Showing posts with label levana baby monitor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label levana baby monitor. Show all posts

Friday, October 17, 2014

Deluxe DB ROTH Accessory STARTER KIT For The Flip Video Ultra, UltraHD, Ultra 2nd Generation Camcor

Deluxe DB ROTH Accessory STARTER KIT For The Flip Video Ultra, UltraHD, Ultra 2nd Generation CamcordersAll the stuff included is very useful and neccesary for keeping your pictures/videos looking good. The service was great and i hope to make more orders from them!

Low price. I love my kit, having two tripods comes in handy, one is tall, and one is short, perfect for all applications! The Carrier bad is the perfect size to fit everything!

Buy Deluxe DB ROTH Accessory STARTER KIT For The Flip Video Ultra, UltraHD, Ultra 2nd Generation Camcor Now

I got my husband this for Christmas to go with his camera. The shipping was fast. Packaged neatly. All the parts work well and it was a great deal.

Read Best Reviews of Deluxe DB ROTH Accessory STARTER KIT For The Flip Video Ultra, UltraHD, Ultra 2nd Generation Camcor Here

I bought this starter kit as a gift for a person receiving a flip Camera. The tripod and bag alone are worth the cost. The large tripod is a heavy duty, easy to carry around and is sturdier than my other tripod I bought alone. The mini tripod I am not sure if they will use but nice to know it is there if needed. The bag to carry everything in is nice as you can not only put the items for the camera, but if you have another camera or misc, it will hold all of it.

Want Deluxe DB ROTH Accessory STARTER KIT For The Flip Video Ultra, UltraHD, Ultra 2nd Generation Camcor Discount?

This Deluxe DB Roth Accessory starter kit works perfectly for my Flip Video UltraHD camera, and even included extra accessories that I can use for other electronics. The kit components are all high quality, either Polaroid or another high-end brand, well-made and do their intended job. It is probably impossible to get a better deal than this and so, with free SUPER SAVER shipping from Amazon, how could you pass this up? ❤ it! I bought it with Raw Organic Cocoa Nibs (16 oz) by CBH and, with the *free* SUPER SAVER shipping, paid less than I would have otherwise (you can buy this product and pay shipping, but it makes more sense to combine products that offer SUPER SAVER shipping and save). Happy filming~*

Friday, August 29, 2014

Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Bod

Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video CapabilityUpdate: Images up to ISO 51,200 have very acceptable levels of noise (very little). Worst case, I touched up with Dfine 2.0 (noise reduction software) and they look nearly perfect. I experimented with the movie mode. The camera took some very nice looking videos in extremely low light. I don't know what ISO it used, but it must be hitting ISO 102,400 at times. The video and sound using the internal microphone are really good. I may add an external stereo mic in the future if I shoot video. I should have known, you can't shoot movies in vertical format -of course -but I did take some that way before I realized that format doesn't work when you play back on a TV.

I've now got a growing collection of images in various conditions and remain extremely pleased with this camera.

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

I received my new Nikon D3S only a couple of days ago, and my early testing of this camera has already proven it to be much more than I expected. I took a few dozen test shots in nearly complete darkness and with relatively little noise the shots look like they were taken in fairly bright lighting. I am very impressed. In fact, I would even say they are unbelievable.

I love the new "info" button. I passed over the written material before the camera arrived thinking: who cares. Well, I find it to be an extremely helpful feature. When you press the "info" button, it shows not only the exposure settings, but gives you immediate access to several of the relevant menu options that you can then immediately access and make changes. I find this to be very quick and useful.

The D3S seems a bit bigger than my Nikon D2Xs and other professional bodies I use, but it feels like it's built absolutely solid. Of course, since the D3S is an FX (full frame) sensor, I have heavier lenses attached and in my bag too. I love the D3S ergonomics and the programmable function and other buttons (programmable AE/AL and Preview button). I hate to fumble with menus in the field (sorry Canon 1ds Mark III and 5D Mark IV and others, but Nikon has you beat here), and the Nikon gives fast access to all the key settings.

I haven't done extensive image tests yet, but my first impression is the images are superb, color is very accurate and auto focus is very fast and accurate, even in what I'd call "no light." I have usable images at ISO 102,400 (an amazing seven full stops better than other pro-bodies I use). At this point, I still can't believe how good images look at ISO 102,400, and images at ISO 51,200 and 25,600 look nearly perfect with either no high ISO NR (noise reduction) or standard NR.

