BabyPing Secure Wi-Fi Baby Monitor for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch BABYV002

This is really an excellent camera for Baby monitoring! I give it a 4 and not a 5 since I was having significant problems with the App that's provided by BabyPing.

From my perspective, BabyPing goes to great lengths in order to make the setup process as simple as possible. They do an auto detection of the camera, and once that's done, you should just expect to launch the app and immediately see what's going on with your child.

Yet, the simplicity of the app seems to be its weakness: It failed to connect most of the time for me, and when I was debugging the situation, I found out several things that I did not like, like the app requesting your WPA key over the network and also no way to do a port forward so that the grand parents can view the child and no support of more than one camera.

But there's no point complaining, as the camera itself is an excellent product.

Taking that into account, I have written my own app for the camera. It is on the app store. Just search for BabyPing, you'll find it next to the app from BabyPing: It is called BabyPhoneViewerFree. Once you've set up your camera with the BabyPing app, you can use my viewer to connect to (up to four) BabyPing cams, and while the original app was failing to connect most of the time, my app seems to work more reliably and instantly connects. What's more, it supports VPN and Port Forwarding use scenarios, and also some level of zoom.

In addition, the app allows to connect to many other types of webcams, e.g. traditional Y-Cams.

The fact that I wrote the app is not a criticism about the product BabyPing itself. It is an excellent product, and that's why I invested some time in extending it, since I think this is really worth while for many parents around this world.

And since fiddling with your app to connect to the camera is really the last thing you want to do if you hear your baby crying, I went on to improve an already excellent product.

I've been using the BabyPing monitor for over a month and have been pleased with the performance. I purchased the BabyPing for 2 reasons: 1) the BabyPing iOS app seemed to be most feature rich of other iOS Baby monitors and 2) Y-Cam, the makers of the camera have a good reputation for web cams.

So far the app/camera has worked well. I have always had a good connection, there is a slight delay of 2-3 seconds, but nothing that would ever cause an issue. BabyPing has also been updating the app and camera firmware regularly which I appreciate. They have added a few new features and I hope they continue to do so.

The only drawbacks I have found is that there isn't an easy way to travel with this camera...it requires bringing a network cable to setup the wifi connection, would be nice if the camera could save a list of WiFi connections and the camera would connect to which ever one was available. That way you could set it up before hand and not need the network cable. It would also be nice to see native apps available outside of iOS, or open up the web interface.

Overall I'm happy with my purchase.

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I got a Baby Ping camera about 3 months ago to keep an eye on my new son.

I don't normally do reviews but this one is worth it because everyone with a child needs one of these!

You get the ability to keep an ear and eye on your child while they're asleep, don't have to run upstairs every time you hear a strange noise, and don't have to open the door to see if they're ok (ie waking them up), and all of that through you're iPhone (or iPad if I had one).

The video image is very clear, even in night vision mode. It's easy to set up for pretty much anyone I think, and the instructions are not just a bad translation from another language which is rare these days. My only tiny gripe is that the video is about a second behind real time, but that's prefectly understandable and really not a problem.

Possibly the best bit is that it can run in the background on your phone rather than having to have the app constantly on screen.

Two thumbs firmly up.

Read Best Reviews of BabyPing Secure Wi-Fi Baby Monitor for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch BABYV002 Here

It took less than 15 minutes to install and set up on three devices (one ipad, and two iphones). It works great for our son, who is having night terrors and we can make sure he's ok without waking him up. The only downside is that there is a 5 second delay on iPhone and a 3 second delay on iPad. It is great that we can finally go out and be able to check on him from anywhere. When using baby ping+ software from outside home, you typically have to refresh about every 15 minutes. The picture quality is excellent on day and night vision camera. We did not experience any "lines" or poor video quality at all, as some other users noted. Depending on where you position the camera in the room will determine the audio quality (it can sound high pitched), although you just need to adjust the placement of the monitor to get the best audio and video. I highly recommend this monitor to any Apple user.

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This item is great with local wi-fi use, but the app that you have to use when traveling out of the local wi-fi spot is a bit challenging. Other than that this is a solid product.

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Sony Professional HVRM25U HDV Record/Playback Deck

For professional use, classic Sony quality. There's really nothing else like it on the market. The JVC equivalent costs almost as much and JVC always comes across as more of a "consumer" item.

Menu set-up will be difficult for non-pros, but if you're buying this you're probably already beyond "consumer level," so you'll know how to deal with it. I added a component video out card (from B&H Photo/Video) that Amazon did not carry. The picture output quality to a component video monitor is fantastic especially "downscaled" HDV to a standard definition monitor. You'll be able to use one of these decks in almost any digital video production environment.

MobiCam Audio Video Baby Monitoring System

11/27/09 Update: I have posted my original monitor review below. Before, my only complaint was that it was "staticky" and I had to move the receiver around to positions where it wouldn't interfere with other devices. After about six months of use however, it made a loud permanent buzzing sound whenever I turned the volume on regardless of where it was placed. It was so annoying it was unusable. The only way it was tolerable if I turned on the video portion only but kept the sound off which didn't work for me since I'm not always looking at the monitor, especially at night when I'm sleeping!

I called Mobicam to see if I could get a replacement but the length of their policy is something pathetic like a month.

I ended up buying Summer Infant Deluxe Day & Night Handheld Color Video Monitor with 2.5" Screen Blue (Infant Deluxe Day & Night Handheld Color Video Monitor with 2.5" Screen) as a replacement which I'm MUCH happier with even though it as it's own drawbacks. I will also write a review for that.

5/9/09: Love/hate relationship with this monitor (Original Review)

We had our heart set on a video monitor (not just an audio one) and it was between this and Summer. We decided on this one because of the Internet option so we could see our little guy from work.

When the monitor works, it works FANTASTICALLY. We can see our baby both during the day and at night due to the infrared. I like being able to see his eyes -if they are closed, I leave him be even if he's whimpering/crying because it means he'll be able to go back to sleep on his own. If they are open, I go to to see what's bothering him.

That was the love part. The hate part is that there is static galore. The monitor flickers and buzzes even if you place anything near it -it doesn't even have to be anything electrical in nature, the screen fizzes out even if you put your hand by the monitor. If you have a wireless phone, it will crackle louder than the TV in Poltergeist. It is super annoying and I spent a lot of time finding the perfect spot to place the monitor where it wouldn't be affected by anything and where I could still see it.

We have our unit on continuous video monitoring so we always plug it into an A/C outlet, otherwise, we would go through way too many batteries.

I wish we could purchase another video monitor so we can leave one in our room and put one downstairs.

As of now, we haven't really used the Internet option. If that feature isn't important to you, I would try the Summer unit instead since that's the one our friends recommend and it seems to have pretty good reviews on Amazon.

So, I recieved this monitor as a gift at my baby shower. I recieved a total of 4 baby monitors, but since this was the only video one, I kept it and returned the others. I had no idea how comforting it would be to have a video monitor! It's great to be able to see him when he makes noise, and to see if he's just fussing or needs me or whatever. The night vision works great, but the colors are muted with the daytime view. Not a big deal, as far as I'm concerned because you can still see baby well. Does have occasional issues with static, but sometimes you just have to move around the monitor or camera and the problem can be solved. (Surprised that we've only had minimal issues with interference given all of the electronics/cordless devices in our home).

Here comes the BUT... part:

So, we've been using the monitor for six months now, and this morning it stopped working. We've had occasional problems where you would switch it on, and there would be no power to the monitor. Sometimes it took a couple of times and it would come on. (This is using the DC adapter, not batteries). I tried everything to get it to come on, switching outlets, putting batteries in, and nothing. So, I called Mobi directly (since it was a gift, I didn't know where it was from. I didn't have a reciept, or fill out a warranty card. So I took my chances and called them. What could they do? Say no?) I talked to a guy named Andy, super nice and understanding. I am to ship my monitor to him, and he'll bench test it. If it doesn't work, he'll send me a new one. Fair enough.

So, I guess that's why I'm giving it four stars, instead of three. Customer service on Mobi's part seems well worth it. I guess we'll see what happens in a few days when I get it back!

Buy MobiCam Audio Video Baby Monitoring System Now

My wife bought this monitor so that we could keep an eye on our sleeping baby when we're not in the room.

It seemed at first like a decent product, but has today revealed itself to be a terrible one.

PROS:

Night vision mode automatically comes on, allowing video monitoring of your baby at night.

CONS:

Poor battery life if using batteries.

Terrible interference problems, and not just with computers or lamps, but with inanimate objects or nothing at all maybe ghosts??

Camera has a TINY range of motion, limiting the places you can put it and still see the baby.

