Showing posts with label video monitor summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video monitor summer. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Sipix StyleCam Extreme 2.1MP Digital Camera

Sipix StyleCam Extreme 2.1MP Digital CameraThis little camera is great for the person wanting a small, good resolution camera at a good price. The video isn't great. It doesn't zoom. There no audio and you pretty much have to buy the memory card to record anything over 1-2 minutes. It has a timer on it which is nice so you can take picture with people. The flash is BRIGHT. It takes the best pictures in the light. Dark rooms are decent with the flash but you only get what you're shooting at, no background. But I can't stress enough how much you get for [the price]. This is a great camera for traveling.

I bought the camera mainly for email/web sharing of photos for which it seems more than adequate.

Pros:

* USB/PC connection makes downloading pics pretty fast.

* Small and lightweight

* Inexpensive

* Resolution is decent for the price

* Good menu/navigation system makes camera operation easy

Cons:

* No eyepiece to aim camera, so all shots must be framed in the LCD, which can be rather dark for low lighting situations

* Battery life suffers due to the above

* I occasionally lose the USB camera/drive when downloading pics (almost as if the camera goes on standbye). This may be operater error...and I never actually lose any pics.

Overall, well worth the price.

Buy Sipix StyleCam Extreme 2.1MP Digital Camera Now

This camera is really tiny and perfect for carrying around. It addition to taking photos it takes quicktime videos. Its fairly simply to understand and has really good quality pictures. Uploading is a breeze, so extreemy easy. I would give it 5 stars if it werent for its memory and battery life compatibility. The camera is a battery eater. I bought it on vacation with me and it was out of batteries within 2 days. Its also a memory eater, if you want good pictures that is. It has an internal memory of 16MB. That takes about 40 good pictures and has about 100 seconds of video. If you buy it I suggest you but the Memory Card for it becuase youll be glad you did. Overall its a good camera and I really enjoy using it.

Read Best Reviews of Sipix StyleCam Extreme 2.1MP Digital Camera Here

It's a nice and handy camera, but it has several disadvantages. It works really great outdoors, makes great quality pictures and it is the only camera with 16 MB internal space. The camera also has a quick button to enter the menu and change several important settings right away.

The disatvanges come when you try to take pictures inside. You can adjust the settings to different kinds of lights, but once it's dark your pictures are more likly to not be really good. The flash really sucks and since this camera works only with batteries it really sucks the juice out of them.

But if you only wnat to tkae pictures outside and want to have a good camera for traveling, this is the one for you!

Want Sipix StyleCam Extreme 2.1MP Digital Camera Discount?

A nice point and shoot camera about the same size as the popular Canon Elphs, I wanted a small inexpensive camera primarily for use at social functions like sporting events or at clubs and restaurants and it really does a great job. There is no optical zoom but I've had new Fuji's and Elphs both break due to their telescoping lens on power up, so you won't have to worry about that with the Sipix. No special batteries, just AA's available anywhere. The flash is bright and doesn't project very far, but just cover it up a bit for close-up shots at night. A very tiny light camera that fits easily in your pocket and I've been impressed with it's picture quality compared to cameras that cost twice as much.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Swann SW248-LM8 8-Inch LCD Security Monitor

Swann SW248-LM8 8-Inch LCD Security MonitorPurchased this unit in October 2010. Last week (Dec 2011) the screen has turned a reddish hue and randomly powers off. This is the second SWANN Product to fail in less than 14 months (just outside of the warranty period). Unit works great when it worked, but too expensive to be replacing every 14 months. Don't recommend SWANN Products. Cheap made in China junk.

The screen itself is ok, but the video inputs require a special 3.5mm mini jack plug that is very unusual and only swann uses it. The stand it sets on is awful.

Buy Swann SW248-LM8 8-Inch LCD Security Monitor Now

For the price it is probably the best option, and it has several nice features. This is the second one I have purchased, first one died after about 2 1/2 years of service and 24/7 operation time. So it was not unexpected that it failed. Hard to find something that does what this does for the price.

Read Best Reviews of Swann SW248-LM8 8-Inch LCD Security Monitor Here

It displays all the cameras in excellent color, you can do one camera or switch to all four(quad) that show clear screen(s), it work just right to capture uninvivted guest.

Want Swann SW248-LM8 8-Inch LCD Security Monitor Discount?

Purchased this a little more than a year ago and it is now dead. I am going to stream my DVR down to my computer and not use a monitor upstairs. Don't buy this thing! Very cheap and the stand is a joke!

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Monday, May 19, 2014

JVC Everio GZ-MG670 80GB HDD Camcorder (Black)

JVC Everio GZ-MG670 80GB HDD CamcorderThis is a decent camera for the money. Large HD and easy to use laser-touch controls make using the camera a breeze. BUT--the camera records the video files in a file format called .MOD. This is different from the standard .mwv/.avi/.mov files which are supported by most media players and video editing programs. JVC provides a very sub-par program which allows users to download/manage/edit/convert the files, but because this camera records in this MOD format, users are stuck, forced to use the JVC-provided software. This software is fine for very simple home use--uploading to YouTube or converting to iPod, but if you want to do anymore than that (like use the files in Windows Movie Maker) forget it. They won't work. To get these MOD files into a usable format, there are a few MOD file converters out there, but be prepared to try each to find the one that works for your needs and then shell out additional $ for the software.

