Showing posts with label home security video monitoring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home security video monitoring. Show all posts

Friday, September 12, 2014

Pentax X-5 Megazoom 16.0 MP Digital Camera (Silver) with 32GB Card + Batteries/Charger + Case + Fle

Pentax X-5 Megazoom 16.0 MP Digital Camera with 32GB Card + Batteries/Charger + Case + Flex Tripod + Accessory KitI bought this before a trip overseas. There is a car museum I like and I wanted better pictures on this trip. WOW. This camera behaved fantastically. I took photography classes years ago, and could fuss with the manual settings, but the point and shoot capabilities of this camera makes me not bother. I shot just shy of 1000 photos in 5 hours with pretty awful lighting and it did great. Most were taken without the flash and its image stabilization was spot on. The controls are pretty easy to figure out.

This is the perfect camera between the Point-and-shoot range and the wiz-bang range. To me, it was the deal of the year. The Free Bag in the kit was not all that great. It is well made but not shaped well for the bulk of this camera.

Big plus, long life on the batteries. Bigger plus, AA batteries!!!

I ordered this Pentax X-5 camera kit as a Christmas gift and have been very impressed with the camera & the accesory kit. We took it to Gatlinburg TN for New Years Eve and took some outstanding pictures of the ball drop. I was also very happy with the quick delivery before Christmas. Great job Amazon & Cameta Camera. I will gladly recommend this camera & distributors to anyone.Pentax X-5 Megazoom 16.0 MP Digital Camera (Silver) with 16GB Card + Batteries/Charger + Case + 2 Tripods + Accessory Kit

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Friday, May 23, 2014

Polaroid IP300W wireless IP Network Security Camera, Pan and Tilt, IR-cut Filter, White

Polaroid IP300W wireless IP Network Security Camera, Pan and Tilt, IR-cut Filter, WhiteSetup was a pretty big pain. Save yourself the headache and take my word for it, You MUST use IE in order to access "full features", which is most of the features. I assumed there would be an iPhone app to access the live feed, there is not. You are limited to typing in the IP address via Safari.

The video quality isn't fantastic, but it's not that bad IF they lighting is decent. Another annoyance is that there is no battery option, the only way to power the camera is via DC/power outlet and the cord is not very long.

The hardware feels cheap, hard plastic. The back of the unit has two slots, one labeled "SD" -DO NOT attempt to put an SD Card into either slot they do not go anywhere... I made this mistake and had to disassemble the unit in order to retrieve my memory card...

So far, I have not found a way to actually record video. I have configured it to send images via e-mail when motion is detected, which is nice but an actual video would be much better... (I'll update this if I figure out how to do it...)

Overall, for the price ($99 at the time of writing, prime eligible) it's not what I had in mind, but IF I can get it to record actual video I would probably buy another unit... For now, 3 stars because it is more peace of mind, but disappointing.

It worked for 3 days and then stopped working what a piece of work. I also bought 2 IP200's one of those work for a week and stopped working, so far I have 1 of the original 3 that is still working, but for how long is any bodies guess.

Buy Polaroid IP300W wireless IP Network Security Camera, Pan and Tilt, IR-cut Filter, White Now

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Cable Matters 2 Pack, High Speed Micro HDMI to HDMI M/M Cable with 3D & Ethernet 6 ft

Cable Matters 2 Pack, High Speed Micro HDMI to HDMI M/M Cable with 3D & Ethernet 6 ftI bought this cable for my kindle fire hd. I love it because I can plug it into the tv and have enough length to have the kindle in my lap where I can still control it instead of having to get up! (lazy, I know.) Works great!

Works great and let's my Kindle Fire HD play through my TV for a great low price.

Definitely recommended to others with Kindle Fire HD

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works on my Acer Iconia Tab A500, connected it to my big screen tv without issues. Note on the TV, for Samsung plasma users, if your TV has a game mode, you should use it, scrolling looks much smoother with game mode on for me.

Read Best Reviews of Cable Matters 2 Pack, High Speed Micro HDMI to HDMI M/M Cable with 3D & Ethernet 6 ft Here

This is a review of the cable and the cable distributor Cable Matters since the package did come directly from them and not Amazon warehouse.

