off

This is the night vision I was looking for , I had two of the 1.5 x 42 yukon scopes and they are ok if you know what to expect out of a gen 1 tube and $400 also if you can get past the ugly green that is different colors in different spots (why not black guys?) . The problem was that besides the normal fish eye effect that is common with gen 1 scopes , it was lacking in the focusing department . Yes it had the back ring but that really is just for the cross hairs to clear up and not be doubled while looking at them . I could see some what clearly with the cover down at very short range inside the house ( like 10 feet ) when you opened the cover it was a total blur . Outside I would really have to fight the double cross hair problem when looking at something specific ,I do not wear glasses nor need them... I saw a rabbit one time at about 30 yds and knew it was a rabbit but I really could not identify it clearly . Deer or hog size game you can see but you are limited to under 100 yds trust me 75 should be the limit really . I searched for a scope that could clear things up and be reasonable . I searched for days and just got sick of hunting for one that wasn't $1500 or more . I also learned through my research that Sightmark owns every company I was looking at ( yukon , pulsar and one other company its not ATN ) also that listings of gen 1+ and 2 gen + means nothing other then current production tubes . The life time warranty is only for 3 years on yukon and sightmark scopes tubes which is better than any other company . I heard too many hit and misses with ATN products and decided to avoid them . I looked at this scope and saw it had an adjustable objective ring in addition to the rear ring adjustment for $150 more..and it also has is a weaver rail on the other side (not shown) to mount an IR light or laser that the 1.5 does not have and its BLACK!!!! way better looking . I took it out at night with 3/4 moon and minimum cloud cover....OMG it is totally worth the extra $150 looking at the same places that I did with the two other 1.5 x 42 scopes. It was the difference between being ok with a product or totally satisfied and happy .The 1.5 x 42 only gives you a small center that is useful... the outer edges are of no use and that is a known issue with gen 1 so I understood . This scope maybe due to the focusing objective ring may have helped in correcting the problem a little because I have much better edge to edge clarity . Now when I look at something that might be blurred I just roll the front ring and its clear as can be. My cross hairs are on point after a turn with the rear ring .The person that stated he could not get it sighted in through the pin hole ..well your not suppose to do it that way, it even tells you in the instructions to do it at night with the cover up. I have not sighted it in yet but the others were done that way with no problems and if this one don't then I will let you know . The adjustments knobs have positive clicks and seem to track well .The IR light that is mounted on the scope is decent for about 75 to 100 yds and I think a added IR light would really light things up after looking at some videos, so I ordered one from here and am still waiting for it from China ...There is a great review on the 2.5 x 50 scope on youtube showing you what you will actually see when using the scope, you just have to put yukon scope in the search and it shows a dirt road with power poles . The image in the video does not do it Justis compared to actually looking through it in real life . The other scopes are set up for a locked in focus for the masses , this one lets you adjust for each individuals eyes . So people when asking yourself should I get this one or the cheaper one ???? think about this..... how many times have you gone through $150 with a tank of gas thats gone in less than a week with going to dinner and the movies added in ????..Them items are gone now but invested here will last for years and give you a great viewing experience every time you look through it instead of saying , I wish i could see a little farther and what is that over there ? ....I can tell you its a rabbit now for sure ...I hope this helps some of you in your decision.

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Sony DVPSR510H DVD Player (Upscaling)

Customer Ratings:

I purchased this DVD to play movies on DVDs attached to a high definition SONY TV via HDMI cable. I was looking for basic functionality that works well at a good price, and this is exactly what I got in this unit.

I am attaching a collage of three photos that I will be referencing in this review.

Photo #1 shows everything that came in the package: the DVD player, instructions, 3-RCA component video coax cable, remote and batteries. NOTE: HDMI cable is NOT included.

I placed the unit next to the rulers so you can see the dimensions of the unit: 10.5 inches long x 8 inches wide x 1.5 inch high. The power cord is 58 inches long.

The top of the DVD player is flat, so I was able to stack other things on top of it. The unit has no display, other than a green light next to the power button which tells you when the unit is on.

Photo #2 shows the DVD on a digital scale. It is very light weighing in at 2 pound and 1.4 oz

Photo #3 shows the back panel and the HDMI cable (not included). HDMI (High definition Multimedia Interface) delivers audio and high def video over the same cable. When you use HDMI cable you don't need to use the RCA cables that came with the DVD. I am showing the shape of the HDMI connector in case someone will find it helpful as it needs to be purchased separately. Amazon sells them at a really good price DVI Gear HDMI Cable 2M 6 feet.