My taking the time to discover all this was more of an inconvenience than anything else, but buyers need to be aware of what they are getting with the Everio BEFORE they buy.

The ease of use, and quality for the money CANNOT be disputed..... I have been using this camera for a while now, and all around, it's great.

The software is well rounded and refined, and the features are second to none. I bought this, and have NO regrets whatsoever. Don't be put off because of the movie file extensions, as it is not a problem like the guy in the other review said. If you are not computer literate, then buy the VERY handy dvd burner that is directly compatible with this camera, also made by JVC, which is Everio/hd Share Station Portable DVD Burner, model number CUVD3. Just type that into amazon and search, easy as pie.

overall, a fantastic camcorder, and VERY EASY to use... even I figured it out without the instruction book.

Awesome system, just get it and don't get bogged down in the complications of the other camcorders available....

5 stars, my highest recommendation.

Buy JVC Everio GZ-MG670 80GB HDD Camcorder (Black) Now

I've had this camera for a about a week now, so far it's exceeded my expectations. Here was few points of criteria for me:

1. Trying to stay around the 300 dollar budget (factoring in the cost of flash cards vs. built in hard drive allowed for a leverage of going over). 80GB = 19 hrs of recording time at the highest level settings, more then enough for vacation, christmas, babies first step and then some! I look at it as a plus, how many people do you know or how many times have you used a tape and re-recorded over some event, accidentally...

2. Good lens, provides good zoom range, plus some sort of stabilization (digital seems to work fine for me), would of preferred optical stabilization though.

3. Low lux, this camcorder, based on the reviews I read, had better then average for standard def video against camcorders at the same price point. Most HD camcorders at this price point performed very poorly.

4. HDMI output, what's not to love about being able to use 1 cable to hook up to the tv?

If you've gotten this far, and done a little research on this camera, then you've read the complaints about movie file format. Well, they work fine in windows 7, plays them fine, right off the camcorder with windows media player, and can be edited by windows movie maker, only issue with it, is that is doesn't read time & date stamps that are associated with each .mod file.

Pros:

small, price, hdmi output, recording time.

Cons:

no mic input, not sold on the laser touch functionality.

I've included a link below for the review site that helped me in my decision.

Read Best Reviews of JVC Everio GZ-MG670 80GB HDD Camcorder (Black) Here

Love this camcorder!! Took this on my wedding cruise and the videos are great and the zoom is unbelievable!!! Battery life was very good also, although I did take a spare battery with me but I never used it. It is very easy to use and not hard at all to figure out all of the functions.

Want JVC Everio GZ-MG670 80GB HDD Camcorder (Black) Discount?

We bought the camera to replace our 10-year old Panasonic PV-L50 VHS camcorder. I tested a display model at a local Best Buy and was amazed at the clarity of the pciture when I zoomed to maximum and was able to read clearly a small sign (letters between 1/2-inch and 1-inch high) about 60 feet at the end of the aisle). The display model was the last one available, so I passed on it there, and bought it through Amazon.

The JVC is light and easy to hold. The "record" button is easily accessible without being too close that you can accidentally hit it.

Before buying, I read reviews about JVC cameras and was somewhat concerned about ease of editing film clips. The reviews made it seem a complex process. I'm a novice with digital camcorders, so this was my biggest fear. As it turns out, once I became familiar with Windows Movie Maker, there was nothing to fear. If you're unfamiliar with Windows Movie Maker (it came with my Windows Vista), be prepared to spend an hour or two to get familiar with that program editing a couple of clips, splicing them together with the storyboard feature, and successfully saving it to a CD or hard drive.

Look at getting the DB Roth deluxe accessory kit for tripods, carrying case, long-lasting battery, and other useful acessories.

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Canon EOS Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera Body & EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens with 75-300mm III Lens +

Canon EOS Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera Body & EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens with 75-300mm III Lens + 32GB Card + .45x Wide Angle & 2x Telephoto Lenses + Battery + Remote + Filters + Tripod + Accessory KitFor the price this was a great deal. The camera is wonderful. The photos are amazing and my daughter really enjoys using it.