First, the cable does work as advertised, although only after a return and re-order because they shorted me by five-feet of the 15 with the first order.

Second, the cable is not exactly as advertised. In the picture the connectors are gently tapered and have the "Cable Matters" logo on slick plastic oval inserts. The actual cable connectors are plain black and rather block shaped. I have no doubt that sounds trivial to some people. But in my book this still constitutes a classic bait and switch.

I was baited with a product that had cool looking white plastic inserts that could actually aid me in locating the head of a cable in dim light.

I was switched to a product that I was not expecting.

To those who may scoff, I say consider this. This is no different than ordering a shirt of a certain color and getting a different color. It's the same style and the right size, but I wanted and ordered a specific color based on the advertising description and photos. If I wanted a different color I would have ordered such.

Shame on you "Cable Matters."

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This cable is well-made and works great. It is a great product for a very good price. Enables me to hook up my Xoom to my TV to watch movies on HD.

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Friday, March 28, 2014

Panasonic PV-L651 VHS-C Camcorder

Panasonic PV-L651 VHS-C CamcorderAfter close to a decade, my PV-L651 is still going strong after hundreds of hours of use. While it isn't DV or HD, this machine still shoots decent quality video in SP mode. The nice thing is being able to play back the tapes on a standard VHS deck with the included adapter cassette. The built-in LCD display is large and makes recording easy. I did replace the included battery with an extended capacity NiMH. The batteries for these Panasonics are readily available and cheap unlike some newer camcorders which use expensive battery packs only available from the OEM.

It has quite a few features including a basic titler, security recording mode (motion activated), and the little full function remote is handy when doing video diaries. Build quality is excellent, no wonder it's lasted so long.

The previous reviewer pointed out the built-in mike is not that great, I would agreebut then it's VHS-C so you're not going to get hi-fi stereo sound anyway. For the average person wanting to make videos playable on the millions of VHS machines still out there, this is a good choice if you don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for a DV or DVD camera. They can be had on Ebay and Craigslist for less than 80 dollars. I just picked another one up off Ebay for $60 BIN.

This camera has exceeded all expectations. It's easy to use and takes great quality video. It's a VHS-C and is probably considered old school technology at this time, but when it comes to pointing the camera and taking video, this camera knows how to do it's job. It comes with the following features:

20x optical zoom.

150x digital zoom.

4 inch LCD monitor or viewfinder for viewing/recording.

Automatically add titles to your video such as Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas, etc.. for special occasions.

Auto/Manual settings for focusing and shutter speeds.

Fade In or Out of your video or pause while recording.

On/Off/Auto light and back-lighting.

Image Stabilization

A fully charged battery lasts about 1 1/2 hours with continuous use.

Cons: That would be the microphone which doesn't provide the best sound quality with no way to correct it.

All in all, this is an easy camera to use and it takes great quality video.

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Thursday, March 20, 2014

Optoma PRO150S 2800 Lumen SVGA DLP Multimedia Projector

Optoma PRO150S 2800 Lumen SVGA DLP Multimedia ProjectorI owned a projector about 7-8 years ago. It was very expensive back then (Infocus brand) and I always thought it had a great picture in our dark basement setting... but the output was not bright enough to work in a semi-lit room during the day. When the bulb finally burnt out and I realized how expensive they were to replace, I got rid of it and bought a 42" Sony rear-projection TV. I have been happy with the Sony for the last 7 years or so but just moved from a large house into a smaller apartment and was looking for a way to free up all the space that this rather large TV took up (not to mention it is almost impossible to move because it is so big and heavy). I was looking into the newest technology of LCD, Plasma, and even LED TVs and the prices are pretty crazy for the size you get. I remembered how cool it was to have a projector and I thought to myself that would be great to save space and get a HUGE screen. I looked into them and I knew from my prior ownership that anything over 2000 lumens was typically considered to be bright enough to use in a semi-dark room. Most of the projectors advertised and sold as "Home Theater Projectors" are just as expensive as the TVs and I understand that they have native resolutions of 1280x800 or higher and some I have seen as high as 5500 lumens.... but I think a lot of it is hype. How black can the blacks in the video get? Why do you need a 60,000 to 1 contrast ratio? If you are not going to project the image 100 feet or more, why do you need that many lumens? I took a chance on this projector because I found it brand new on ebay for less than four hundred dollars and thought what the heck. At 2800 lumens it is plenty bright (even in daylight) to be seen clearly. The picture looks razor sharp and all my friends that spent thousands on big screen TVs are all jealous and say it looks better than their TVs. For 1/8 or less the cost, I have a 75" screen that is 1080i and 720p compatible. It is awesome for movies or ball games. Everyone always wants to have the superbowl party at my place.