Looking at my images at high magnification and they appear much clearer than even higher megapixel resolution bodies I use. I am now finally convinced beyond any doubt that megapixel is more of a marketing ploy than meaningful for professional photographers and other factors are more important.

As a pro who uses high end digital bodies, this is my first choice (maybe my only choice) for most assignments. I do a fair amount of studio work and thought I might opt for the Nikon D3X or even a Canon body since high ISO is not important, but this camera is so good I may use it for all my photography work in all conditions. If I really need high-end studio shots, I'll perhaps use my Mamiya with a digital back or even rent a Hasselblad.

The Nikon D3s is an amazing camera and I love it. The vast majority of people looking at buying this camera are talking about it's ISO and low light abilities. Even though there is alot more to this camera than it's amazing new ISO abilities, lets start with it's most unique feature and major selling point.

How good does it's ISO get? How about 12,800! The ISO can be pushed up to 102,400 using the Hi ISO settings.

My tests Nikon D3s combined with the Nikkor 24-70 2.8 Lens.

I tested the camera at 400 ISO, 800 ISO, 1,600 ISO, 3,200 ISO, 6,400 ISO, and 12,800 ISO both inside in low light and outside at night. I have also tested the Hi 3 or 102,400 ISO setting

The ISO settings look really great up through the 3,200 mark. After that one can a little notice grain/noise up to the 12,800 ISO point. I would not hesitate at all running this camera at 1,600 or 3,200 ISO. BTW Pictures taken at 12,800 are usable. They look really good. But there is a little noise as I said. The 102,400 setting creates all sorts of noise/grain, but that should be expected. So far the pictures I've take at the highest setting basically turns this camera into your own "night vision" camera. It can see in very dark surroundings.

More on the D3s

This camera is rugged. Over the holidays, I had it outside in snow storms, rain, and sub freezing temperatures. It performed flawlessly.

Info button New to the D3s and really nice. It displays information such as f-stop, shutter speed, mode, and remaining pictures on monitor/display screen on the back

Live view there are 2 setting here. One for a tripod and one for handheld use. Turn this on, and you have a view of what you see through the viewfinder on your back monitor. I personally don't use this alot, but can see why others would.

Accurate and fast auto focus using the 24-70 2.8 lens and my 14-24 2.8 lens

HD Video at 720p

Amazing 9 fps. Yes, I tested this, and I love it. I shoot motorsports and was hampered by the slower D2Xs as well as the smaller buffer on the D2Xs

Sensor cleaning done through the menu system on the back monitor.

Quiet mode (Which isn't that much quieter than the default sound)

51 point Auto Focus system

FX metering system (remember if you use a DX lens on this camera, the FX sensor with crop your photo. It appears like a gray box inside the vewfinder cropping your edges)

My Favorite addition (actually useful and I love it) The Virtual Horizon. This looks like something you would find in the cockpit of an airplane and not a camera, but here it is in the D3s. It is a line that gives the photographer the correct horizon. Why is this so cool? Imagine anything from nature photography in the mountains (like standing on a slope) to photographing motorsports on a banked oval track (that would be me). Here is the function that allows photos to have proper alignment. I could see this function being used both on a tripod and hand held.

*Update on pictures*

Having spent more time photographing in low light, the 12,800 ISO setting is mind blowing.

Pictures outside at night I took pictures of dark lawns, streets, and some holiday lights. Contrast is good as is saturation. There is some grain/noise, but it is uniform and not that bad.

Pictures in dimly lit rooms less noise and the colors and saturation are great. These images were sharp too. I toggled between manual mode and program mode to fool with the depth of field and bokeh. The brighter the room, the less the noise/grain. (Again these are ALL situations that would have required a flash with any other camera)

Pictures of stars Yup. Stars in the sky. I was actually able to hand hold this camera, aim it in the sky and snap a picture of stars. The picture didn't look that great, but considering I did it on a whim it was still really neat. (The camera picked up alot of haze in the sky. I think away from the city, the photos would be a lot better)

I've now taken well over 1,000 pictures with the D3s and it is easily the best camera I have owned. I am really impressed

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

Update on one D3s issue DPreview forums have reported numerous instances of D3s with a slow focus problem. They say it is a firmware bug. I have NOT had any issues and I am 2,000+ photos into my D3s. That includes many lowlight shoots.