I am a new photographer so that makes me an entry level photographer too.. The camera itself is very nice. If you have medium to smaller hands, it is VERY comfortable and light to hold. All a bit confusing at first, but the instruction manual tells you what you need. The standard kit lens is pretty good, I took some shots today and yesterday and got some pretty clear shots and nice colors. The zoom lens does NOT have anti-shake or image stabilization so a tripod is definitely needed. The tripod is very unstable when fully extended, but is pretty good for the price when extended to the first level. The wide angle and macro telephoto lens' are lens attachments. The wide angle lens has vignetting a bit, but isn't too bad. I didn't like it very much. The macro telephoto lens attachment is pretty sweet though. Got a few clear shots using it.. : The wireless shutter control is downright awesome.. Very helpful with the tripod that comes in this package. Carrying case is standard, but holds everything plus more. The memory card is top notch! No problems yet.. The UV filters are pretty cool, not a lot of difference though. Cleaning kit is pretty standard, but works like any other cleaning kit. Card reader is nice and also comes with a USB extender cord. Does have a second battery in this kit, however, if you prefer all Canon products you should know that the extra battery is NOT made by Canon. Screen protectors are pretty basic, haven't tried them out yet though. Memory card holder is pretty sweet for on the go.. This kit DOES have a wall charger, but only one and it doesn't have built in plug. It uses an external wire to plug in the outlet.

Overall I'm very satisfied with this package deal. Definitely the best I've found so far and everything preforms pretty well for the price paid. Definitely recommend this to the newbie entry level photographer. No disappointments yet! :)

*The only thing I'd like to see added to this package would be a lens hood, but those are really cheap here on Amazon.. :)

UPDATE: Two years later, I've learned a ton with this camera. New photographers need to be warned. The kit lens is the cause for red outlines. Once you get a nicer lens it disappears... ;)

Buy Canon EOS Rebel T3i Digital SLR Camera Body & EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens with 75-300mm III Lens + Now

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Pentax K-r 12.4 MP Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Red Body)

Pentax K-r 12.4 MP Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCDI really love it. It is a little smaller then the K10d. So it fits better in my hands. I like that I can assign the RAW button to the green button to one on off push and that it will go off if I wish after one picture, and the positioning is not where I will be hitting it by accident like on the 10 D that was a big problem for me.

The menu is easy to scroll though and pick the items you wish, changing fields is simple.

I think it has better range in focus in lower light and that is wonderful. I take a lot of low natural light pictures. Great!! I have really been enjoying it.

And I love the RED color!!! makes it mine and easy to find if I lay it anywhere.

I recommend it for beginners and hobbiest and enthusiast a like... I feel it even has great features for a Pentax K-r 12.4 MP Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Red Body)for a pro on the run.

I learned photography back in highschool using an excellent Pentax K1000 35mm camera. Still have it and use it to this day. When I was ready for a real DSLR camera I did like most people and did my research and narrowed it down to a couple options. I chose the Pentax K-r because of Pentax's reputation for quality, affordable products that are easy to use. It only took me a couple of hours of messing around with this camera and I was shooting great photos that I was proud of and posted them online (which is super easy to do).

I also chose Pentax K-r because I did NOT want only a black color option. The K-r's come several different color options. I fell in love with the Red camera body and I've always been happy with Pentax products, so this was not a hard choice, especially considering the cost. I am extremely happy with this camera and would highly recommend it. In fact my girlfriend loved it so much she bought the exact camera but with the Blue body color.

Who knows what will happen to Pentax or Pentax products in the future now that they were bought by Ricoh. So if you're considering this camera then who knows, perhaps it could be a collector's item someday????

Buy Pentax K-r 12.4 MP Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Red Body) Now

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Sony NEX-VG30 Handycam Interchangable Lens Camera (Black)

Sony NEX-VG30 Handycam Interchangable Lens CameraPair your VG30 with 16-50mm f2.8 Sony lens (with E Mount adapter ring) and you have an excellent low light video camera. My videographer swears that the low light capability of VG30 competes with camera in 4-5K price range. I saw the results myself and I must say that video is sharp and bright. We purchased our camera without the kit lens since its f3.5-5.6 range (in Wedding video business a lens that is f5.6 is considered as a paper weight). Another lens that we are planning on pairing this camera with in near future is the 35mm f1.8 e-Mount and the 85mm f1.8.

I am a sucker for prime lens and to me as a photographer, I want my video guy to get shots that are in par with photos that comes out from a prime lens.

Was everything I expected it to be. Still in the process of understanding all it can do. The pictures are crisp and it's quite fast. The view screen on the camera could fool one into thinking the picture is not so great, but when you check the picture after you see that it is actually very crisp. They could have had a much clearer viewer screen so that people are more sure about the picture quality but I imagine over some time one will get used to the screen quality.

Buy Sony NEX-VG30 Handycam Interchangable Lens Camera (Black) Now

Saturday, February 8, 2014

ALZO Multi-Mount® for Attaching Video Gear incl. Microphones & Lights to DSLR or Camcorders or Vid

ALZO Multi-Mount® for Attaching Video Gear incl. Microphones & Lights to DSLR or Camcorders or Video CamerasThis is a well designed piece of gear that is super lightweight and very versatile. I just wish the space 'inside' the cage was tall enough to accommodate my Rode Video Pro shotgun mic. It's not. If it were, this would be perfect.

...although not all the shoes are the same size. Some are tighter than the other. I don't know if it was just mine or if it's standard.