Compared to my old Infocus projector, I can see technology has come a long way. This Optoma projector is very compact, lightweight, and quiet. It does put out a fair amount of heat (exhaust fan) but other than that I have absolutely no complaints, nor do I see a reason to spend thousands more on a big screen TV or "Home Theater" projector. In fact, this projector is actually TOO bright for the 10' that I am projecting the picture so I turned it down to "eco-mode" which dims it a bit and saves another 1,000 hours on the bulb. For the money, I think you would be very pressed to find a better quality projector with higher lumens and resolution for anywhere close to the same cost. The replacement cost of the bulbs are under $200 each so I can rest assured that this projector will last me the rest of my happy life, and even if it wasn't affordable to replace the bulb. At 350 dollars, I think 240,000 minutes of watching this screen is well worth the money I paid for it. That is 8 cents per hour.

Bottom line: Incredible Hi-Def picture, compact space-saving design, bright enough for daytime viewing, and very cost affordable. If you are considering this projector compared to some similar models, you have my recommendation to go with this one. I checked out Dell, NEC, Hitachi, Epson, and Infocus and nothing in this price range compared. 2800 lumens and 3000:1 contrast ratio is pretty impressive. Deep, rich dark colors... True blacks... and bright whites. I think you will be as happy as I am.

I will post some pictures as soon as I get my screen installed. Right now I am just projecting on a (brown) wall. I can't even imagine how good the picture is going to be on a real screen!

This projector is awesome. Simply put. no BS. It has great color quality, sleek style and is light weight, GET IT!

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Worked for nearly a year without issues. One fine day the power will not turn on. Helpdesk explained that board might have got burnt with a voltage spike, that none of my other devices had issues. I see endemic problems with other Optoma projector as well, after I invested my money in this. To return to Optoma Service across the continent will take as much as what a new one is worth and the one time cost. I am looking for other alternatives. 300 plus dollars vaporized.

Read Best Reviews of Optoma PRO150S 2800 Lumen SVGA DLP Multimedia Projector Here

I paid $800 on a projector that worked about 5 or 6 times. After that, it had vertical lines and no picture. The packaging is still on the projector, but we were in Asia and did not return until after the warranty. I called Optoma and spoke to the manager. My frustration is paying so much money for a defective projector. I would think they company would care about their reputation and customer enough to do something. His response was that they have no idea how many times we have used it. It is obvious by looking at it that it has not been used. The kinks are still in the power cord and the plastic is still on top of the projector. He said that it was probably a defective "main board" which is $279 and $100 labor. He would give me 50% off, but I pay for mailing, etc. Now I have to decide if it is worth it to pay another $300 on a cheap product that might last only a few months again. My observation: Optoma is poorly made and the company does not care about their reputation.

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We have had this product and needed to replace it. This was a great value for us, and a dependable product

Friday, October 18, 2013

Samsung ST150F Smart Wi-Fi Digital Camera (White)

Samsung ST150F Smart Wi-Fi Digital CameraMy wife and I bought this camera for a cheap and compact little camera for our trip to Las Vegas. We wanted the convenient Wifi picture transfer, and got so much more. She has a Canon Rebel t3 so we wanted something small. It fits easily in your pocket and is very light weight.

I LOVE the Samsung Smart Camera app. It takes this camera from a cheap point in shoot to an amazing device.

I cannot say enough good things about the remote view finder. You can setup your camera and wirelessly view what you look like and hit the picture button on your android phone!

Wifi photo transfer is easy and convenient. No more cables, or taking out the memory stick to put into the computer and then forgetting it.

Wireless upload! This camera can link to your phone, and when you take a picture it appears on your phone ready to upload. You can send good quality photos instead of using the cruddy camera built into your phone.