Buy Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Bod Now

I initially started this comment as a reply to someone who asked why anyone would need a camera that goes higher than 12,000 ISO unless you wanted to take pictures in a closet, especially since you can get a much less expensive consumer-level DSLR with more mega pixels and higher resolution video. I decided to post my response here with the hope than someone else might find it to be useful:

For the past couple of years, I have been using a Nikon D80, which from all the reviews I have read competes fairly well with other cameras in this class. I am not a professional photographer, but I enjoy photography enough that the limitations this consumer-level DSLR seems to have became a source of frustration to me.

I recently upgraded to a D3S, and I am absolutely amazed at the difference between the two cameras. The D3S is ten times the camera--and not because of the marginal difference in mega pixels.

It's not all about being able to take pictures in near darkness either. I take a lot of wildlife pictures with a solid, f 4.5 70-300mm zoom lens (popular because of its good price/performance tradeoff), and with my D80, if I am zoom out much at all, it has to be a bright sunny day to get really good pictures. Cloud cover and even shade results in quite a bit of color noise and a loss of detail, even at ISO settings as low as 400, and I almost always have to shoot with the aperture wide open to mitigate these problems, which, of course, limits my flexibility in terms of depth of field and tends to wash out bright areas. It is also very difficult to stop the motion of things like birds in flight with the low ISO settings that are required to avoid color noise and loss of detail. This is a very frustrating tradeoff to have to make.

With my D80, I have also noticed that the shading gradation of things like fog and shadows in snow is fairly limited--to the point where pictures of things with subtle shading almost always look washed out or have very little detail. The D3S, on the other hand, has an amazing amount of detail no matter what the subject is, no matter how subtle the shading and despite poor lighting conditions. (For the first time ever, I have been able to take pictures of things like fog rolling over a lake and have it show up just the way my eyes see it! No more blending of subtle shades into a single patch of white.)

My D80 also struggles to be consistent with color balance and metering. The D3S is almost always dead on in terms of color balance and metering and is faster and more consistently accurate with its auto focus.

The fact that the D3S's image sensor does such a great job in low light situations has opened up new possibilities for me. I can even stop down my slow f 4.5 300mm zoom lens significantly at any focal length and get outstanding results, even on a cloudy day. Think about the possibilities this opens up in terms of lens choices. As an amateur, I simply cannot afford the 10K-a-pop, fast professional lenses, but now I can get great pictures with slower, less expensive lenses, and I can actually extend the capabilities of the lenses I have with things like teleconverters and still get good results. In this sense, the D3S is a bargain.

I have mostly mentioned the quality of the pictures this camera takes, and I do not intend to go into its rich feature set and build quality (other comments below have already done this), but I did want to tell you about some of the considerable advantages I have found with the D3S and tell you about the outstanding results that I have been getting. I am amazed at the quality of the pictures this camera takes, and I am thrilled with the way this camera performs! This camera is in an entirely different class than the consumer-level DSLRs I have used in the past.

Read Best Reviews of Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Bod Here

I was using a Canon 5D Mark II camera for over a year but became more and more disappointed with it as time went on. The focusing system used on the Canon was poor and the high ISO was good but not great.

Finally tiring of the soft focus of the 5D Mark II, I decided to either upgrade to the 1D Mark IV or the Nikon D3S. The decision was a very painful one to make and I dwelled on the subject for weeks before making a decision.

I finally decided on the Nikon D3S because of its full frame sensor and how its relatively large pixel size would be an advantage in low light situations (i.e., High ISO). Also, it didn't hurt that it was available right away through Amazon and I needed it for my trip to Europe at the end of December.

Now, after having used the Nikon D3S for around 2 months in a variety of situations I can say without hesitation that this is the finest DSLR available. Its ability to shoot sports action in low light is stunning and the focus is very responsive and always spot on! The lenses which I have purchased have all been superior to their Canon equivalent counterparts. Although, the Nikon does have some wholes in their lineup, most notably the the 85mm f/1.2.

While I believe that the filming features of the 1D Mark IV are likely superior it was a mute point for me after a year of experiences with the 5d Mark II. Unless you are very serious you will not get good results filming with any DSLR so I did not consider this when deciding which camera to buy.

In conclusion, I was very nervous about buying the Nikon D3S instead of the Canon 1D Mark IV. However, after using the D3S in a variety of situations I have absolutely fallen in love with this camera.

Want Nikon D3S 12.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and 24fps 720p HD Video Capability (Bod Discount?