Buy ALZO Multi-Mount® for Attaching Video Gear incl. Microphones & Lights to DSLR or Camcorders or Vid Now

I looked at a lot of accessory mounts to use with my Canon XH-A1S but most were cheaply made and I didn't want it sticking out to the sides like airplane wings. Based on some of the reviews here and the quality of the build I bought one and have not been disappointed. I've got a 7" HD LCD monitor, a 150 LED light and a Rode or AT shotgun mic mounted on it for a lot of work and it's great for my needs. I've also used it on my Canon 5DII and 7D for mounting mics and lights and it's not too heavy for the shoe. If you're looking for something made of metal and quality built this is the mount for you!

Read Best Reviews of ALZO Multi-Mount® for Attaching Video Gear incl. Microphones & Lights to DSLR or Camcorders or Vid Here

the item is just great because you can slide in the mics or lights you have or an lcd screen too. down side is that it makes your camera extremely top heavy, and now that creates your camera to get a bit more shaky.

Want ALZO Multi-Mount® for Attaching Video Gear incl. Microphones & Lights to DSLR or Camcorders or Vid Discount?

This really helped me out, "BIG TIME". I was able to mount all my accessories on it. It got me out of tuff jams.

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Monday, February 3, 2014

Olympus Stylus TG-2 iHS Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom and 3-Inch LCD (Black)Super Bundle With

Olympus Stylus TG-2 iHS Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom and 3-Inch LCDSuper Bundle With Ultra-Compact Digital Camera Deluxe Carrying Case, 16GB SD Memory Card, 3pc.Cleaning Kit, Tripod, and Red Floating Foam StrapGreat camera and meets all of the representations made

I used it in Galapagos and Machu Picchu for 2 weeks in all

types of conditions and it performed perfectly.

I really like my Olympus camera. My girlfriend dropprd the camera the first day and all that happened to the camera was it took an heavy scratch to the right. She got a mean look but both she and the camera are still working fine

Buy Olympus Stylus TG-2 iHS Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom and 3-Inch LCD (Black)Super Bundle With Now

My fiancé and I are going on our honeymoon in a month and I bought 4 waterproof cameras to testthis camera was definitely tied for first in terms of photo quality.

To read my full review (including my photo tests) , check out my blog post:

http://handmadeisbetterblog.com/2013/06/21/choosing-the-best-underwater-camera/

Read Best Reviews of Olympus Stylus TG-2 iHS Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom and 3-Inch LCD (Black)Super Bundle With Here

The camera is very good, but the kit is so so.

It does not have an extra batery like the photo shows, the Red Floating Foam Strap it is not red, they send me an yellow one and the

The case is much bigger than the camera, it is a generic one, they could have send me smaller.

Want Olympus Stylus TG-2 iHS Digital Camera with 4x Optical Zoom and 3-Inch LCD (Black)Super Bundle With Discount?

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Samsung UN46ES6500 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz 3D Slim LED HDTV (Black)

Samsung UN46ES6500 46-Inch 1080p 120Hz 3D Slim LED HDTVThis review is for the 60" model.

First Impressions

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

The box is *huge*. The TV is *thin*. Not even an inch at the edge, and maybe just over in the center. The menus are pretty straightforward. (I don't care too much about the 3D or Smart features of this TV at the moment, and don't have much frame of reference for how to judge modern 3D, so I can't really review these aspects.) The screen doesn't seem too glossy, but it apparently works very well as a mirror because I can see a negative image of my kitchen when it's off.

Struggle

--------

One extremely annoying "feature" of these TVs that I've found out after purchase is the "CE Dimming" feature. This is not the "ECO Dimming" or anything you can control; It's hard-coded into the certain picture modes (Standard and Native, at least). This feature is something that will reduce the backlighting when there is mostly black on the screen. (For example, if there is 100% brightness white text on a pure black screen, it would actually display at a fraction of that intensity due to the backlight dimming). I've read that this is to reduce the appearance of light bleeding in from the edges, since it's edge-lit. This "feature" annoys me significantly, particularly because I am not allowed to control it. After searching around I found out this is called "CE Dimming" and you can hack it by going into the service menu (you can find the instructions online yourself), however messing with it apparently voids the warranty. The only picture mode I found that doesn't use this is "Movie" mode. But, movie mode looks terrible with its default settings.

After 3 days of struggle, experimentation, and research, I've found settings that actually give me a picture I can call "good" or better. I'm not an expert, but I'm technical and pretty picky. So, because I have found no calibration settings for this series of TVs yet, I'm going to provide the ones I am using, if only to prevent any of you from having to obsess over this for hours and hours. I'll offer a little bit of explanation as to why I'm setting it the way I am. I got some guidance and expertise from a known site, but as of right now they do not have professionally calibrated settings. What I did is by eye only.