Cheaply made and too lightweight if you don't have batteries in the camera, the mere weight of the the cord is enough to pull it out of alignment.

UNFORGIVABLE CON:

It broke; it now emits a constant 60-cycle hum at any volume except the lowest possible, which makes it useless for monitoring your baby's sounds. Several reviews on here indicate that this is a permanent problem. This product is abysmal, and no one should buy it. The people who have not yet experienced problems, will eventually, I am convinced. F-----, DO NOT BUY.

Read Best Reviews of MobiCam Audio Video Baby Monitoring System Here

5 pros, 6 cons = decent, but just ok, baby monitor system

I bought this camera to replace a Summer baby monitor (also video, but the rechargable battery isn't holding much of a charge after 2 years), mainly because it had the internet feature & can watch 2 monitors at once.

The Good

1. The setup is easy (as with all monitors).

2. Picture is clear, day or night.

3. Sound is clear.

4. It can monitor camera 1, camera 2, or you can make it toggle between 2 cameras.

5. It does not interfer with our wireless network or wireless digital Panasonic phones (why I got this 900mHz version instead of the 2.4G version as reviewed complained about).

The Bad:

1. The angle for the camera is odd. Think about it -camera for toddler near floor = asking for trouble. The camera lens will angle up but not down. When I place it higher on a bookshelf, I have to lie the camera on its side to be able to adjust the angle downward so I can see into the crib. I definitely can't mount it on the wall like the Summer unit. BTW, lying the camera on its side affects the night vision, so you have to have it at the very edge of the shelf, practically leaning over the edge.

2. The monitor unit eats batteries! It takes SIX AA's in just the monitor unit, and after 1 week of occasional use (about 4-5 hours total?) I had to replace them. So, a little constraining to have to drag the AC plug around to different parts of the house.

3. The internet connection feels like a rip off. You only get TWO hours of monitoring per MONTH unless you want to pay $9.95/month! If I buy an internet hookup, I expect to be able to watch my monitor any time or have my family be able to watch any time as well.

4. The internet connection is awkward. You have to hook up the physical monitor to a computer constantly with a bunch of wires & adapters. So, at night (when I actually use the monitor), I have a choice of having the monitor hooked up to my computer OR be able to watch the monitor next to my bed. Who wants a computer running next to their bed all the time with a tangled mess of wires?

5. The voice-activation feature is quite annoying if you have it on while you are sleeping. It sounds like it is having interference constantly, is quite loud with the static, and blinks the monitor on & off. This may be fine if you are recording, but I don't have a need for that feature.

6. It was made in China, so it seems a little cheap. Several times the button for switching the cameras has gotten stuck so that I had to pry it out with a screwdriver.

In all, I like the fact that it will switch between cameras (planning for baby #2 now), so I will keep it. I am sorely disappointed that I got the internet hookup though. I wish I had gotten the extra camera instead for the same price.

If you just need 1 camera & no internet, go for the Summer baby video monitor. It works great!

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I bought the Mobi Cam on amazon at a great price ($50 less than the MSRP) and I'm impressed with the performance so far. We were using an old Graco baby monitor (not a video) so this is a huge upgrade for us. We were able to plug-n-play very easily. The picture is VERY clear i can see the whites of my baby's eyes from more than 6 feet with the night vision. And the audio portion is great I can hear my baby breathing! We use this unit in our single family home and there is no static or interference. Occasionally we'll get a little static but that only happens once per week or so -realy nothing to even complain about. We only use these units with the AC adapterts, so I can't comment on the battery-life. I love this unit and would definitely recommend!

Mediabridge High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet (35 ft) - Ultra Series - Supports Ethernet, 3D, and

OK, not much you can say about a cable, unless you get one that is bad or "flakey" from a problem with the shield, as we read from a previous posting.

I recently upgraded my HDTV system and now have a HDTV, Blue-ray, and Receiver that supports the HDMI 1.3 spec. This spec enables new high bandwidth features previously not supported in older HDMI cables and equipment. Both the Blue-ray and the HDTV, and my Roku-Netflix box are firmware upgradeable, so this cable should support their enhancements for at least a couple of years.

Being the quintessential anal-retentive Electrical Engineer, I tend to over analyze everything (even if not required). When buying cables (typically, the weak link in most systems), you have to determine if the product is manufactured from a reputable vendor, or built by a couple of guys in their garage, with no quality control. Mediabridge Products is a subsidiary of Broadband Products, Inc. Broadband Products has HDMI certification (see hdmi.org for why this is important).

There are two types of HDMI cable, Standard (Category 1) and High Speed (Category 2), and they have different performance metrics. A Standard cable can transmit a 1080i signal for 15 meters (49 feet) or more, while a High Speed HDMI cable can transmit a 1080p signal for at least 7.5 meters (25 feet). For the most part, running cables less than 5 meters, either will work, but I want to make sure and this cable is Category 2.

Why did I buy this specific cable from this vendor: The vendor has an almost perfect feedback record, the product is low cost for the specs, fulfilled by Amazon, and importantly free shipping, and a return policy that pays the shipping for returns/exchanges of defects.

ADK

So far I have bought a total of four HDMI cables, in lengths ranging from 3' to 15'. I bought the 3' cable first. It was made by Philips and sold by the most gigantic of all gigantic discount Marts. It worked fine, and it would have been long enough except it was so stiff I could never straighten it out completely. I returned it.

I did some research on Amazon and found these Mediabridge cables with astounding user ratings and amazingly reasonable prices. Not the sub-dollar junk you can also find here, but less than one third the big-box price of the Philips cables in equivalent lengths. I bought two of the 6' cables to connect my two 1080p upconverting DVD players (a Sony 5-disc changer and a Philips region-free single-disc for playing foreign DVDs) to my wonderful (and cheap) AOC HDTV.

I was a little reluctant to buy 6' cables because I only really needed 3', and I know cable length can be tricky with very high-speed signals, but since the Philips 3' wasn't actually usable to that length, and I didn't want to have to return these, I ordered 6'. They work like a dream. They're as flexible as cooked spaghetti and transmit the signals without a single glitch.

Then I bought a new HP laptop with an HDMI output, but to work comfortably the cable had to be longer than 6'. I figured I'd go all the way and order the 15', since it's only marginally more expensive and would allow me to use the HDTV easily for watching streaming movies from Netflix. This cable also works like a dream.

My TV only has two HDMI inputs, so I do a fair amount of plugging and unplugging, with no signs of reliability problems so far. I highly recommend these Mediabridge HDMI cables--in any length--to anybody needing one.

I'm also very impressed with Mediabridge itself. Each cable comes very nicely packaged individually in a sturdy corrugated box, which is put into a larger box for shipping, and they ship quickly directly to the customer. What a relief not to have to saw through a hard plastic shell to get the product out! It's an impressive company. PLUS, they're an American company, and although I don't know if they manufacture the cables domestically, they're unafraid to print their New Jersey street address right on the box.

Buy Mediabridge High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet (35 ft) - Ultra Series - Supports Ethernet, 3D, and Now

Just in case someone may feel guilty for not paying a lot more for, basically the same thing, let's look at our top of the line offer, Monster HDMI 1000HD Ultra-High Speed HDMI Cable (2 meters) and do a quick comparison.

This item supports the HDMI 1.3b standard which is almost as good as it gets (1.3c doesn't add anything special). Any HDMI 1.3 cable can carry up to 10.2 Gbit/s. Hmmm... I suppose the Monster is much better, right? Well... it "guarantees a certified cable bandwidth of 10.2" Okay, but the Monster also supports "x.v.Color, and Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD". It turns out that, all of the above, and more, are part of the HDMI 1.3 specs and they are fully supported by every cable that complies to the standard and can be had for about 90% less in the Mediabridge. The expensive brand presentation simply enumerates the HDMI 1.3 specs as if it being HDMI 1.3 compliant was a really big deal. It is not a big deal. Even a cable that costs 95% less is HDMI 1.3 compliant.

My suggestion: if you think that the proponents of the expensive brand have a point when they claim that their product is a lot more durable, buy TWO Media Bridge wires and still pay almost 80% less than you would pay for one of the expensive ones.

My personal experience: I've never paid 'a lot' for an HDMI cable because it makes no sense to pay more. I took home one of the 'expensive' ones once because the salesman promised to take it back if I wasn't amazed by the difference. It made zero difference and I returned it.

_________________________________________________

The following are the HDMI 1.3 specs and all certified HDMI 1.3 cables (including Monster) are going to support them.