Having shot with Canon for the last 15 yrs, moving over to Nikon was not an easy decision. I had a decent collection of lenses and the 1D Mark II was beginning to show its age. The mark III had its issues and the mark IV had shown promise.

Many friends asked why switch now? Simply put, low light is where I shoot most of my jobs. Nikon at the moment has the advantage. Selling my Canon gear was the big question. I ended up selling ALL my gear (1D Mark II, 135L, 28-70L, 70-200L IS, 35L, 85, 100 macro, and 580EX) in 1 week CASH... It covered the D3s, 24-70, and most of the 70-200 VRII.

While I waited for my gear to sell, I rented the D3s for a week along with Nikon's recent additions -14-24, 24-70, and 70-200 VR II. The images from the D3s with the aforementioned lenses were quite simply just amazingly sharp with minimal noise.

One can read the many reviews of the D3s out there.

Here's what impressed me about the D3s:

1. Ergonomics -well designed button placements, easy to nagigate menus, buttons for metering/shooting speed/autofocus.

2. Image quality -AMAZING images at high ISO. Check out Rob Galbraith's images.

3. 9 fps full sized RAW files/11 fps DX files

4. Screen size (a big change from my 1D Mark II)

5. Autofocus is stellar even in low light. I've not had issues like others have described.

6. I like 2CF cards vs 1 CF and 1 SD. Using Photofast Plus 32GB ($250) and no problems.

7. self cleaning sensor

Other things that impressed me about Nikon:

1. 5 year lens warranty vs Canon's 1 year

2. 24-70 images are sharper than my 28-70 Canon

3. 70-200 VRII images better than my Canon 2.8L IS

Suggestions for improvment:

1. selection of autofocus point with the back button. I think Canon's method appeals to me better.

2. Battery life is not the 4000 shots as advertised. Not sure if these are done with jpeg images, but I gotten ~ 1500 shots with 14 bit RAW images, a fair amount of chimping, and occasional video.

3. Focusing on video mode needs improvement. Its clunky and slow.

4. Video -meh...great in a pinch, but its not a high priority for me. Others I'm sure feel differently. Canon's got the upper hand for now.

I like the direction that Nikon has choosen. Image quality over megapixels. Its a balanced camera with more than enough features for me. If you do advertising or need high resolution, the D3x is for you. This is a professional camera inside and out. Its worth every penny I've put out for the body and Nikon's lenses. I have no regrets!

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

Update Dec 22, 2010:

The D3s continues to impress. Took it to the Billabong Pipeline Masters surf competition a few weeks ago. Pared with the 200-400 VR, I was able to get some fantastic images. If I could do things better the "next" time, I'd take a 500 or 600 VR. AF was spot on tracking was not a problem in the least.

Auto ISO has been a hidden surprise when I moved to Nikon. My 1D Mark II didn't have it, but the new Canon models do. I like Nikon's version as it allows me to be in manual mode (allows me to set the shutter and aperture) and the ISO changes to keep the SS and aperture fixed. It allows me to control DOF and stopping motion in sports! This allows me to focus on composition and being a photographer rather than on the technical aspects.

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Zacuto ZicroMount III (with Optional Camera Pin and 1/4 20 inch Screw)

Zacuto ZicroMount III1 star off for price and another 1 off because the little black arm hinges on this don't stay in place when I mount things to this. A little disappointing for such an expensive product. Should be close to perfect for that price. Zacuto does make some nice (but pricey) mounting gear, this piece just seems like a slightly weak link in their product line.

Save 5% Off

Saturday, May 17, 2014

HDMI 6 ft Cable for Playstation3 (100% Compatible with Playstation 3 HDMI Cable) Jowow

HDMI 6 ft Cable for Playstation3 JowowThe HDMI 6 ft Cable for Playstation3 works just the same as the $65.00+ PS3 HDMI cables do (that are sold at Best Buy) for a fraction of the price. I was so excited to find this deal on Amazon. The packaging says it comes with 24-carat gold-plated connectors; however I don't know whether this is really true, due to the super low price. The product, though, works as expected without any problems.

the cords do not work in a ps3 and it will cost double to returnsave your money do not buy this product....

Buy HDMI 6 ft Cable for Playstation3 (100% Compatible with Playstation 3 HDMI Cable) Jowow Now

Thursday, April 17, 2014

TRENDnet ProView PoE Network Surveillance Camera with 16x Digital Zoom TV-IP512P (White)

TRENDnet ProView PoE  Network Surveillance Camera with 16x Digital Zoom TV-IP512PLet me start by stating that I had to return this IP camera. The major reason is that it does not have exposure compensation and it has a manual focus. It is configured for indoor ambient light settings. Not too bright and not too dim. I also realized that the camera/CCD chip does not have a sufficient dynamic range to capure a scene with both bright and dard areas. If this is a requirement, then this camera will not perform for you.