Settings

--------

Picture Mode: Movie

Backlight: 15

Contrast: 100

Brightness: 46

Sharpness: 10

Color: 50

Tint: 50/50

Dynamic Contrast: Off

Black Tone: Off

Flesh Tone: 0

RGB Off: Auto

Color Space: Auto

White Balance: 25 for all

10p White Balance (R, G, B): ON

Interval 1: -8, -7, -7

Interval 2: -10, -3, 2

Interval 3: -9, -2, 6

Interval 4: -9, -1, 8

Interval 5: -10, 1, 10

Interval 6: -6, 3, 10

Interval 7: -9, 5, 10

Interval 8: -1, 5, 8

Interval 9: -5, 1, 6

Interval 10: 0, 2, 0

Gamma: 0

Color Tone: Warm2

Digital Noise Filter: Off

MPEG Noise Filter: Off

HDMI Black Level: LOW

Film Mode: Auto2

Auto Motion Plus: Clear

LED Motion Plus: On

Comments on the Settings

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

Movie mode is the only mode I found that doesn't use "CE Dimming", which is a huge annoyance to me. (I'd rather see edge-lighting, easily. Not sure why I can't control that, Samsung.) Backlight, brightness, and color are kind of like salt and pepper: Use to personal taste in your environment.

A note about almost all the other settings: I like an eye-popping, colorful picture as much as the next guy, but I don't like it at the expense of information loss. From my own experimentation (in Standard and Native modes), all the Dynamic Contrast and Black Tone settings did was flatten out the low end of the blacks. Dark scenes look like "paint by number" with all kinds of banding and digital multiplication/division. Lame, worthless settings if that is the effect, and a problem in general with "digital" stuff.

Standard white balance isn't fine-grained enough to make the adjustments to any of the picture modes that are necessary, in my opinion. I messed with it for a long time, so I know. :) The only way to get actual, fine-grained color control is to use the 10p White Balance settings. Now, I only know this from messing around with it, but what this does is allow you to control the individual colors R, G, and B as 10 different intensities, from black to white. So, Interval 1 is the darkest reds, greens, and blues (close to black), and Interval 10 is the brightest R, G, and B, close to white. If you use "Expert Pattern 1" you can see how this works. Short summary?: Red is WAY over-represented and blue is WAY under-represented when everything is set at 0. Everything looked neon until I calibrated this, particularly the reds, and greens to some extent. (Maybe they can create a "1980's" picture mode!)

The noise filters aren't needed when you have everything calibrated correctly. They are kind of an excuse for having the eye-popping over-saturated settings that Standard and Dynamic mode come with. I'm not too sure on the Film Mode and LED Motion Plus. They didn't give me any noticible changes. The Auto Motion plus is nice, but I found that it starts getting choppy when you have other effects going on, including a lowered sharpness (I imagine it must be doing some extra calculations for that.) So, I only set it to Clear because it doesn't seem to get choppy with that set, but still provides some stability and smoothness in fast scenes.

Overall

-------

I give the picture (once it is set correctly) a 5/5. The fact that I can't adjust certain "features", combined with the level of screwing around it requires to make the picture look good makes me lower that. Seriously Samsung... why can't there be a default mode in here that has professionally calibrated settings? You must know that the reds are way too saturated, right? You can still set it to "Standard Mode" by default to create eye-popping pictures that make people buy the TV. But with all your expertise, why not just have a mode that has all this stuff pre-calibrated and save us the time?

EDIT (2012-05-28): After further tinkering, I think I have refined settings to make the picture pop a little more without ruining the picture. Use above settings, but adjust to these:

Dynamic Contrast: LOW

Black Tone: Darker

HDMI Black Level: LOW

Color Space: Native

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

EDIT (2012-11-06): Now there are finally professionally calibrated settings available (have been for a few months). You can do a search for "un60es6500 calibration" and it's one of the top results. But, there are problems with those settings. The major one is the regular "White Balance" blue offset setting. They say to use 28. The problem with this is that increasing the offset makes the black baseline move up. So, 100% black now appears brighter. I've adjusted their settings and come up with a slight modification that I think looks fantastic. (Also, my experience with the latest firmware 001023 from Nov 1 was NOT GOOD. It wouldn't allow any picture mode except Dynamic. I did a factory reset, and things are better now.)

Picture Mode Movie

Backlight 17

Contrast 100

Brightness 45

Sharpness 10

Color 60

Tint G50/R50

ADVANCE SETTINGS

Dynamic Contrast Low

Black Tone Off

Flesh Tone 0

RGB Only Mode Off

Color Space Native

10pt White Balance On

Gamma -1

Expert Pattern Off

xvYCC Off

PICTURE OPTIONS

Color Tone Warm2

Digital Noise Filter Off

MPEG Noise Filter Off

HDMI Black Level Low

Film Mode Film2

Auto Motion Plus Clear

LED Motion Plus Off

10PT WHITE BALANCE

ON

Interval Red Green Blue

1 0 -1 -1

2 -1 -1 -1

3 0 0 0

4 -1 0 +1

5 -1 -1 +1

6 -1 -1 -1

7 -1 -1 -1

8 0 0 0

9 +1 0 0

10 +2 0 0

WHITE BALANCE

Setting Value

R-Offset 25

G-Offset 25

B-Offset 25

R-Gain 18

G-Gain 23

B-Gain 25

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

EDIT (2012-12-02): I've recently updated to the latest firmware version 001024 and I think it is an improvement. With that update, I've adjusted my settings to the above, but with Gamma -2 and Black Tone: Dark and Color Tone: Warm 1. Looks great to me!