UP-SCALING

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This unit provides good up-scaling. Up-scaling is the ability to play standard definition DVDs on a high definition TV. Standard definition TV set and regular DVDs have a maximum resolution of 720x576. The high definition sets have higher resolution. If you play a standard definition DVD on a high resolution TV the video without up-scaling feature the video will look pixelated. Up-scaling adds pixels to the video to smooth out the pixelated images. The final image is not as good as tru Blu-Ray DVD, but I find it completely acceptable. I am watching the movies on LCD TV. Up-scaling works best on LCD and Plasma TVs, and not as well on CRT-based high definition TVs.

The default HDMI output from HDMI OUT output is set to 1920x1080p. This can be changed if needed, and is controlled by the TV/projector settings.

SUBTITLES and FAST/SLOW SPEED CONTROLS (Section added based on an interesting comment question)

--------------------------------------------

The DVD player supports 5 speeds: 0.6x, 0.8x, 1x (normal), 1.2x, and 1.4x. The speed is changed by repeatedly clicking on the fast/slow speed button on the remote. There are two ways to turn on subtitles: at the start of the DVD and at any time via remote. The sound is very good at each speed, however the subtitles are only shown at normal speed. When I tried forcing them on at another speed via remote control the player generates a message "operation not possible". As soon as I return to 1x speed the subtitles are shown again.

DVD player supports the following file formats:

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1. Video: MPEG-1

2. Photo: JPEG

3. Music: MP3

Supported extensions:

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.mpg, .mpeg, .jpg, .mp3, .wma, .m4a, .wav,

Supported disks:

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DVD, DVD+-RW/+-R/+-R DL, Music CD/Super VCD, CD-R/-RW

RESTRICTIONS:

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Files with copyright protection (digital Rights Management) cannot be played

Lossless files cannot be played

The player cannot play images in DVD-VR mode with CPRM (Content Protection for Recordable Media)

The player is designed to play disks with Compact Disk (CD) standard. DualDisks and music disks encoded with copyright protection do not conform to CD standard and may not be compatible with this unit.

WARNINGS from the manual:

-------------------------

1. To play a complex hierarchy of folders may take some time. Create albums with no more than two hierarchies.

2. The player will recognize a maximum of 200 albums and 600 files

It can recognize 300 photo and 300 music files if Photo(Music) is selected

3. The player cannot play a video file of size more than (720 width x 576 height)/2 GB

The remote is compatible with the following TVs:

------------------------------------------------

Sony (default)

Hitachi

LG/Goldstar/NEC

MGA/Mitsibishi

Panasonic

Philips

Pioneer

RCA

Samsung

Sharp

Toshiba

INSTALLATION:

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1. Plug in HDMI cable

2. If you are using HDMI cable ignore RCA cables enclosed in the box

3. Plug in DVD into power and attach HDMI cable to the TV

4. Now you need to configure your TV to recognize the new HDMI component

For my SONY TV there were three steps

4a. Under components menu Label Video inputs

This option tells TV which HDMI input to use and which one to skip. My TV has four HDMI connections, one already used and three were available. I was not sure which one I used for DVD so I enabled them all in this step

4b. I went to the list of all inputs where I saw all 4 HDMI connections I tried each one. Two of them generated an error that there was no input, one was my old connection (DVR) and one was the new DVD. This told me which inputs I should disable.

4c. I went back into "label video inputs" and set the label to "skip" for the two HDMI connections that told me "no input"

Overall, DVD player works well. The tray operations smoothly, the quality of the display is good, the remote works well. The only thing I don't like that the DVD turns off itself in 30 minutes if I put it on pause. I would have liked the ability to control this manually, or alternatively have the automatic power off be 2 hours. The unit does not shut off if it is being used. The auto shut off happens if the unit is in pause or stopped.

Ali Julia review

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Q-See QC818-1 8 Channel Digital POE Solution NVR

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $751.99
Sale Price: $740.18
Today's Bonus: 2% Off

This is my second Q-See NVR purchase. First I got the 4 channel NVR and now an 8 channel NVR. The POE cameras are great since you only have to run a single thin cat5e wire. It's cleaner if you have the tools / ability to cut the wire to length and put your own ends on. Also, it was cheaper to get the whole system with 4 cameras than the cameras separately. Also, S@ms club has it real cheap.