Maximum signal bandwidth (MHz) 340

Maximum TMDS bandwidth (Gbit/s) 10.2

Maximum video bandwidth (Gbit/s) 8.16

Maximum audio bandwidth (Mbit/s) 36.86

Maximum Color Depth (bit/px) 48

Maximum resolution over single link at 24-bit/px 2560×1600p75

Maximum resolution over single link at 30-bit/px 2560×1600p60

Maximum resolution over single link at 36-bit/px 1920x1200p75

Maximum resolution over single link at 48-bit/px 1920×1200p60

sRGB

YCbCr

8 channel LPCM/192 kHz/24-bit audio capability

Blu-ray Disc video and audio at full resolution

Consumer Electronic Control (CEC)

DVD-Audio support

Super Audio CD (DSD) support

Deep Color

xvYCC

Auto lip-sync

Dolby TrueHD bitstream capable

DTS-HD Master Audio bitstream capable

Updated list of CEC commands (only on HDMI 1.3a,b,c)

Read Best Reviews of Mediabridge High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet (35 ft) - Ultra Series - Supports Ethernet, 3D, and Here

These cables worked great for me...I'm getting 1080p@24hz no problem. My setup is a Samsung 52" LCD TV (LN52A650) and a Playstation 3. Save yourself a whole lot of money and don't get ripped off buying "Monster" or any other overpriced HDMI cable. Order processing, USPS shipping, and receipt in Texas was lightling fast(7 days). Order 2 while you're at it...someday you'll need another one!

Want Mediabridge High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet (35 ft) - Ultra Series - Supports Ethernet, 3D, and Discount?

This cable was a great fit for our purposes. I was running cables in a crawl space from our TV mounted on the wall to a cabinet to have a fully hidden AV system. The 25 ft was the right length and the price was amazing for a cable of this length. Everything I priced locally was well over $100 for the cable. Unfortunately, my TV does not run Ethernet over HDMI so I can't use that feature, but the 3D Blu-ray works well with this system. The cables held up with with all the fishing of wires that I needed to do as well. The flex points where they attach to the cable were solid and held up well being pulled thru multiple holes.

Pros: Affordable. Ethernet over HDMI and 3D ready.

Cons: None come to mind.

Optoma TX612, High Brightness 3500 lumen, XGA, DLP, Multimedia Projector

This is a nice, bright sharp display. Unfortunately, you need to back it away from your projection surface quite a distance to get the picture to be large enough. We installed it in a kindergarten classroom with good results. Good keystone correction ability.

3500 lumens gives it a very bright and rich color. Great in any lighting. And at its price nothing else is comparable. No regrets on the purchase!!

Buy Optoma TX612, High Brightness 3500 lumen, XGA, DLP, Multimedia Projector Now

This projector works stunningly well in any light situation. Whether it is in broad daylight or in a dark secluded room, you will get your image. The 3500 lumens makes it perfect for classroom settings where you would prefer to keep the class lights on to keep a good eye on your students but maintain a crisp clear imahe that everyone can see. I would recommend this projector highly! Not to mention, the resolution is gorgeous.

Read Best Reviews of Optoma TX612, High Brightness 3500 lumen, XGA, DLP, Multimedia Projector Here

This is a great projector that we bought for our church at a very reasonable price. I checked on bulb replacement prices before the purchase and they were reasonable. I believe this projector will serve us well for many many years go come. We are very satisfied.

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We have had this projector for about two years. The DLP reflector is going bad causing white dots all over the image. I am trying to contact Optoma for a replacement. I would not buy this projector again.

Ikelite Digital Underwater Video Housing:Canon HFS20/S21/S200 Great for Scuba

When combined with the Canon Vixia HF21, this rig produces great underwater video! I have tested it in Pacific (green) water, with low visibility and I am amazed with the results. I use 2 Pro V8 lights with this rig to improve low light conditions. Also, I use the green water filter for best results. Video is crisp and has great quality and the housing is really easy to use and set up.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Aloha,

Steve

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SP-F10 3LCD Proj XGA 2000:1 1000 Lumens 10.6LBS with 3YR Warr

It is horrible that these cannot be sold in mass anymore. These things are typically brighter than all of the 2200 lumens projectors I use, they are sturdy, the color is great, they turn on fast, turn off fast, the only complaint anyone could have is that they are somewhat large, and they are not native widescreen. I love no bulbs, they barely dim, all around awesome.

JVC GR-SXM920U Palm Size Compact Super VHS Camcorder With LCD Monitor

LOVE THIS CAMERA.....BEAUTIFUL PICTURES WITH TRUE TO LIFE COLOR....EASY TO WORK AND PRODUCED WONDERFUL ANIMATION ALSO.....LOVE ALL THE DIFFERENT GADGETS THAT ARE OH, SO EASY TO USE...THE LIGHT ON THE FRONT IS VERY HELPFUL WHEN YOU ARE IN LOW LIGHT AND TO SUM IT ALL UP...THIS IS AWESOME....I LIKE IT BETTER THAN THE MORE COMPLICATED JVC DIGITAL CAMCORDER WHICH I ALSO HAD....THIS IS SO EASYYYYYY.

I have owned JVC camcorders for the last 10 years. So when I decided for a new one, all the gadgets and the viewfinder/monitor were really appealing to me, I chose the JVC GR-SXM920U palm-size compact VHS-C camcorder. Even though the gadgets are really good, I couldn't regret more my choice. The digital camera is a joke. It distorts the images being captured (very good to create funny faces). The quality of the image created is very low, mainly if you use the stabilizer feature and is indoor. Also, be careful when editing or reviewing your home-video, because if you forgot to turn the machine off before connecting it to your video or TV set or PC, it may burn. Actually, once I had "operating on safe mode" message and couldn't find instructions how to fix it, solution? went back to the store and had it replaced, but I lost my son's bithday video, because the store technician and I were not able to open the tape compartiment. If you care more about image quality than with gadgets, look for something else.

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Don't get me wrong, this is a good camcorder. I love all of the functions and it's really easy to get started with and use. The built-in light and stability features are too die for. There are tons of accessories you can get to enhance your pictures and vhs quality. But, it's not a true digital camera. And the digital camera function could be improved on. I get better quality photos using my scanner at home. The software that comes with the system is not adequate either. I feel that the $649 retail price I paid for this camcorder is WAY too much.

However, all-in-all the camcorder is excellent. But I do recommend you buy a back-up battery or stay close to an outlet because the battery barely makes the full 2 hours it claims it has. We thought we'd be able to shoot basketball games, but it barely makes through the first half on 1 batterty. If you can get a good deal on it go ahead and get it!

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Dell M110 Ultra-Mobile Projector

• Sized for travel: Take your show on the road with this ultra-portable, ultra-mobile projector, small enough to stow in your laptop or travel bag and so light you'll forget that it's there.
• Designed for performance: Bring your most vibrant presentations to life with bright, crisp, high-resolution LED projection, built-in speaker and support for 720p HD.
• Built for flexibility: Put it all on the big screen with optional wireless connection1 or HDMI input from an array of media sources, including DVRs, Blu-ray Disc players, video game consoles, and even some mobile devices.

Compared to the LG HX350T, I feel that this projector offers a sharper image and superior contrast. The 76" image that I project is plenty bright and vivid even in eco mode. My main complaints would be the lack of a remote, few settings to adjust the image, and fan noise that's slightly higher than comparable LED projectors.

Edit: I wanted to let potential buyers know that I use the projector in eco mode (which I find to be plenty bright for 76" inches). In regular mode, I find the fan noise to be very annoying. If you plan to pair the M110 with a much larger screen, I would probably look elsewhere as you'll likely be annoyed by the fan noise in "regular" mode. I'd estimate that most people would be very satisfied with the eco mode for screen sizes up to about 84" or so.

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First of all, the product comes very well packaged in a simple package by Dell. Then it comes with a great carrying case that allows you to carry all of the cables that you need. It comes with a power cable and a pc connecter.

However, the quality of the picture with the VGA adapter seems to be low. I would stick with the HDMI cable as it allows for the highest resolution. The picture quality is fantastic.

The image isn't overly bright and so you definitely need a dark room as the picture looks a bit washed out with a light in the room. The size is incredibly small!!! It weighs hardly anything and allows you to use movies from a micro-sd card.

this is truly an incredibly product that goes well paired with an iPad, netbook, or other small multimedia device. If you are looking for a business, classroom presentation, or projector that needs to work in a lit room, I would go with Dell's basic projector (which is cheaper).

what you are getting here is a great, portable, and FUN projector to use with your friends and families to show pictures or HD movies.

I would definitely buy it again!