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

EDIT (2013-01-02): I've recently updated to firmware version 001025. I might be me imagining it, but I think the video quality degraded slightly, and the issue with SmartHub (where the SmartHub will just pop up randomly, for a second or two, for no reason) is still there. Samsung needs to get their sheet together, because this is just silly, for a $2000 product. But hey, once you've got their money, who cares!

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

EDIT (2013-02-18): The SmartHub problem is fixed now. It apparently just needed to be updated to the latest version, and wasn't an issue with the firmware, as I'm still on 001025 and haven't had that issue in over a month.

I got this TV to upgrade from an older Samsung 46" 60htz LCD which I loved. I spent a lot of time comparing TV brands when buying that first TV and didn't have to do much shopping for this one. I knew that I loved Samsung's picture over any other TV except for some of the Sony Bravias but they're overpriced IMO. I wanted a 55" 3D with at least 120htz and this one fit the bill. I bought the last one on Amazon so I came back here for this purchase. They delivered it quickly and it was in perfect condition as expected.

I was initially aprehensive about this TV after seeing it only got 3 1/2 stars in customer reviews so I read all the reviews. I found that the people who gave the TV a negative review were all upset about the Smart TV internet features. Slow connectivity when using a browser, Netflix, Youtube, etc. I understand their reason for being upset because a TV that includes those features should function properly. Unfortunately these rely heavily on your internet connection speed which may not be fast enough to support them. Oh well, buy a faster internet plan. This TV is on the low end of the Smart TV spectrum so I wouldn't expect those features to perform as well on it considering the other 3 models above it have dual core processors built into them to handle that. Buy one of those models with the dual core if you're main reason for having a TV is to surf the internet or watch youtube. Or just use your computer for that like the rest of us. The actual "TV" is top-notch and the 3D is spectacular!

I agree with some of the reviewers that the picture needs tweaking to get it right. I was fully prepared for that because I had to tweak my last Samsung for a while before getting the picture just right but once it's set, it's awesome. This TV has even more options to tweak so it can get confusing for the inexperienced but it's capable of producing one of the best pictures out there if you know how to tune it. The Dynamic, Standard, and Native picture modes are actually pretty useless unfortunately. Set it to Movie mode and start tweaking. Yes, it starts out dark so increase the backlighting and brightness, bump up the color and sharpness, high auto contrast, darkest black level, etc... If anyone wants my specific settings I'll list them if you ask.

The 3D is simply awesome. Home theater 3D isn't going to be as good as going to an IMAX theater but it's still pretty sweet. One thing to keep in mind is that the picture mode settings that you did in TV mode don't carry over to 3D mode nor do they carry over to the other sources, HDMI in, Component In. So, if you have a PS3 hooked up to HDMI you'll have to edit the picture settings for that source to match the main TV settings so you get the same picture in both. Game Mode limits the amount of settings you can tweak so you have to use your judgement with that but if you match everything you can it'll work out fine. Just remember to turn Game Mode OFF before watching movies because it degrades picture quality.

I'm sure this isn't the best review out there for the TV but it might be of some use to some of you. If you're considering a 3D TV and you're not overly concerned with using it as a web browser and just want a great TV then this is it. Once dialed in, the picture is fantastic and the price is right. If you're interested in the Smart TV features MORE than watching a great and inexpensive 3D TV then pay more money for the next models in the series that have the dual core processor. Regardless, stick with a Samsung because it's always the best picture for the money.

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The Samsung 6500 LED 3D TV is a great option for anyone in the market for a mid-point LED television. It offers many of the options of the higher price sets (such as the high-end Samsung 8000 series), but lacks the pricier cutting edge technology (Such as the motion and voice control). Through-out the video portion of this review reference the LG LM6700, which is at a a similar price point.

Notes-

Picture Quality It took some tweaking, but once I had it properly set-up the picture quality was very good. The picture is crisp (which you would expect from any 1080P set), but it also offers better brightness than our LG LM6700. The LG always seems a little dark, but the Samsung 6500 offers better overall brightness, and to me, it makes the picture *look* better. One other thing, until I got the picture adjusted properly, I did notice some color blooming which subtracted from the overall picture sharpness... never fear, this can be adjusted out. Some people may also be concerned with the 120Hz refresh.... I also own the Samsung 8000,and my version is 240Hz, and I don't notice any difference. I guess the only time it maybe noticeable is while watching a 3D Blu-ray.

3DThe Samsung 6500 comes with 2 pairs of active (read *battery operated*) 3D glasses. Using the Samsung 6500 to convert 2D to 3D works, ok, but it will not take your breath away. I used it to watch a baseball game, and "Men in Black" and while I noticed the difference it was not dramatic. The LG LM6700 uses passive glasses, and to me, seems to have better 2D to 3D capability.

Sound Again, it took some adjustments to get the integrated speakers to sound the way I wanted. It required me to turn the surround setting on, and play around with the set-up. One thing to note, is that out-of-the-box, the Samsung 6500 makes a clicking noise every time you raise or lower the volume. This is pretty annoying, but it can be disabled.