Here are some observations that may save you some time:

-Be prepared to spend some quality time getting to know the interface. This is the fun part right? Once it's setup you can mainly use your smartphone for monitoring.

-The setup interface on the NVR can not configure all the functions. The included PSS software also can not configure all the functions. You will need to use both the NVR itself and the PSS software to properly configure the NVR. I suggest setting it up with a monitor and mouse next to your PC and go through the configuration first on the NVR then install the PSS and go through all the options again until you have it working. Again, neither interface can completely configure it alone and this is why I knocked off a star. To top it off, its not like a whole function is done with a particular interface, its just certain check-boxes and fields that show up in one vs the other.

-The PSS software has its own user ID / password separate from the NVR. Don't get them confused.

-Use PSS to format the HDD. In PSS, add your device then under Device List right click your device and select Advanced --> Device Config. Under Advanced --> HDD Management you can format the drive and it will reboot. This was one of the steps I took on both NVRs before it was working properly. I'm not sure if this was necessary but it can't hurt when its new.

-If you are wondering why it is recording all the time it is because it defaults to "manual" for the extra stream. Go to the same place where you format the drive but choose Record then Extra Stream then set it to Schedule.

-The PSS software GUI was corrupted looking on Windows 8. I fixed this by right clicking the desktop and choosing screen resolution then "Make text and other items larger or smaller". I then set it to "Smaller 100% (default). Apparently it don't work properly with larger settings.

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Kingston DataTraveler I - 4 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive DTI/4GB

Customer Ratings:

After opening the package, I popped my DTI/4GB into a USB port and copied a number of relatively small files to it (310 files totalling 5.1 mb). It took a full 2 minutes (that's 44 kBps), which was slow enough to convince me I'd gotten a lemon (I copied the same files to my old Sandisk Cruzer 1 gb in 20 seconds). After a couple emails to tech support, Kingston advised me to return it for a new one.

The new one arrived quickly, but performed identically to the old one. For kicks, I installed Sandra 2008 and benchmarked the device's performance. I found that, for small files (512 B), the transfer rate was barely 1 kBps. I contacted Kingston support again, this time providing more details about my testing and the benchmark results I'd gotten out of Sandra. The tech confirmed that this is a low-end device, that the slowness I was experiencing was normal, and that I probably should have sprung for something in their DTS line (too rich for my blood).

Now the good news. If you don't tend to copy a lot of small files, you'll probably be perfectly happy with this device. Once the file size gets to about 256 kb, writes to this drive speed up nicely. Reads are always fast. And tech support was exemplary. My only other complaint would be that the cheap plastic case does not inspire confidence.

No matter how you look at it, however, this is not a 5-star item by any stretch of the imagination. Not even for the money.

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CIB K808AV500G8653 8CH Network Security Surveillance KIT w

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $512.00
Sale Price: $459.00
Today's Bonus: 10% Off

I bought the 8 camera system from USA Security listed here. I would have given five stars, but it's four for the product not the firm.

The company shipped out a package missing a power supply for the main DVR unit. However, when I wrote and called to complain, they immediately shipped out a replacement power supply without any trouble whatsoever. This firm seemed committed to resolving sales problems for its customers, and for that I'm grateful. I'd definitely buy from them again, and would recommend others purchase from the firm as well.

The device works as advertised. Images from the cameras are straight 480i, and what's recorded is really about 320i, but then again so what. I'm not making a movie, I'm recording video of the exterior of a property. I don't care about image quality, I care about having proof for insurance adjusters and law enforcement. I've installed about half the cameras and got the DVR working, so I can say for certain that it works as advertised.

However, and here's why the fifth star is missing, the DVR system is based on Linux. It's clearly imported hardware from China. Unfortunately, the manufacturer doesn't include source code for the Linux portion of the product. Yet, that's a requirement of the GPL license agreement for Linux. Frankly, I doubt USA Security has any control over their Chinese manufacturers they're likely just buying in bulk and selling an imported product. But they should know that if they could get their customers source code, folks like me just might improve it. I'll need the root password too.

For the vast majority of potential buyers, this is not an issue. If you want a cheap 8 cam security system, this device will do the trick. But it sure would be nice if these manufacturers actually read and followed the license agreements of the Free Software they base their products upon. Following that license would actually benefit them and their customers as well.

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