This is a great little camera for a great price. It has some amazing features that are very convenient. Do not expect an amazing quality lens or picture for 100 dollars. Expect some state of the art functions and a great sized camera.

im loving this camera so far. very small but packed with extras!! i love that it sends pics right to my phone or to my facebook.

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If I could give this camera 0 stars I would. Camera had problems powering On and Off. When I finally got it too power off, it did so, but the lens never completely closed and shut down in the normal flat manner. The camera would not consistently take a picture when auto flash was on. Worked fine when flash was turned off. Do yourself a favor and spend a little more on a different product. This camera is a waste of money. I will be returning it tomorrow.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung ST150F Smart Wi-Fi Digital Camera (White) Here

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Panasonic BL-C131A Network Camera Wireless 802.11

Panasonic BL-C131A Network Camera Wireless 802.11My wife and I wanted to keep an eye on the nanny with our baby from work. After researching the network cameras for several months, it seemed that only Panasonic cameras consistently received positive (usually glowing reviews) whereas cameras from other major brands like Linksys, D-Link, etc received mediocre or poor reviews. So I went with Panasonic. And after about a month, I have to say I am very impressed with it. Some background: I have a classic Linksys WRT54G 802.11g router, with 2 WinXP PCs connected to it via ethernet and 3 more PCs connected wirelessly; plus, I have AT&T/SBC DSL service via a Speedstream 5100 DSL modem. If you're moderately computer literate, you should have no problem following the included instructions to setup (view and control) the camera in wired mode or in wireless WiFi mode.

But if you want to setup the camera to be viewed (and controlled) from the internet, you need to do a bit more work. And this is where Panasonic's excellent, excellent customer support comes in. Panasonic's support line is 8_0_0-2_7_2-7_0_3_3; they are open Mon-Fri 9AM-9PM and Sat/Sun 10AM-7PM Eastern US Time; this tech support is available to you for the LIFE of the product. They will walk you through how to setup the camera, configure your router (for, among other things, port forwarding), and register with Panasonic's FREE Dynamic DNS web service. This last point is important: Panasonic network cameras include FREE Dynamic DNS hosting service for the life of the product; other brands offer the service for an annual fee.

Okay, step-by-step, here's how to config the camera for internet viewing:

First, if you use DSL as I do (as opposed to cable broadband), you have to configure the DSL modem for "bridge mode." (If you don't use DSL, then you can skip this step.) This is because DSL modems act as a router, and port forwarding cannot work behind both the DSL modem's router and (in my case) the Linksys WRT54G router. If you want, you can call your DSL tech support to ask them to walk you through how to "bridge" your DSL modem. But here's what I did.

1. Login to your DSL modem (for me, it's 192.168.0.1) using your DSL account (for me, it's my SBCglobal email address).

2. Select Advanced >> PPP Location

3. Select Bridged Mode (PPPoE is not used), then Change PPP Location

4. When prompted, restart the DSL modem

5. Login to your router (for me, it's 192.168.1.1)

6. Under Setup> Basic Setup >> Internet Connection Type, select PPPoE and enter the DSL login & password info you normally would enter in your DSL modem to authenticate your DSL service.

7. At this point, the "bridging" should have been successful. To check that bridging has been successful, click Status >> Router, and check that you are "connected" with an IP address showing. If successful, you should also see that your DSL modem's "internet" LED light is off while your router's "internet" light is on. What you basically have done is to move the point of authentication for your DSL service from the DSL modem to your router; your DSL modem merely acts as a bridge for the DSL service to your router.

8. Now, we move on to configuring the camera itself. I assume that the camera has already been configured for wired and wireless mode. Login to the network camera (for me it's, 192.168.1.253).

9. Click Setup. Change the Port No. from the default of 80 to 50000 (fifty thousand) and enter the IP address of the camera (for me, it's 192.168.1.253). Click Save, and the camera will restart. When it finishes restarting (taking as long as 1.5 min), it'll bring you back to the "Top" home page of the camera config screen.

10. Log back into your router, and go to Applications & Gaming, where you'll be able to set up port forwarding.

11. In the Port Range, enter 50000 as "Start" and 50000 as "End." Enter the IP Address of the camera (for me, 192.168.1.253). Check Enable. Save Settings.