The Trendnet software does provide image brightness controls but the controls appear to operate on the received image not setting the camera's exposure settings. Hence an over exposed image will remain overexposed.

TrendNet has Setup program on the CD which installs a setup program! This is rather confusing. Installation is clumsy but with patience, I got it configured. The Power over Ethernet worked perfectly.

Based on physical construction, including the pacement of the connectors, the TrendNet Camera appears to be a Dlink camera. In fact using Blue Iris Video Monitoring software, the camera responds as if it is a DLink DCS-3410 or 2102.

The focus is manual. A real PITA when you must mount it and then have someone monitor the video and keep farting with the focus. And given the 1-2 second delay in the video, its easy to keep missing the focus point.

Trendnet also provides a simple but good mounting bracket.

I also tried out their user support. I connected to a person relatively quickly. I offer them the opportunity to the tech support person to connect directly to the camera remotely which they declined (I configured port forwarding on my router). Their first fix for the over exposure was to place the camera in night mode!! What?? That would make it even more over exposed! They ignored my comment. Put me on hold and when they came back and she said it can't be used for viewing outside.

Perhaps I've been spoiled by the Toshiba line of IP cameras. They are a lot more expensive, but their engineering, software and hardware is top notch compared to TrendNet. So if your needs are for video where the lighting does not vary much from ambient indoor lighting, and you can only afford $200, this camera may work for you.

I have the 4x zoom model and it is easy to set up and use. I mounted mine in an outdoor camera housing to monitor the outside of my home. I have no trouble connecting to it from work and the picture is clear. The 4x zoom does cause the picture to get grainy (as expected), but I don't have much use for the zoom as I am looking for an overall view of the area. I had no trouble focusing the camera with my laptop connected to my home network any further and the delay would have made focusing a pain. The microphone works fine and I'm also satisfied with it's performance in low light. The low-watt bulb that I have in my porch light provides enough light for the camera to view the entire porch area late at night. When the motion flood lights are activated, there is more than enough light for the camera. This is a good choice for a basic internet security camera.

Buy TRENDnet ProView PoE  Network Surveillance Camera with 16x Digital Zoom TV-IP512P (White) Now

The quality of this camera is what you would expect for the price, regular. The default settings are not ok for use outdoor, and you can't change that unless you update the firmware of the device, which is what we did and after that i worked ok indoor and outdoor (we didn't knew that the firmware fixed this problem since we didn't find anything that suggested it but thanks to that we didn't have to return it or use it only indoor).

You can access the camera from any navigator (we tried IE, FF and Opera), but some advanced functions are only available in IE.

The zoom is not that useful since its just digital and the image resolution is not very good.

The software detects the camera without problem even if you don't know it's IP so it save us a couple of times from rebooting it.

We've tried for a few days now and everything seems ok even when using it with ddns.

Read Best Reviews of TRENDnet ProView PoE  Network Surveillance Camera with 16x Digital Zoom TV-IP512P (White) Here

Originally I purchased the TV-IP512P to use outside with an enclosure. It wasn't until AFTER I received it that the documentation states it's for indoor use. Indoors, it works great, though I use it to monitor remotely and picture quality isn't a big issue. I mounted the camera outside in the enclosure and as a few reviews have stated, the picture is blown out with outdoor light levels. I put a small piece of window tint over the enclosure window to reduce the light level and though it does take away from picture quality ever so slightly, the picture quality is still acceptable. I will be buying another for inside use in the near future.

****UPDATE****

After contacting Trendnet support about the light level for exterior use, I was told to do a firmware upgrade. After doing the upgrade, I had the option for indoor or outdoor use. Set on outdoor, I removed the tint I applied previously (to cut down the light level), and was pleased to find the picture is no longer washed out, and is FAR better than before. Next I'll be trying the IR500 infrared lens to see if visibility at night is increased.

Want TRENDnet ProView PoE  Network Surveillance Camera with 16x Digital Zoom TV-IP512P (White) Discount?

The good:

Easy to set up, works with standard POE switches. Mounts on top and bottom, comes with a right angle bracket. Web interface is nice and easy to use. Works with Zoneminder. JPG's upload to an FTP server just fine.