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I guess the micro projector market is still almost non existent, but nonetheless this is a great projector. For how small it is, I was surprised at the brightness, picture quality and projection distance it accomplished. The firmware contains all the required adjustments a full size projector would. There are a few draw backs though. The speaker is terrible, but then again whatever you're using as the source is most likely going to have its own speakers. The cooling fan is very loud, but that is to be expected from relatively high end components squished into such a tiny housing. And the beeps it produces when turning on and off are very loud and annoying, and can't be turned off. This just bothers me because I frequently watch it in the same vicinity as people who are asleep, and the loud beeps at night are not very appropriate. It would be good if it came with a hdmi cable too considering the price, but I guess almost nothing else does either.

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I was looking for a portable projector which wasn't too expensive but yet had high enough resolution to work with.

This seem to fit the bill.

Use it with the Mac book Pro 17" for business presentation. Find it very portable and the resolution is enough for this purpose.

Works great for small office settings.

I wish DELL had included the WiFi adapter and/or the remote as part of the package.

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The video quality is very nice. The built-in speakers are useless, as they are too quiet. It tend to lag a little when opening big video files. It can be used in a room during daytime as well, as long as the curtains are closed.

Delkin Devices DU3.0-M BLK Universal Pop-Up Shade for 3.0-Inch LCDs (Black)

I bought one of these for a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3. It attaches to the screen with adhesive and, provided the screen is clean to start with, seems quite positive. The screen is fully visible when it is applied correctly but one has to be careful with positioning it initially, since removing it and applying it a second time seriously weakens the adhesive.

The actual shade clicks off and I have found that it will do so in my pocket from time to time, so it is not a very positive fixing. It adds about 5mm to the depth of the camera.

I have found it to be less useful as a shade than I expected. Viewing of the screen is still difficult if (a) the sun is directly behind one or (b) if the sun is lighting one's face. This is a problem, however, with all cameras which have no optical viewfinder and is not really related to the use of a shade.

The Delkin Pop-Up Shade is a fairly clever device designed to block the sun and the other bright lights that can make it hard to see the LCD display. The shade's bracket attaches around the LCD screen and the actual pop-up shade part can be attached and removed without much effort.

My main problem with the Pop-Up Shade is that it is cumbersome when deployed. It works fairly well when shooting straight on or for viewing pictures after they have been captured, but taking a picture at an odd angle with it open requires you to move your head around since the flaps will block the display, or be reflected on the screen.

Over time, I found myself detaching the shade from the bracket more and more, until I just ended up removing the whole thing. It was a good idea and it might work better for others who shoot more static shots.

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I'd prefer having an eye-level viewfinder when taking pictures outside in the sun but most cameras no longer have them so this is the best solution I've found. I did not want the plastic lens that comes with this offsetting the high resolution of my Panasonic TZ5 LCD screen so simply & carefully popped the plastic lens out of Delkin's shade frame before affixing to my camera. Adhesive strips are on the edges of the metal frame so Delkin's plastic lens is NOT needed. Be sure to carefully line up the frame with the edges of your freshly cleaned LCD to get it right the 1st time. The pop-up portion CAN be slid over to one side a bit then lifted from the frame which is good when you want to clean your LCD but can be somewhat annoying if it slips out by itself. Mine sometimes does this if I quickly remove the camera from it's carrying case, however it is really easy to pop back into place so no big deal. Note these come in several sizes including 2.5", 2.7" & 3" to match the size of your LCD. Is the Delkin sunshade perfect? No. Does it help? Definitely. Would I buy one again? In a heartbeat.

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You need to remove the Shade's clear cover for the LCD screen before installing this device. The problem is that the plastic cover is very glossy and reflective. If you leave it in, all you will see is your face when you look at the LCD screen. The plastic is relatively thick, and very hard, so you can't cut it. Take a very small screwdriver or pocketknife and pry up one corner, then pull it out. If you don't, you'll have to do it later because the camera will be almost unusable. Gluing on the screen and then pulling it off to remove the plastic cover will damage the glue strips....so take out the plastic ahead of time. When I installed the Delkin shade for my wife, she told me her camera was ruined. Checking it out, I had to agree with her. After removing the plasic there was much less reflection from the LCD screen. The shade functions fairly well and it protects the LCD screen when folded.

Gene Tuck

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Easy to install but the built in plastic screen would work better if it were a matte plastic screen. You can see your own reflection in it in bright sunlight.

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Stem Innovation WRM-WA0-01iZON 2.0 Wi-Fi Video Monitor (White)

We just got this and it took less than 5 minutes to get it up and running. the picture quality is super clear. we have it setup to look outside and there is a bit of glare on the image since the glass shows a reflection, but its not really a problem for viewing the image. looking forward to seeing what happens in low light....

follow up: night viewing is pretty good. better than i expected. also should note that the images on my phone are about 5-10 seconds delayed from real time. not sure if thats due to a slow wi-fi or the camera, but thought i would mention it in case real-time access is important to someone.

Bought one of these cameras to use with my iPhone. Wanted to use it at home for security purposes.

Took forever to get it to set up with my home wireless network. Like another reviewer, I went through the exact same process many times. Finally on the 10th try, the camera was working. Just seems that the process takes a lot longer than 10 minutes to set up, so be patient.

Once I got the camera up and running through the regular setup process, it added another "instance" of what appeared to be the same camera on the iPhone app, which it then tried to register, and both were somehow deleted. The "register" process seemed to hang a lot. So, I started over. Again. And this time I went through the "Manual Setup" process -three times before it actually worked.

MANUAL SET UP WAS THE KEY!

The help guide that's located on the IZON app isn't the same as the one on their website. Also, the steps are not the same. The online version is far more comprehensive. I find that to be a huge issue with product companies. (Do you really think customers will give your product a great rating if it takes hours of repetitive steps and Googling on the Internet to get it set up?) The suggestion to disconnect your home wireless router was silly because the app will tell you that you need to have an active wireless connection to set up the camera. If the app crashes, it will ask to send a report back to STEM. Each time I got a response back from the STEM Help Desk, it was the exact same set of instructions which were not working. Being the stubborn IT professional that I am...I was sure going to figure this out by myself! And I did.

Once I got the camera up and running, it did exactly what I needed. I can view from my iPhone 5 and iPad while on my home wireless network, and can also view while on 4G or LTE service through AT&T.

I'm probably being very kind by giving 3 stars considering the time it took me to set up and the constant crashing of the iPhone app and "network congestion" errors (is that MY network or is it the Internet?).

Although the IZON iPhone app crashes very often, the iPad app seems to be working better. The camera appears to drop from my wireless network every now and then.

I will provide an update within a month. I can't recommend this product at this point. So THREE STARS it is for now.

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Pros: Easy to set up. Magnetic base. Inexpensive. Free uploads (up to 99) online.

cons: No battery power alternative. Can't view via desktop OS's. Can't share feeds.

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this camera takes fine videos but you can not share those videos with anyone. they're locked into the app. WTF!!!!!

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This little device is amazing! I used to have a Linksys WVC80N home monitoring camera that was a huge pain. You practically needed to be a sysadmin to figure out how to connect it to your home network. And if you wanted to view it online, you had to purchase web hosting from some three-bit company that Linksys partnered with.

I got the Izon Stem setup on my network in less than 5 minutes. And it runs thru an app on my iphone... I thought for sure they were going to charge me to use the app, but it's entirely free! You can only view the video on the iphone you have it connected to (NO viewing on a desktop), but that's not a problem for me. The app may be a drain on battery life, but I haven't used it enough yet to find out if that's true.

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Patuoxun 2M MHL Micro USB to HDMI HDTV Adapter Cable for Samsung Galaxy S2 S II i9100

IF YOU WANT TO SHARE YOUR PICTURES WITH FAMILY, USE THESE CABLES TO HOOK THE CELL WITH THE TV, IF YOU USE THE HDMI EVEN BETTER RESOLUTION!

First off the low price for this item is a steal. Normally getting a separate MHL adapter, HDMI cable, and a micro-usb charger cost more and is much less convenient. I travel quite a bit for work, so bringing just one cable rather then having to remember my MHL adapter and HDMI cables. Regardless I have to bring my micro-usb charger for my cell phone.

Don't listen to the other low rated reviews. They're complaining about the USB that needs to be plugged in. Any phone that uses this type of micro-usb to HDMI requires an external power source. Even the OEM MHL adapters requires this. Plugging the USB into the TV for power is rather convenient, but the TV usually doesn't give that much power, so there's a chance your cell phone will actually draw more power then it's being charged. I suggest if you have an outlet open to use the USB to wall chargers.

Devices tested: Samsung Galaxy S 2 (T-Mobile), HTC Sensation, and Samsung Galaxy Note (I use the Note the most)

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Great product. Hooked it up, and worked like a charm! Now we watch net flux directly from My phone. Looks pixelly though.