Features This is what separated the Samsung 6500 from some of the pricier models, but to me, it really doesn't matter. The Samsung comes with a nice programmable remote, plenty of applications (Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, Pandora,...although Amazon is noticeably absent). However, as I mentioned it does not come with the voice and motion control of the Samsung 8000 series. The Samsung 6500 offer "Family View" and Fitness channels... but in all honesty, I really have not used them. In terms of features, the LG LM6700 has very similar features but they are better organized and easier to use.

Back Panel I mention it in the video portion, but the Samsung 6500 offers 3 HDMI inputs (which is enough for a Game device, DVR, and Blu-Ray... or some other combination), 1 component input, 0 (zero) RCA and S-video inputs, and optical output, a LAN input, and multiple USB inputs. I question why modern TV manufacturers have completely dropped RCA inputs they still come in handy.

Wifi The Samsung 6500 comes with built-in wifi.

Final Verdict The Samsung 6500 offers a great picture with plenty of apps you would expect. While the LG LM6700 does have it beat on ease of use (it requires a lot less tweaking), but ultimately it can not offer the ultra-bright picture of the Samsung 6500. Is the Samsung 6500 the greatest LED TV on the market... nope, but it may be the best one at this price point!

4 1/2 Stars

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Let me start with PROS

Ultimate configuration with awesome 3D experience, super clarity and sound quality. Would buy it again when below issues are resolved.

CONS:

Hell lot of software Issues:

1) All of a sudden Netflix froze and it doesn't respond to any remote control button. I have to power it off and when I power it on with wifi and/or wired connection I see multiple issues as below

2) After the above step if i power on my TV it starts with a Green horizontal line on the top edge of the TV

3) When ever this happens it loses all my Network settings and it doesn't connect the Smart HUB (Netflix/YouTube). It doesn't even detect my WIFI or a wired LAN connection.

4) Whenever YouTube gets stuck/freezes TV doesn't respond to remote control and on restarting the TV wired or wifi connection gets disconnected and doesn't detect wifi or wired LAN connection.

5) At times when I watch YouTube TV restarts all of a sudden.

6) When ever I restart YouTube if I forward the earlier video I was watching the amount of forwarding/image doesn't match with the time it is buffered for. Ex: Fast forwarding the video for 30 mins approximately shows 1 hour 30 mins on the seek bar of YouTube.

7) Netflix doesn't connect thru wifi initially so I have to connect through LAN cable

8) 3d doesn't work with Netflix

TV Model No: UN46ES6500FXZA

Version No: TS01

Serial No: Z4XXXXXXXXX179M

Below are the Transaction numbers for the calls made to Samsung support to resolve. But nothing helps.

1) Samsung Transaction No: 2xxxxxxx40 -Was to reset to factory settings only to see the issues again.

2) Samsung Transaction No: 2xxxxxxx60

3) Samsung Remote Diagnosis Chat Session ID: LTK56xxxxxxxx4X

4) Samsung Transaction No: 2xxxxxxx07Level-1/Tier-1 couldn't help this time. They escalated to Level-2/Tier2 Support & i was put on brief hold every time and I was finally heard from Samsung that the crash & restart are firmware issues are being fixed in an firmware update across E models which is being fixed. Do you want to wait for a fix and live with the issues till you get a firmware update? I wouldn't do that when I am spending so much on a TV.

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After purchasing a Samsung UN55D7000 about 6 months ago (2011 model) which I was very happy with, I needed a new TV for my bedroom and this model was the perfect size and it had many of the same features.

This TV is the 2012 model and is still fairly new, they are still working out the bugs with the smartTV side for the 2012 models at Samsung. I noticed that this TV does not have the HBO2GO app yet and I read how it is because it is a 2012 and the app has to be changed.

Also the Browser is not working, this could be an issue with just my tv but I tested it and it would not connect.

I compared this TV next to the D7000 and it was exactly the same but it did not have the "spotlighting" that occurs on the 2011 models. The blacks seem much blacker also.

I have not tested the 3D part, one good this is that this model comes with 2 pairs of glasses, they are the ones with batteries you have to replace and they do not recharge but I did not buy it for the 3d part.

I tested the Pandora app and it worked the same as other my other TV. The entire Samsung model line up seems to be ahead of the curve and quality seems to be great. The tv is very thin and crystal clear. The built in speakers sound good.

Pros

Clear Picture and good colors

Samsung smartTV huge fan of how it works and the ease of use

Cons

Browser is not working and some apps are not ready for the 2012 line up (yet, no worries they will get them working)

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Saturday, August 17, 2013

Lorex SG6130 2.4 GHz Wireless Camera & Receiver System (Black & White)

Lorex SG6130 2.4 GHz Wireless Camera & Receiver SystemThis camera worked well except the night vision. night vision only displayed an image if the object was within 2-3 feet of the camera. I would

call this camera a low light camera.