12. Now, log back into your camera. Go to Setup >> DynamicDNS. Select viewnetcam-dot-com, then Next.

13. Click on "Your Account Link" to bring up the viewnetcam.com registration page, where you then select New Registration. Enter your desired registration info and select your domain name at viewnetcam-dot-com (e.g. yourname-dot-viewnetcam-dot-com). Click Choose.

14. Now, you will be shown a page confirming your registration. Under DDNS status, you will see Active-waiting. You need to wait up to 10min as the domain registration occurs, at which time, the status will change to Active.

15. We're almost done; stay with me! From WinXP Start Menu, click Run and type "cmd" to bring up a DOS window.

16. In the DOS window, type "ipconfig/all", which shows your computer's various network information. Under Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection, copy down the two addresses under DNS Servers.

17. Log back into your camera, select Setup, and enter the 2 DNS Server addresses from ipconfig/all in the 2 DNS boxes.

18. Go back to viewnetcam-dot-com, login to your account, and check that the DDNS status is now Active. If so, then you're all ready to go!

19. Go to yourname-dot-viewnetcam-dot-com:50000 to see your network camera on the internet!

OVERVIEW

The BL-C131A is a wireless/router based camera (no PC needed). In my view, this is the ONLY way cameras should be used due to the unstable PC connected solutions (e.g., PC freeze-up, lost power, etc). It is an IP based system which needs its own local internet address which the included software does a pretty good job setting up automatically.

MY EXPERIENCES

I have tried over 20 wireless web cameras from 7 brands over the last 5 years ($100-$600) and none are close to the performance, reliability, ease of setup of the Panasonic cams for a consumer based product. Dlink used to lead the pack until the BL-C20A/30A units came out. I was a fan of Dlinks but the software setup, remote camera configurations, and Viewnetcam dynamic DNS service of the the Pana's is just the best today.

ADVANTAGES

The included software is the best on the market for finding the camera on your system and trying to configure it automatically. Most software engineers should be SHOT due to sloppy code but the Panasonic software and firmware (software inside the cameras) is pretty good for setup and reliability (I am an electrical engineer so I know the sloppy way most of these guys think).

Tech support for Panasonic is the ONLY support I have contacted from 7 brands with AMERICANS speaking ENGLISH (not "Engrish"). Their patience and overall knowledge is truly outstanding and worth every extra penny this camera costs.

I highly recommend you also buy the Panasonic wireless router. It automatically configures with the cameras and becomes really easy to find/control the cameras.

The ability to reset/reconfigure the cameras remotely is INVALUABLE! I am often travleing in China, at my home in Chicago, or my home in Florida and want to make changes. I can do it remotely with 100% success after the first setup. I was even able to configure some cams in Chicago and Fedex to my wife in Florida and they booted up into the other system perfectly!

The Viewnetcam dynamic DNS service is stunningly reliable. It has never gone down and my cameras reset/refind themselves every hour so if your local ISP dynamically changes your IP address (Comcast is worst) you are always going to have the cams back up in 1 hour.

The ability to snap images, group small video screens, and "mouse-point" the cameras via the pan-tilt-zoom are outstanding.

The built in microphones are AMAZINGLY sensitive and pick up small noises remarkably well. I could hear the kids playing outside the house with cams inside.

The built in multi-screen servers can integrate different models of cameras. For example, I use a BL-C131A cam as #1 at my mom's house for PTZ and audio. I then add a BL-C30A for simple PTZ photo/video and a BL-C20A for fixed photo/video. They all coexist in one screen and work beautifully!

The photo snaps work PERFECTLY for building a simple web page and placing multiple screen snaps on 1 page (I placed 8) thus a super slim matrix of what is happening in my homes. Each photo at 320x240 is only 8kb so they download fast.

The mobile function (viewing on a cell phone browser) works INCREDIBLY well. I use it everyday on my Treo700P via Sprint.

DISADVANTAGES/CAUTIONS

ANY web cam is tedious to setup, no matter the brand. Be patient, and call Pana's tech support before returning the unit.

DON'T expect HD quality video these are 640x480 screens as best and the upload speed of your home network will always be the limiting factor. I do not recommend more than 4 cams online at once since this overloads even a good 768K upload system.