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I purchased this on the recommendation of a friend. At first I was skeptical that I could watch movies from my phone on my hd tv, but I am pleased to say that the adapter worked as intended! Be sure to plug the standard usb connector into a power source (phone charger) as this is required (on my phone anyway) for the unit to work

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At first when look at item I was thrilled because now I can use my phone to connect it on my tv. Unfortunatley when I try to use it, it failed because the hdmi was not durable and when I took it off to my tv it broke the hdmi. So I believe that this is not a good hdmi it is a cheap design and the durability is not good at all I should have order an expensive one because I know that it would be better

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Duck Blind Design Protective Skin Decal Sticker for Kodak PlaySport Zx3 HD Pocket Video Camera Camc

The fit and finish of this sticker seems to be pretty good. The only problem that I have seen so far is that it is very shiny. To actually be used for hunting it needs to have more of a matte finish.

Net Media NM-MM70 Single Channel Video and Audio Modulator with Gain Adjustment

I've had this on my system for about a month now with no problems. I'm using it to assign a channel to my baby cameras so I can put them on my whole-house video distribution system. Now I can watch the baby cam from any TV in the house. This thing works just as the manufacturer claims. It's smaller than a deck of cards, lightweight, and it's easy to set the output channel. The video quality is great--completely clear. It might not be the cheapest, but I've been using another surveillance camera/modulator combo by Net Media for 2 years with zero problems so I trust the company.

We bought this modulator to get access from a video feed into a room with only RF access. Very easy to install; the RF signal looks great. We aren;'t using the audio path, but if it's as good as the video to RF conversion, ten the audio should sound fantastic also.

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Electronic Digital Magnifier Visual/Reading Aide for TV

I got this reading device a few weeks ago. It is easy to set up and use and has good quality of image. After connecting to a TV, the fine print can be viewed clearly. Especially the high contrast mode is very helpful.

Item purchased for macular degeneration sufferer. The magnified image on the Amazon page is misleading. The printed words would have to be no bigger than 2 inches wide from side to side and top to bottom.

Cons:

1. Hard to master

2. Narrow field of view makes reading more than one line of text difficult. Field view size is about 2 inches (typical paperback book is about 4.5 inches of text), so user must constantly move magnifier and it is very easy to lose the line being read. Moving from end of one line of text to next is challenging.

3. User had multiple headaches in learning to use narrow magnified area and reported "seasickness."

4. Wire comes out of "wrong end" of device. Unlike a mouse, the wire to the monitor must be positioned under the user's wrist. Using the device like a mouse, with the wire pointing away, results in an upside down image.

Pros:

1. Easy to use

2. Very clear optics

3. Can be turned off and on from surge suppressor. That means users can turn on monitor and magnifier with one button on surge suppressor. Since suppressor on switch is illuminated, very easy for users to find "on" switch.

Summary this would be very good if the optics were wide angle and the wire went out the front end.

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Going on a couple of months and it seems to be working well for my mom.It's significantly cheaper than competing products from Bierley and appears to be constructed as well or better. It would make sense to include large type instructions, but since I helped set it up, that wasn't an issue.

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Pentax Optio S5z 5MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom

This camera is TINY with a PLUS-SIZE LCD. As a previous reviewer said, the screen is not quite bright enough in the brightest conditions, but this is a very small price to pay for the convenience and quality this camera.

If you are a serious photographer, this may not be the best choice for a primary camera (ideally you should have a Nikon D50 or Canon Digital Rebel), but it makes a terrific backup camera because it can literally go anywhere--it is the only camera I have ever put in my pocket that is smaller than a cell phone. And if you know what you are doing you can tweak the white balance settings and play with the various modes to take near-pro-quality shots.

I was particularly impressed with the the night scene mode, which allows you to simulate 'slow-sync' flash, and the macro and super macro settings.

Also very cool is the movie mode, which boats 640x480 resolution at 30fps and a time-lapse feature (a little gimmicky but very cool) that allows you to speed up the action by as much as 20x.

The zoom is a little limited (undestandable given its size) but if you always shoot at 5MP you can crop the image (either in the editing mode or in a photo editing program on your computer) to get another 2-3x zoom out of it while retaining 2-3 megapixels, which is more than you need for a 4x6. Under no circumstances, however, should you use the digital zoom feature on this or any other digital camera. Digital zoom is a bogus marketing ploy just like megapixels (it's the size of the sensor that makes the big difference, not the resolution) are--you'll get much better results by cropping the image after you take it.

Two more tips with this camera--always set the ISO to 80, never automatic, unless you really need to shoot in low light without a flash or tripod. And always take the time to set the white balance for each shot whenever possible--it makes a huge difference!

Okay: I have owned the previous Optio S4 and decided to upgrade to the S5Z. I have a couple of observations I would like to share.

PROS:

1) Huge display on S5Z. Really awesome viewing pics and makes composing much easier.

2) I don't think any other point-and-shoot camera has this many shooting modes and options to tweak color/contrast/ISO etc. To get the BEST quality shot, you should really mess with the settings. For example, taking a shot of a mural in the shade, you should up the contrast and saturation manually to get the best colors.

3) The Quick button can be assigned to custom functions for quick adjustments to pictures on-the-fly.

4) 640x480 movie mode with no limitation on max. time. Apparently they expanded the write buffer and created a faster write channel to the flash card that previous models.

5) Price is good and keeps dropping.

6) Really awesome camera for taking SIMPLE shots of everyday life

7) Compact enough to hide and walk around without it being a burden in your pocket.

CONS:

1) The screen, while huge, is a pain to look at in direct bright sunlight, as in, the sun is shining right onto the display. As one reviewer said, almost unusable except in shade / indoor scenarios.

2) The S5Z shares a trait with my other Pentax, the S4. The trait is that when taking pictures that contain BOTH a) bright sunlight and b) a good amount of blue sky the entire photo takes on a bluish/greyish hue. Can't see the effect on the camera's display screen but when put on a monitor it is apparent. For example, taking a picture of a completely white wall with blue sky above it in at least 1/3 of the picture will cause the white wall to take on a bluish hue. If you're taking pictures of people in the water or on/near a beach, the sand and people will take on a bluish hue. The auto white balance does nothing to remedy this; neither does choosing the other white balance options. Seems the image sensor on this and other mini cameras from Pentax are ultra sensitive to blue, causing a washout effect. Doing an auto color balance after downloading onto a PC remedies the effect somewhat.

3) The wash-out effect (when lens is pointed toward the sun) is more pronounced in this camera compared to other cameras. In fact you have to be pointed away from the sun by at least 90 degrees to avoid bad washout (washout is when the foreground/subject is completely dark because of it a bright lightsource in the background) I've taken shots with other point-and-shoot cams with less washout.

4) If you drop this camera while lens is open, the lens assembly is so frail you can kiss your new camera goodbye. It will crack and fall apart. If you drop it while closed, there's a good chance it'll still work (this is from experience). I can't speak for the S5Z (still new) but I've dropped my S4 on the ground at least a dozen times and it still works (sort of)

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I am an experienced digital camera user since the times of the Casio QV-10 and my experience with the Optio s5z was excellent. The picture quality is superb for an ultra compact camera, fast focusing, sharp pictures, good contrast. From my point of view there are 2 cons, as all the compact and ultracompact cameras the flash is weak and it is hard to compose the picture under direct sunlight using the lcd display, an optical viewfinder would make it almost perfect.

Concerning the pictures do not forget that when you buy ultra compact or compact camera you get smaller size for less quality pictures.

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Very small, fits into pocket.

Easy to operate.

Wonderful "Toy"

Great photos.

Downside... Does not come with carrying case. Can be easily scratched.

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This is my second Pentax Optio. That says it all, I bought Pentax again !

I like the size and how easy it is to take pictures on it. "I love it"

Canon VIXIA HFS10 HD Dual Flash Memory w/32GB Internal Memory & 10x Optical Zoom - 2009 MODEL

I have owned a small wedding videography company for 5 years and after using this camera for a week I am incredibly pleased with it. If you want the smallest camcorder you can get without sacrificing video quality in any way, than this is the camcorder for you. I am amazed at how small this thing is while still having a professional grade lens. This is the same Canon lens as on their GL2 which is probably the most popular entry level professional camcorder ever (which I have owned for a few years).

Pros:

1.) Professional camera lens with superb HD video quality (even in low light situations). I cannot express enough how amazing the pictures look.

2.) 32 GB of internal Flash memory (This is the only difference from the HFS100)

A.) Flash memory is instant. No waiting for tapes to wind or hard drives to spin.

B.) Flash memory helps keep the camera small.

C.) Flash memory protects data from being lost due to the camera being dropped or hit (a real problem with hard drive cameras).

3.) The still picture quality, even with the built in flash, is unbelievable for a camcorder. I feel like I am shooting with my Rebel XTi.