The bad:

Focus is a manual focus. I knew this going in, but i didn't realize how annoying it would be. My biggest gripe and the main reason for the low rating is that you can't browse the SD card through the camera interface. You have to take it out and put it in a pc to read it. To me this is unacceptable and had I known this I would never have purchased this camera.

Save 43% Off

Monday, February 24, 2014

BenQ MX511 2700 Lumen XGA 3D Ready DLP Projector

BenQ MX511 2700 Lumen XGA 3D Ready DLP ProjectorBenQ MX511 is 3D ready but it does not support HD source for 3D. You can see 3D only using composite (yellow) or s-video cable (advised by BenQ tech support). To see HD 3D you need HDMI 1.4 input and this projector only support HDMI 1.3 input. I hooked up Sony 3D Blue ray player (BDPS470) with HDMI 1.3 to this projector and this combination was not able to project 3D image on screen. It automatically playback to 2D/1080p. Menu Option in BenQ for 3D setup also got disabled/turn off with this setup. I have checked with composite cable to see 3D with DLP link ready glass and 3D was horrible with no depth, seems like 2D.

I am really quite pleased with this projector. Wanted a projector to replace my very old NEC SVGA one with hdmi for xbox gaming and dvd/etc in the basement and i am now projecting about a 5ft high image on a white painted wall. Was looking extensively for months, comparing lamp life, native output, etc, etc, and waiting for something acceptable at the price point i wanted. Found this one for $449, which was well below what i expected to pay, but there is no comprimise.

DVD quality was excellent as well. I played a few games of Black Ops standing up, and found myself trying to look around corners and up over things. For the price and with 3d ability(which i cannot comment on yet), i could not be happier. Colors are really good with a # of preset and configurable settings via the small remote. Audio is obviously not going to knock your socks off, as i haven't run it through the amp yet, but it is still more than acceptable. Kicks my upstairs HD toshiba picture actually. Great deal and no real compromise for an excellent viewing experience for those not 'needing' it to be the absolute best there is out there.

Buy BenQ MX511 2700 Lumen XGA 3D Ready DLP Projector Now

i purchased the mx511 about three months ago. i have to say it's awesome. hdmi works great. it's the only thing i have hooked up. i have it hooked up to my directv and ps3. i am running through a viewsonic vp3d1 adapter. i am using cheap 3d dlp link glasses made by futurecinema.. i am totally pleased. if you shop around, you can get this unit for around 450.00 and less if refurbished. i am not going to waste you time talking about the clarity of the picture. it's awesome. i have watched 3d through espn 3d, 3net, on directv and it looks great. i have also bought and watched tron:legacy, resident evil:afterlife, piranha, the green hornet, alice in wonderland, tangeled, cat and dogs 2. as i said before, they look great. regular blue rays play perfect. if there is one the to gripe about it's about my samsung ht5500 bluray surround. hdmi doesn't pick up thru it. i have heard that samsung has had the same problems with certain manufacturers. not a deal breaker.

Dec 9th 2011 update. samsung blu ray system works . had a bad 45 foot hdmi cable

Read Best Reviews of BenQ MX511 2700 Lumen XGA 3D Ready DLP Projector Here

I have had this projector since January 2012, have put about 110 hours on it so far.

I am including the guide on how to run 3D from your computer onto this projector below. but first pros and cons.

I bought it for 350 from staples canada (toronto)

Pros:

Great picture quality

Great color reproduction

All the standard features + hdmi (at 350 HDMI is pretty good).

Cons:

Loud fan (according to my standards, others may think its alright)

very poor instructions in the 3D department from Benq, and thats where they lost the point.

How to run 3D on this projector.

1Buy the glasses. (I got "Sintron" 3D glasses from ebay for $31, they work very well)

2secure a VGA cable. (HDMI will not work, dont waste your time)

3download the "stereoscopic player" from 3dtv.at (dont buy it yet, just download free first try and see if 3d works for you)

4connect the projector via VGA and go to display properties -> advanced, set the resolution to the highest resolution possible at 120Hz. its important to set it at 120 HZ (may also work at 100HZ but 120 is better)

5Press the menu button on projector's remote, you will see that the 3D is now available, select 3D and turn it on.

6open your stereoscopic player and go to File -> settings -> playback options. in "Viewing method" pick "Software pageflipping" in "glasses control" pick "DLP 3D Ready Encoding". under Preferred viewing methods Stereoscopic pick "Software pageflipping".