The pan-tilt controls are outstanding. Lots of left-right-down travel but up is limited. Also, the zoom is a digital zoom (NOT an optical zoom) thus very pixelated and not worth much.

The cams can fight for packets and "burble" your VOIP telephone calls.

SUMMARY

Outstanding product. I now own 14 units around the world and all are stone-cold reliable. Just great products.

Buy Panasonic BL-C131A Network Camera Wireless 802.11 Now

I have experience with D-Link cameras, and this one is much better. Setup was a multi-step process, but went smoothly, and the free internet address really works. The camera has yet to lose signal, and I have it positioned a the farthest end of my wirelss network. Picture is clear, sound is ok, interface is very good. Only works well with Internet Explorer. On a Mac, the video will display in Firefox but without sound. I haven't expored all of the features yet, but the main thing is that it works (more than can be said for many wireless products).

Read Best Reviews of Panasonic BL-C131A Network Camera Wireless 802.11 Here

I purchased four of these cameras and found out that the recording software included with it comes with a license to record only one camera. If you want to record more than one camera, you have to purchase an upgraded version with additional licenses and that lists for $399 and Amazon has it for $315.03 + Shipping Network Camera Software

If you are purchasing more than one camera for Surveillance purpose, make sure to take in to account of the additional costs.

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You can do all setup via the builtin web server even firmware updates. There is no need for installing anything from the included (windows only) CD. Streaming MP4 or MJPEG video works right outta the box in Safari as does the static captures no need for drivers or anything else.. Those looking for typical, painless MacOSX setup will get it with this Panasonic webcam..

Monday, July 22, 2013

HP 10.1-inch Digital Picture Frame

HP 10.1-inch Digital Picture FrameThe HP 10.1 Digital Picture Frame (DPF), in a word, is awesome! The box included the DPF, power cord, remote control, User Guide and Quick Start Guide. The 5-in-1 Memory card slot will accept almost any memory card directly from your camera. If you prefer you can download photos using a USB drive and store it on the DPF, which has an internal memory of 256mb. I used an 4gb USB drive, and after moving about 3gb of photos onto it, I just plugged it into the frame and left it there. It plugs into the rear side of the frame and wasn't visible from the front (good engineering by HP). The DPF has a menu driven onscreen setup and operation accessed by either the remote control or the small buttons on the rear top on the frame. This frame does not have a battery, so it must remain plugged in to operate. The cord is about 6ft. long. The handy little remote has a magnet which attaches it to the rear of the frame when not in use.

The picture quality was excellent. I would compare the picture to that of a high quality computer monitor. The actual size of the picture is about 5in x 9in. You can adjust the brightness, contrast, color and tint. You can set which type of slide show you wish, with random being the default, and you can set the time between slides. The picture can be viewed easily from a 45 degree angle.

The setup from opening the box to enjoying the slide show took about 25 minutes including loading my USB drive. I am fairly good with computers, but a novice should be able to follow the instructions provided, and if not there is a toll-free number for HP support.

If you are looking for a DPF, this HP model offers all the bells and whistles, with a larger than usual display. Keep this in mind for a creative, thoughtful gift for friends or loved ones.

UPDATE: I love this concept. After having this digital picture frame for a month of daily viewing, I have to say it's worth every penny. If you are like me, you take pictures, download them to your computer or print them and put them in an album, and don't get to see them that often. Well, the beauty of this frame is that you see them all the time!! It really is a wonderful addition to our home. Highly recommended, even if you can't afford this large frame, I think a smaller one would give you much pleasure.

QUICK UPDATE: Almost 2 years, turned on everyday, and off at bedtime, and still working perfectly. At this price, looks like a pretty good deal.

I really like digital picture frames for their versatility and the plain pleasure that you get from watching an entire series of photos rather than just one photo as with a conventional frame. This HP 10 inch digital frame is impressive and gorgeous. I do not do any of the fancier things that some of the folks do. I simply want to be able to insert an SD card with my photos on it and enjoy watching the screen shuffle between them. This frame does this very well and I was up and running in a minute or so. No problems if you are not trying to do something complicated.