4.) I love the auto open and close lens cover. It only opens when you are actually shooting. If the camera is off or if you are reviewing it immediately closes.

5.) Menus are very easy to navigate.

Cons:

1.) Doesn't come with an HDMI cable. Since it doesn't take a normal sized HDMI cable I think there is no excuse for that.

2.) Doesn't come with a battery charger. You either have to spend $50 to get one or recharge batteries using the camcorder itself.

3.) $200 more than the HFS100 for only 32GB of internal storage is way too much. Should have only cost an extra $100. Unless you need to be able to record more than 2.5 hours of shooting without changing SDHC cards, then get the HFS100 because 32GB class 6 SDHC cards only cost $100.

4.) Only comes with the BP-809 battery which doesn't even last an hour. So you will need to buy the BP-827 which costs another $150. The BP-827 does stick out from the back just a slight bit, but not even an inch and is totally not noticeable nor does it add any real weight.

5.) 10X optical zoom is a little slim for my liking. I am used to 20X.

This camcorder is basically a professional lens barrel with an LCD on the side which gives you the best picture quality possible while keeping the size incredibly small. I cannot encourage you enough to get this camcorder though I would advise the HFS100 over this to save a little money. Remember, the HFS100 is the identical camcorder except it does not have internal memory.

Canon VIXIA HFS100 HD Flash Memory Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom

The Vixia HFS10 is an upgrade for me, coming from the Canon VIXIA HG20 AVCHD 60 GB HDD Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom. I've been enjoying the HG20 for a few months now, so being able to dig in to the new features on a 2009 model camera has been a real treat.

Right off the bat, the video image quality on the HFS10 is incredible. Hands down, the best I have ever used. Facial recognition is blazing fast and accurate, even when people are moving reasonably fast. Recording in low light indoors produces bright and clear results. Recording in very bright light outdoors produces a razor-sharp picture with virtually no halo effects or bleeding. This is where Canon really shows off the new Digic 3 processor.

The 10X optical zoom is smooth, and doesn't lose focus easily when zooming in and out. However, at this price point, 10X is certainly on the lower end of the spectrum of what's available. While that's disappointing, the image stabilization definitely makes up for it. At full zoom, the image stabilization compensates for normal "jitters" exceedingly well.

On the still image side, the Digic 3 is able to bring some nice surprises, as well. The "real" pop-up flash works better than expected for indoor shots. For most point-and-shoot scenarios, the HFS10 will stomp all over Canon Elph cameras, and comes pretty close to what you'd expect from a PowerShot (albeit, at a different overall resolution).

Again, the image stabilization really shines with still pictures. But one thing I did notice, is that the HFS10 seems to do "strange things" with still images in low light. Things that should have halos (e.g. sunsets) don't, even with different CP and UV filters.

Speaking of filters, the HFS10 has a 58mm lens barrel. So, you have tons and tons of filter options at every imaginable price point. Out of habit, I threw on a SUNPAK CF-7034 UV Ultra-Violet Filter that I had lying around my SLR gear bag along with a spare cap. Though I'm not real big on Tiffen glass, I also tried out a Tiffen 58MM Circular Polarizer, which produced really interesting results with some nature videos.

Anyone who has used a previous generation Vixia or Canon still camera will feel right at home with the menu system. The layout is basically the same, and functions are right where you'd expect them to be. For those not familiar with Canon cameras, getting used to the menu system is very easy.

The only thing that really took some adjustment was using the "time machine" feature that lets you go back and record something that happened three seconds in the past. It works flawlessly, but adjusting to the delay in the viewfinder was really difficult for me to get used to.

Also new for this year: logical port placement, and decent quality port protectors! The HDMI, USB, and component connectors are on the right side of the camera and have a sturdy plastic door to protect them, instead of the flimsy rubberized plugs on last year's models (and they're no longer behind the LCD!). Strangely, Canon has chosen to move the battery release behind the LCD, making it a bit awkward to switch out batteries.

The included Canon BP-807/808 battery consistently gives about 90 minutes of continuous use. I was happy to see that last year's batteries are compatible, so I've been using a Canon BP-819, which gives just over 200 minutes. Although the BP-819 is a larger battery, it's almost flush with the back of the camera when installed.

Of course, the included software is trash. I installed it for the sake of reviewing it, but really, if you're looking to spend this kind of money on a camera, you owe it to yourself to spend another couple hundred on decent video editing software. As a Mac user, iMovie does a passable job, but takes forever to do its various conversions from AVCHD. I stepped up to Final Cut Express 4, which works perfectly with this camera. Of course, there are many options for Windows users as well.

The biggest shortcoming -and this is huge if you travel with a laptop -is that Canon still seems married to the idea that you can't export pictures or video from the internal memory without plugging in to AC power. I can't for the life of me figure out the logic behind this. If you have a fully charged BP-819 (or even an 807, for that matter!), that's not nearly enough power to copy over some still pictures, in Canon's estimation. Of course, you can save everything to SD and just pop the card out, or do camera-to-card-to-computer copies, but it's ridiculous that you can't import ANYTHING from the internal memory without being plugged in to a wall.

Were it not for that, I'd be comfortable overlooking the other minor imperfections and giving this a solid 5 stars. And, if you're not planning on doing more than recording and watching your videos when you're away from home, consider this a 5-star review. But if you're planning on uploading a few videos and / or pictures while you're on vacation (or something more professional, like mobile editing), don't plan on doing it without access to AC power.

All things considered, though, if I was looking for a camera in this price range, The Vixia HFS10 is the first and only camera that would be on my list.

Buy Canon VIXIA HFS10 HD Dual Flash Memory w/32GB Internal Memory & 10x Optical Zoom - 2009 MODEL Now

I exchanged a Sony HDR 500v for this camcorder after getting a loud hissing sound from the sony. That gave me a chance to actually play with the sony a little bit before returning it. In a few words if you are familiar with manual controls in photography, you'll love the Vixia (which is my case). If you need something simpler, point-and-shoot-kind-of devise, go with the sony. I'm a professional photographer who does video for fun and I absolutely like the amount of manual controls this camera offers. (The sony didn't even have a sound level meter that you could turn on! A must if you use a second mic.)

It also has this 'springy' on-screen-menu that allows you to change your recording settings in as little as two steps. Very very helpful, again for the person who likes manual controls.

Another feature which I really like is the fact that they placed the remote control sensor on the LCD viewer, which allows you to use the remote control to actually record from any position as long as you have a direct view of the LCD screen. The sony has the remote sensor in the front which forces you to be in front of the camera if you want to activate the recording (almost impossible when you are anywhere but in front of the camera). For example if you mount your camera on a monopod when you need to get a shot over a crowd of people, and your fingers cant reach the record button because it is too high, with the sony is impossible to use the remote to do this because the sensor is in front of the camera even if you have very long arms you still are going to have a hard time making it record. Both Canon and Sony removed the LANC input on these new cameras so there is no way to operate them remotely with wired LANC controls. So in the canon as long as you have the LCD facing you then you can use the remote control to start/stop recording.

And one more little thing which I think is great is the ability to turn the recording light off. (The red light you see in the front of cameras) This is great because some people get uncomfortable when they know they are being recorded. When they think the camera is off they act natural and thus you get better expressions in your video.

Read Best Reviews of Canon VIXIA HFS10 HD Dual Flash Memory w/32GB Internal Memory & 10x Optical Zoom - 2009 MODEL Here

Canon VIXIA HFS10 is currently the top-of-the-line Canon consumer camcorder. It takes very good quality full HD video (one of the best among consumer level camcorders). The optical image stabilization is very useful and face detection is accurate. Autofocus is very fast and the menu system is intuitive. Low light capability is decent (but improved a lot by using the video light for video recording or internal flash for taking photos). The pre-recording mode is very useful for shooting sport, action, fireworks, child and other scenarios where it is often hard to predict when those Kodak moments will exactly be until it has happened/passed. It also has filter thread so you can install lens filter to enhance the video/image and to protect the lens. The LCD is very sharp and clear from wide viewing angle. It has a dual shooting mode where video recording and photo taking can be done without switching settings.

Taking photos with Canon VIXIA HFS10 is also very good. Image quality is very sharp with 8.59-megapixel CMOS image sensor that is also found in Canon DSLR. Taking photos in continuous mode is also very good (about 4 frames per second, comparable to DSLR cameras), however, the shutter response is nowhere near the DSLR (it's slower than DSLR), and I'm used to the DSLR almost no-lag shutter response so I will continue to use my DSLR cameras most of the time. For point and shoot customers, they won't notice the shutter lag (as it is the same if not better than most point and shoot camera) and they will probably be able to replace their point and shoot camera with this camcorder as it produces image quality better and sharper than most point and shoot cameras.