7hit ok.

8now play your SBS movie and it should be throwing 3D on the wall.

P.S: if you didnt turn on your 3D glasses. smack your self :) .

I hope this helps

Want BenQ MX511 2700 Lumen XGA 3D Ready DLP Projector Discount?

Bought a factory refurbished MX511 about 2 weeks ago. It is very bright and works well even in a moderately lit room. I use it mostly for Xbox 360 and it looks great. I have it projecting a ~116" image and the quality is very good. Great projector with HDMI input. If the lamp lasts as long as advertised or even close this projector is a fantastic buy.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Master Lock 4843DATSEN Vehicle Back Up and Hitch Alignment Camera with 3.5 Inch Color Monitor

Master Lock 4843DATSEN Vehicle Back Up and Hitch Alignment Camera with 3.5 Inch Color MonitorCheck out the video

When I got this product it looked so good. It worked straight out of the box as promised. But when it came to everyday life, it was disappointing.

The first problem was that I have a pick up with a crew cab and a long box; the distance from the back of the truck to the cab seemed to be right on the limits of what this camera would do. So when I placed it within the tow-hitch receiver effectively a heavy metal tube the signal from the camera was too weak and when I got a picture on the monitor it was very a jumpy and grainy, and not really of any use.

I got an extension lead for the power cable and moved the camera to the tailgate with the aerial poking over the top of the box. This worked great, even if it ended up leaving scratches on my paintwork a price worth paying to avoid a dent in the bumper! But then I was frightened the camera would be very visible so could easily be stolen. Eventually I found a spot for it under the bumper where it worked acceptably well and was not too obvious.

Then one day I left my phone at home and discovered that as my truck's Bluetooth hands free system searched for the missing phone, so the camera stopped working. Reversing meant waiting for the ten seconds the camera was blank, and then quickly reversing into a space for the ten seconds it worked! Not practical in the average Wal-Mart.

All this would have left it at three stars, but this week the camera has given up the ghost. The wires coming out of the power cord connector had started to perish and caused a short circuit blowing a fuse in the truck. This was quickly repaired, but as I was trying to mend the broken wires I discovered the wires were broken in two more places. Again, I tried to repair it, but discovered that all this power going to the wrong place had blown the circuit board, and the unit no longer works. I got it in March and it died in June not good value. It has not been exposed to extreme conditions of heat or cold, so all I can conclude is that the quality of the materials is sub-standard. But of course, because I have taken it to pieces and tried to re-build it, I can't now send it back.

Such a shame because otherwise I loved it! Why can't they make if of better wires and plastic, then it would get five stars (or perhaps four).

Buy Master Lock 4843DATSEN Vehicle Back Up and Hitch Alignment Camera with 3.5 Inch Color Monitor Now

Purchased master lock back up camera, worked great first time even with vehicle equipped with voice command and blue tooth which I was told would be a problem. The tip to turn on the lights when using was just all that needed to be done. Backed up and hitched my trailer first try. Would highly recommend.

Read Best Reviews of Master Lock 4843DATSEN Vehicle Back Up and Hitch Alignment Camera with 3.5 Inch Color Monitor Here

I purchased this camera due to the ease of installation as well as the positioning of the camera inside the tow receiver. Note to anybody looking to do this... Make sure your tow receiver is open in the back or that it is deep enough to accommodate the camera and the antenna sticking out the back... The camera was slightly too long to fit my aftermarket Reese class III/IV tow receiver... The antenna had to be bent slightly so that I could fit the camera inside the receiver to allow my hitch lock to be used.

As to the use of the camera, in my driveway during the install, the camera worked great... However, as soon as I drove off, the camera lost signal and I either got a very fuzzy picture or complete static... This is caused by the camera antenna being housed inside the hitch receiver (completely metal enclosure). If you use the camera on the tail gate, the picture is fine.

I think that if you have to pay $170 for this camera, there should be a clear picture all the time or at the very least a majority of the time and a way to adjust and troubleshoot it to improve performance.