This frame looks great and the ten inch size is really impressive. Most people will like this frame. Here are my complaints. Firstly, some genius at HP decided that the frame would display the time on the upper left-hand corner of each photo. I do not want this. It is far from intuitive how one gets rid of this irritant. Fiddling with the menus did not yield a solution. In my opinion if the menus are not sufficiently intuitive to allow the user to figure this out, and require recourse to the (gasp) directions, that is a fault.

At first I thought that the stand for this frame was far too short. Then I noticed that it will extend to the proper length. This discovery caused me to revise my review from four stars to five.

Overall this is a nice product and I am really enjoying it, despite the above shortcomings. Recommended. RJB.

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The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because it will not stand up on it's own. It does have a little "kickstand" of sorts but it's rickety...not well made to support the weight of the frame. I put in on my side table and the slightest hit on the table sent the frame crashing down.

If you don't need it to stand upright (I propped it in a frame holder to keep it in place), there are spots to hang on the wall.

The photos show up crisp and clean. Ideally, you could do this wirelessly with future advances of frames. It's kind of a pain to save pics onto a removeable media piece and then upload them onto the frame. I like that you can have the time show AND a photo at the same time. Alternatively, you can use a calendar. The calendar feature isn't much use to me.

It's a nice addition to my living room to show off various photos of the family. I do with the cord to plug it in was longer. I had to adjust where I was putting it because the outlet was too far away.

Read Best Reviews of HP 10.1-inch Digital Picture Frame Here

The Positive side, the idea itself: An electronic frame that displays photos from your digital camera, scanner, the internet, or anywhere else for that matter. Display them one at a time or as a slide show. This unit is larger than most digital frames 10.1 inch LCD display (800 x 480 pixels), with a nice mat and wood border. The mahogany-like border looks great it's very classy and will fit in just about anywhere. The remote control unit provided is a definite plus ... allows you to narrate or discuss your pictures from across the room, which is a nice way to show them off for friends.

The Negative side: The directions are not good, just a 1-page "Quick Start" sheet is included in the box, and even on the HP website that's all there is. That would be okay if the settings and commands were more user-friendly, but they're hard to understand and difficult to navigate. There are slide show commands, transition choices, lots of nice options, but I still can't seem to access all the options even now. And maybe it's just me, but the aspect ratio could be a bit taller to conform with more standardized photo sizes ... the taller images are very truncated in landscape view, same for wide images in portrait view.

If you can navigate the commands, I'd recommend it. If not, the frustrations might just outweigh the positive points.

Want HP 10.1-inch Digital Picture Frame Discount?

I was a bit worried about the condition of the HP 10.1-inch Digital Picture Frame when I found the package left by UPS on my doorstep. Not only was the box it was packed in (with no padding or anything, just the box thrown in a shipping box) beat all to hades, but the actual HP box the frame comes in was beat all to hades too with the corners crushed and the overall surface looking like someone played an extended session of street hockey with it. Fortunately, the picture frame and accessories appear to be undamaged, which in itself is a bit of a miracle.

The device resolution is 480x800 pixels, and the viewable area is actually 10.1 inches just as advertised, when measured diagonally like you would a television or monitor screen; not the vertical or horizontal edge like you would an actual picture frame or photograph.

The picture quality is sharp, with good contrast and an adjustable backlight level. The default colors are a little oversaturated in my opinion, but this is the case with 99% of all consumer display products, luckily HP included the ability to fine tune various aspects of the diplay, a most welcome feature! There is no specification stating whether the dislay for the DPF is color managed or not, but I am assuming not as photos in color profiles other than sRGB (such as Adobe RGB) don't always display colors properly, so be sure the photos you load into the frame have an sRGB color profile to ensure proper viewing in the photo frame.

There are calander and date controls, folder management, display scheduling, photo zoom and rotation controls, and a nifty little remote that can magnetically be secured to the back of the frame (if not hung on a wall). The frame allows desk or wall positioning in both landscape and portrait orientations, and the frame is an elegant espresso color.

The power cord is a bit short in my opinion at 5 feet in length, making placement in some areas a hassle without the use of an extention cord.

Overall this is an incredibly well thought out unit, with a beautiful display. An absolute must-have for just about everyone.

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