Pros:

1. Video quality (1920 X 1080 Full HD) comparable with many professional camcorder and is one of the best quality for consumer level

2. Image quality for photos are sharp and vivid (8 megapixel).

3. Zoom Covers super wide angle to semi-zoom (6.4mm to 64mm) before the 1.7x magnification.

4. Built in 32GB built-in flash memory

5. Very effective optical image stabilization (a combination of optical and image sensor stabilization)

6. Lens filter thread (I installed 58mm UV/Haze filter to reduce UV and also help protect the front glass element)

7. Autofocus is very fast and includes a very accurate face detection to keep people's face in sharp focus

8. up to 24 hour recording in LP mode (with 64GB total memory, 32Gb built-in, and 32GB SD card)

9. Innovative Pre-record mode is available (and never miss critical shots anymore)

10. Video snapshot mode (shot short movie clips and blend with music tracks)

11. Almost instant on and record (stand-by to recording in less than 1 sec and from off in less than 2 sec)

12. Continuous mode for taking photos is very fast (though the shutter lag isn't nearly as good as SLR cameras)

13. Record HD videos and take 6MP photo to memory card simultaneously

14. Small but bright video light and photo flash.

15. Built-in automatic lens cover

16. Wireless remote control included

17. Bright and clear 2.7 inch lcd screan (and the image is sharp)

18. Very easy to navigate the menu (even though there are so many options and settings available)

19. 24p cinema mode and 30p progressive mode included

20. pre-programmed video and photo mode (sunset, night, beach, spotlight, fireworks, etc)

21. Aperture priority, Shutter priority, and Program mode available (in addition to Auto setting)

22. Dual shot mode (capture video and photo without having to change setting)

Cons:

1. Only 10x optical zoom (not sure why Canon doesn't make this top-of-the-line camcorder 20x or 30x optical zoom)

2. No seamless recording transition from one memory to the other memory

3. Included batteries only last about 75-90 minutes of recording time

4. Shutter response still not as fast as DSLR

5. Low light performance is average (improved if using the video light or internal flash)

6. A bit bulky compare to many other flash memory camcorders

7. Not the lightest camcorder but still lighter than DSLR cameras

8. 24Mbps recording mode has many restriction (require fast speed flash memory, and not all DVD player can playback)

9. No touch screen LCD

10. Non-standard accessory shoe terminal (better than none though. can use VL-5 video light or DM-100 microphone)

11. Must plug in ac adapter to transfer internal memory data to computer

12. No optical viewfinder

13. HDMI cable not included

14. Doesn't come with external battery charger (use the camcorder to charge the battery instead)

15. Top-of-the-line price

In conclusion, Canon VIXIA HFS10 is targeted for those who are looking for a consumer camcorder with the best video quality with a lot of internal flash memory (32GB) that can also take photo with the best image quality and the largest megapixel to date for a canon camcorder (8MP). Basically, Canon Vixia HFS10 is currently the top-of-the-line Canon consumer level camcorder.

Also check out the following Canon camcorders that has comparable main feature (Full HD video and DIGIC DV III image processor) before deciding to buy Canon VIXIA HFS10 (and decide whether any of these camcorders will fit your needs therefore avoid paying the premium that Canon VIXIA HFS10 command):

Canon VIXIA HFS100 (no internal flash memory, 10x optical zoom, 8.59-megapixel CMOS image sensor)

Canon VIXIA HF20 (32GB internal flash memory, 15x optical zoom, only 3.89-megapixel CMOS image sensor)

Canon VIXIA HF200 (no internal flash memory, 15x optical zoom, only 3.89-megapixel CMOS image sensor)

Sidarta Tanu

Want Canon VIXIA HFS10 HD Dual Flash Memory w/32GB Internal Memory & 10x Optical Zoom - 2009 MODEL Discount?

Since there have been so many long reviews posted already, I will try to keep mine short and sweet. I'll just highlight some of the things that stand out to me and make a few comments.

Verdict: If you can afford it, probably the best (certainly one of the best) consumer HD video cam on the market today.

Features:

Outstanding lens

8.59-megapixel CMOS image sensor!

Quality build

Excellent picture quality

Good auto-focus system is fast and accurate

Optical image stabilization

Reliability and easy transfer of flash based system.

Decent 32 GB of internal flash memory

Good menu system is easy to use and understand

Built-in mic port

Superb feature set lots of bells and whistles (serious amateuers rejoice!)

Near pro-level capabilities and lots of manual control

Good macro capabilities

Excellent remote control capabilities (can control from many angles)

Gripes:

No optical viewfinder (sadly, becoming the norm)

No separate battery charger included (but more the norm these days, alas)

No HDMI cable (ditto)

Expensive (but you get what you pay for)

Batteriesyou will need to carry several

Must be on A/C power to transfer (but can use SD card as alternative)

Overall, an outstanding camera that is fun to use and yields great results. The latest in a long line of outstanding consumer video cameras from Canon. If you are serious about video, this is your camera. I am giving it 5 stars because, even though it's not perfect, it's the best I've ever seen.

Serous videographers will love this camera. Five stars!

========================================================

P.S.

My two cents worth if you are an average joe looking to make family movies, you should still consider the standard def models. They have far more zoom range and are much easier to hand-hold and shoot. They produce great results, there's lots of low cost and good editing software, their resolution is great for DVD's, and the tapes are easy to use and store. You really need a tripod with HD cams, and editing is much harder and more difficult. The picture quality on the better std def cameras is excellent, not HD, but plenty good. And you can save a ton of money. I still use my std def cams for lots of family stuff.

Levana Melody Digital Baby Monitor with Talk-To-Baby Intercom and Temperature Sensor (LV-TW200)

We don't have a baby, but I ordered this anyway. I keep the main unit downstairs in my husband's mancave and the listening part upstairs in the living room where I am exiled to watch my reality shows about hoarders and obese people. I can pick it up and shout at my husband ("Are the cats down there with you?) and he hears me and I can hear him answer. Saves me from having to walk down the stairs to his lair and talk to him in person. I can also hear if he has the TV on or is snoring down there. So it's been very useful and works fine like that.

Hits:

The primary function of this monitor, (which is of course to let you hear inside baby's room), works pretty well. Audio comes through clear with excellent detail. I can easily hear the clock ticking in my daughter's room and her occasional movement in her crib. Although I will say that the range is grossly exaggerated by the manufacturer (2000 ft). We live in a two story house with a finished basement, and the range is sufficient for our indoor use. But outdoor use proved less than reliable as we found we were out of range when positioned at the end of our backyard deck which is less than 200 feet away from the baby's room.

Though not essential, the soft orange light and lullaby music were nice touches. I don't know if they help her fall asleep, but the lullabies do seem to preoccupy her and create a calm, gentle atmosphere, which I think is all you can expect. Being able to start the lullabies remotely is nice. It has saved us from having to get out of bed a few times.

The room thermometer was a great feature for us. Like most multi level houses, our upstairs tends to be hotter than the downstairs. So although the house thermostat may be set at 70, the upstairs rooms can get much warmer, particularly if a bedroom door is closed (which it is when our daughter sleeps). So being able to see the temperature in her room is of great value to us. Others with different style homes may find it less useful though.

Misses:

I find the intercom to be a rather useless feature. Knowing my daughter as I do, if she awakens and/or is crying, it takes more than my voice over an intercom to calm her. When she wakes up, she wants contact. That's just how babies are.

The feeding timer is just silly. Babies eat on their own schedules and they develop their schedules naturally, as they should. Even if the manufacturer only intends this timer to "get you started" in establishing a schedule, then by definition it's a feature of very short lived usefulness. I mean really, who is going to forget to feed their baby anyway? Trust me new parents, baby will let you know when he/she is hungry.

The built-in LED flashlight is a nice concept, but is poorly executed. As another reviewer stated, when you take the parent unit into the baby's room and get anywhere near the baby's unit noisy static ensues, thus defeating the whole purpose of being able to go in without turning on the lights. What good is a flashlight if the baby is awakened by static noise?

In summary, this monitor is a bit of a mixed bag. Does it monitor well? Yes. Can you get monitors that perform that function just as well for less money? Absolutely. So you really have to decide if the extra features such as the lullabies, night light and thermostat are worth the extra money over other more traditional monitors.

Buy Levana Melody Digital Baby Monitor with Talk-To-Baby Intercom and Temperature Sensor (LV-TW200) Now

As other reviews have stated, the LED indicator lights are bright. Not just bright, but light up the entire room bright. It looks like the police have invaded your bedroom. My husband had to tape over the lights for the next few nights until we order a different monitor and can return this one. It's ridiculously bright.