I dont' think its the best camera. Sctatchy noise has to be plugged in to extension cord because batteries are rechargeable and last only 4 hrs. Good for the price to be able to watch things and the audio is good.

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Ok, this product does what it says it does sometimes. It wouldn't work straight out of the box, and then magically started working. When working it worked very well. Also, it has a tendency to interfer with the wireless network in my house.

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I didn't expect much when I bought this and . . . . well I didn't get much.

It barely works when the camera is 3 feet away from the receiver. Very cheap quality just like the price.

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I am a computer technician, I also install surveillance cameras, everyone needs to understand, if you have a wireless router that uses 2.4 Ghz frequency, the picture will not be clear, it lasted a while, then the wire got pinched in the window, the whole camera burned, in the inside, could of started a fire, if you have money, buy wired cameras, they are alot better!

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Cable Matters Gold Plated DisplayPort to DVI Male to Female Adapter

Cable Matters Gold Plated DisplayPort to DVI Male to Female AdapterI needed a cable for my new notebook Display port to be able to plug in my TV via HDMI. There are many other adapters out there for much more money, but this one gets the job done at a great value. It is great that it has a flexible cable in between instead of the one piece... that is just asking to be broken if you ask me on those other models. This one is flexible and connects securely in the port. Sound is also transmitted through this adapter. This is a plus because it is an optional part of the Display port standards, so not all adapters support this feature, but this one does. Great Value... would definately recommend.

Hi, Got the cable/adapter on the day it was promised to recieve. Thanks for Amazon for their continuous efforts in making things better for their customers and meeting their promises.

Now back to review, This cable i bought for my Lenovo Thinkpad T420 laptop and it worked excellent. Picture quality was way better and sound was exceptionally good. Worked by just plug and play method. No drivers required at all.

I also observed that quality is better than the direct HDMI cable which i used in my another Lenovo Y550 laptop with NVIDA graphics card. Where as Thinkpad was with corei5 processor supported graphics chipset and still the quality and sound was better in Thinkpad. Go for it and grab yours before it get sold out. Reasonable price as compared to other listings, build quality is strong. There's also the button on display port which you need to press to pull out the adapter. I liked this button as this avoids loose connections causing faults.

Highly recommended for Thinkpad Users as it is tried and tested in mt own T420 model.

-Thanks

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I purchased this product with hesitation based on the many poor reviews of similar products that stated the clip was too tight/too loose/broke off/etc. My video card has an HDMI port and a displayport. I already had a monitor using the HDMI and my monitors don't have a displayport so I needed this little adapter. I haven't had any issues with this product so far. I've had it in the back of my desktop tower under my desk for a month now and it has been performing perfectly.

UPDATE: 11/30/2012

Still working without any issues. I've had to move my computer a few times since purchasing but I haven't had any issues.

12/18/2012

Another move and still no issues. It feels solid so I really can't understand how people had a bad experience. They must have been yanking on the cord or something because it works fine for me.

If this reviews was helpful in your decision to buy or not, please let me know! That's how I know where to improve in my reviews.

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I purchased this Cable Matters Displayport to HDMI Cable Adapter Male to Female (sold by Cable Matters, fulfilled by Amazon) to hook up my Lenovo Thinkpad X220 with DisplayPort to my HDTV.

Video worked fine but sadly, audio did not pass through. I tested this using two separate HDMI cables and two different HDTV sets (Toshiba Regza and Panasonic Viera) which I believe ruled out the tv set or cable, leading me to suspect that this cable adapter just isn't compatible for my use.

I loved the construction, the connectors look to be gold plated, the DisplayPort end has a locking release tab so it won't wiggle its way out of the laptop by accident. I prefer a cable adapter vs a dongle adapter (without cable) because I feel that it puts less stress on the laptop DisplayPort connector, especially if accidentally bumped.

As much as I'd love to keep this, I can't live with just video without audio, so I sent it back.

This may work with other laptop models but it didn't with my Thinkpad X220.

Update: 8/13/2012.

Bought a different adapter, made by SIIG worked on my X220. The SIIG cable gauge was also thicker and the adapter was slightly longer. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0021AEYS6

I switched back and forth between the Cable Matters and the SIIG linked above and the SIIG was the only one out of the two that worked to transmit audio as well. Again, this was for a Lenovo Thinkpad X220.

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This cable works perfectly with my Dell e6400 XFR. I purchased a full length cable that had the Display Port to HDMI board on the Display Port plug side and it would not fit through the holes in the XFRs dust cover. There is no issue with this plug and it has worked with all the HDMI monitors and systems I have used. 23in to 50in all 1080p+

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Saturday, July 20, 2013

IEI / VWBOX-E122 / 1 x DVI Input, 4 x DVI Output, 2 by 2 display (2 x 2 Video Wall Controller)

IEI / VWBOX-E122 / 1 x DVI Input, 4 x DVI Output, 2 by 2 displayI found this device in youtube website after i watch the review about it iam search about it in amazon.com then i found new and used i see the price for used one it's good for me i buy it and then i received it's wonderful every think ,,,, good luck