In addition, the sound clarity is not that great. Very crackly.

Read Best Reviews of Levana Melody Digital Baby Monitor with Talk-To-Baby Intercom and Temperature Sensor (LV-TW200) Here

So as a background, I am a mom of 3, this is my bazillionth monitor it seems..

I have had 2 of the simple graco sights and sounds monitors

I have had an annyoning overpriced sound only monitor whose brand name escapes me right now(reviewed here already)

This levana monitor

and my trusty Summer Infant video monitor.

The pros:

Decent range. 2000 feet? Uh, no..we got maybe 50 feet from the house and it went out of range. Not that I am looking to wander 2000 feet from my sleeping child, anyway.

Secure signal. That is cool if you are in a busy area. Honestly, I am not too worried that my local possum, deer or bear will care to snoop in on my conversations!

Temp sensor. Hey that is pretty neat! But I don't keep windows open, nor do I allow my baby's door to be closed so it is a bit of a ho-hum staring at 70 degrees all the time...

Intercom. Yeah that sounds nice in theory. But I have yet to hear of that, or some automatic nightlight or even a couple tunes calming down a needy infant. Maybe my kids were not programmed for that? LOL!

The cons:

The biggest one here is the price for this gadget. The frills, or the fluff as I call it, just don't seem worth the price. A parent armed with a simple 1/5 the price Graco monitor can hear baby just as well and hightail it to baby's room just the same as one with all these timers, buttons and nonesense. Or, if you are just bent on spending money on a monitor and WANT something different then check out the portable video monitors. Those are really nice and I would gladly pay double for them vs. this monitor at this price.

Let's face it. Most times baby cries there is something wrong. I am hungry, wet, lonely, feverish, bored, gassy or in pain. Or sometimes just having a little dream and am talking in my sleep. Most of the time you are going to have to hop on over there to see what is amiss. Of course, at the supposed 2000 feet away I guess you better practice sprinting! A lullabye does not replace the arms of a loving parent no matter how hard you try. So my opinion is go Graco cheapie or go with the video monitor so then you can see if baby is just dreaming. Honestly I went through 2 kids with my little graco monitors and finally upgraded with the 3rd to the Summer Infant video monitor and am thrilled beyond belief since I can use it to keep tabs on my little herd as they learn to play nice with each other.

In the end, you will not be unhappy if you buy this monitor. But IMHO you can spend your money more wisely.

And ETA please, in light of recent sad news on the baby safety frontregardless of your purchase please remember to keep all baby monitor cords OUT OF THE BABY'S reach! :(

Want Levana Melody Digital Baby Monitor with Talk-To-Baby Intercom and Temperature Sensor (LV-TW200) Discount?

I purchased the monitor through Amazon and was very pleased with how quickly it arrived. I have 5 kids so I've had quite a few (audio) baby monitors over the years and the clarity of the Levana is among the best. It seems manufacturers are trying to push people into buying the expensive video monitors because the audio-only monitors generally have awful quality, even among manufacturers who sell both audio-only and video monitors.

Anyways, I purchased this monitor to use in my sons' bedroom 2, 5, & 5 year old boys sharing 1 room means that it is common for loud crashes, yelling, and overall craziness. Here's how the monitor sums up:

Pros -

1. Pretty clear audio. I have yet to have this monitor get staticky or offer feedback even when side-by-side with the baby unit or near the parent unit of my Sony baby monitor I use in my baby's room (which is horrible; Sony babyCall monitor has static if it's too close to you, too far away, if our furnace is firing up, and near the Levana monitor....)

2. The two-way talk feature is great for talking to your kids. I don't see this calming down an infant, but it's great for yelling at rambunctious older kids and reminding them you are the eyes and ears in the sky.

3. The Light, flashlight, and Lullaby features: I didn't think I'd really be using any other feature on the monitor aside from the monitor itself and the two-way, but I was surprised when one of the boys woke up with bad dreams how the light and the lullaby comforted him to sleep. I have used the flashlight to check on them before going to bed myself, and never has either the parent or baby unit made a beep despite being very close to each other.

Cons -

1. The indicator lights are BRIGHT. If you are epileptic, these could invoke a seizure. It isn't really noticeable in the evenings when you are up and about, but when you go to bed in a darkened room forget it. We taped over them with masking tape and it did nothing to dim them. I now use duct tape and they are still visible but less so.

2. Re-chargeable battery pack only in the parent unit. Kudos to Levana trying to be a little earth-friendly, but if you aren't around a power outlet to recharge the battery pack you're screwed. It would be nice if you could use either/or batteries in a pinch.

3. 8 hours on 1 charge??? Yeah, okay... this could just be my unit, but I get 3, maybe 4 hours of the unit just being on and it dies. My Sony also has re-chargeable batteries but it easily lasts throughout the day unplugged. If the audio on that one wasn't so bad it'd be great. Anyways, Levana's 8 hour claim is exaggerated in my experience.

4. Temperature reading is inaccurate. We keep our house on the cooler side but the temperature gauge constantly reads a good 8-10 degrees warmer than it actually is. Not a big deal for us since it wasn't a selling point I was interested in, but for those counting on it you may want to look elsewhere.

5. Customer service leaves much to be desired. I emailed customer service regarding the battery life and said I had a newly purchased unit (less than a month) but had serious issues with battery life and thought it might be faulty. I asked if I could get a replacement battery pack or a secondary parent charging unit so I'm not running around plugging and unplugging the single one I have from room to room. I received a auto-response saying I'd get a response in 1 business day.

Almost a WEEK later I received the actual reply: "Thank you for sending us an e-mail about this problem. A second charging base can be purchased through our support department for $20.00 for the unit and $10.00 shipping. If you would like to purchase this base, please call us at 1-866-946-7828 monday Friday 8:15am 5pm." That's it. REALLY?!? $30 for a charging base? That's more than half the price of the entire system! Also, no mention about sending me a replacement battery pack or addressing my issues with it at all, basically they seem to only be interested in making more money off you and have zero interest in actually helping you. After spending nearly $60 on the item you would think they could be a little more accomodating to their valued customers.

Bottom line: Good monitor for older children, some nice features, bad battery life, and useless customer service. If everything works it's great! But if you have any problems you're out of luck with Levana, unless you pay for their support.

Edit: I replied to Levana and called them out for my complaints mentioned above, demanded a replacement battery pack as my unit was 2 weeks old and under warranty. This time I received a more timely response. The customer service agent apologized and used the excuse that they were training new CS agents and so sometimes their inexperience shows through yet both emails were sent from the same agent so that excuse is bull. Anyways, he tried to troubleshoot the battery issue and then offered to send me a replacement pack (with my proof of purchase). I emailed a copy of my amazon invoice and another battery pack is on its way to me. I just hope I don't have any further issues.

Edit 5.14.12: I continued to use the original battery pack until it wouldn't hold a charge anymore wouldn't charge at all OR turn on About 2 months after purchase...sad. The new battery is no better than the old battery. I have the unit on the charger all day long (off), then remove from the charger and turn it on when the kids go to bed. Somewhere between 1.5 2 hours later the unit is already beeping LOW BATTERY. You would think I was serenading my kids through the intercom for the last hour or something...but no...just sitting on my coffee table turned on is enough to burn through the battery. Because of this I'm taking away a star. Too bad, because this monitor has a lot of potential.

Edit 7.21.12: This baby monitor is a POS. It woke me up at 4am beeping the low battery warning despite currently sitting on the charger for the last 4+ hours. I thought maybe it somehow got jostled and the metal contacts weren't touching, so I removed and reinserted it on the base. It stopped beeping and the screen indicated it was charging. I rolled over to go back to sleep. 5-10 minutes later, I noticed in the darkness of my bedroom that something was blinking on the walls. Rolled back over, and power light was blinking. The unit turned itself off without any warning. If I wasn't awake, I'd have no idea it was off and just assume my kids were blissfully sleeping b/c the monitor was silent. I played around with the battery and charger for almost an hour, could not get it to turn back on. Base charging light would come on, but parent unit wasn't registering the charge. Extremely pissed, I emailed Levana at 5am. I received a response later that day that they were sending me ANOTHER battery. 3rd battery in 6 months for this unit those who are keeping track.

I received the battery yesterday (Fri), and immediately installed it in the device and put it on the charger. Despite charging un-disrupted 30+ hours later, SURPRISE! The unit still doesn't turn on. Levana support is only available M-F, so I'm SOL for the rest of the weekend.

I am fine saying that overall it's a good product and I probably just got a dud, however Levana support is AWFUL. They'll keep firing off battery packs until my 1 year warranty has expired before they'll ever actually replace my unit. In which case I will just resell them on eBay or something because this is ridiculous.

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