I contacted Master Lock, and their customer support did not have any suggestions or solutions to my problem. I talked to my father, who is an electrical engineer, and he made a suggestion that has worked in my case and may help anyone else who has reception issues:

What you will need: 50 ohm coaxial cable(connector should fit the antenna connector on the monitor) long enough to route the antenna to the back of the truck (mine was approximately 25'), female/female coaxial adapter (will be used to attach the coaxial cable and "monitor" antenna)

Note: This took me approximately 3 hours to completely finish, although I was figuring it out as I went in terms of where to route cable... also, I did this at night in the dark using a flashlight to see what I was doing :)

1. Attach antenna to end of coaxial cable using the female/female coaxial adapter

2. Attach coaxial cable to the monitor

3. Route cable outside the truck (outside window, along ground for testing purposes) to a spot where your antenna gets clear reception and make note of final location for your antenna (Mine ended up right behind the hitch receiver with the antenna inside one of the holes in the back of the receiver... essentially placing both the camera and antenna right next to each other.)

4 Figure out how you wish to route the coaxial cable from your cab to the back of the truck. My monitor was mounted in the center of my dashboard using the suction cup mount. I routed the cable along the bottom of the windshield and along the drivers side door jamb (I cut a small slit in the weather stripping in the crease and routed the cable through to keep the weather seal integrity) into the engine compartment, where I dropped it down and under the truck. I stayed away from the exhaust pipe and used existing electrical routing to loosely route the cable to the final location. NOTE: Keep the coaxial cable away from any

5. Starting from the monitor, I began to secure the cable, leaving a little slack at the end to allow for monitor reposition in the future. I tucked the cable into the edge of the dashboard to hide the cable. I used electrical tape at the door jamb to secure the cable to the vehicle body to ensure the cable doesn't get pinched by the door or the truck hood, as well as keeping it from moving around. In the engine compartment and under the truck, I zip tied the cable to other electrical wiring, making sure it was pulled tight enough to prevent dragging or unwanted movement.

6. Coil the extra cable (I had about 3-5' extra), leaving enough to reach the final antenna location. I secured the extra cable up inside the bumper where there was an opening with a screw hole using a zip tie.

7. I secured the antenna at the final spot behind the hitch receiver by using a zip tie anchor(stick back)and electrical tape to protect the connection between the antenna and the coaxial cable to help weather proof the connector.

This final setup has yielded a completely clear picture that has no static.

I realize that some people will probably say: "If you plan to route the cable all the way back to the back of the truck, then why not just buy a wired camera? I still have flexibility with the location of the camera if I need to by simply removing the camera and placing it somewhere else, and the camera is still secured best using the hitch lock to prevent theft.

Since Master Lock recommends that you take your camera off when washing your vehicle, I have also weatherproofed the camera setup so that I would not have to remove the camera all the time... NOTE: If you plan to use your hitch receiver often, this method is not for you :). I do not tow anything, so I plan to keep the camera in the hitch receiver for a long time.

What you'll need:

1. A 4 inch by 4 inch piece of clear plastic (I used a clear box that my Ed Hardy Cologne came in)

2. Electrical tape

3. Scissors

Instructions:

1. Using a pen, mark off a 2x2inch square in the center of the piece of plastic (size of your hitch receiver opening)

2. Using scissors, cut out a slightly larger than 1" square from each of the four corners. Your piece of plastic should look like a plus sign at this point. You may want to snip a little extra off the bottom left corner of the square center to allow for your power cable to come out, no more than a millimeter or two.

3. Fold plastic tabs down so that you are looking at a square.

4. Insert the tabs into the hitch receiver so that your camera is now behind a solid piece of clear plastic.

5. Seal the edges of your receiver and plastic lens by using black electrical tape.

VOILA!

**********Update:**********

I have since replaced my weatherproofing rig with a new, removable system:

What you will need:

1. Rubber removable hitch cover (bought mine here on amazon)

2. A roughly 2 inch by 2 inch piece of clear plastic

3. Tape

Instructions: You will be cutting a window in the rubber tail hitch cover for your camera to look through

1. Using a knife (I used a folding knife, but for more precision, maybe an exacto knife would be better), cut along the inside of the hitch cover, first along the bottom edge of the rubber where the flat surface of the hitch cover meets the walls.

2. Cut along the right and left sides of the hitch cover vertically from the inside where the flat surface of the hitch cover meets the walls approximately 1 1.5" in length.

3. Cut from the top of the vertical cut across the hitch cover. This should form a perfect rectangle which should be removed to form the opening for the camera.

4. Take the plastic, and using the same technique listed in the previous instructions for weatherproofing, create a clear window for your hitch cover opening.

5. Either tape or glue the plastic to the hitch cover from the inside of the hitch cover, sealing the rig from the elements.

Want Master Lock 4843DATSEN Vehicle Back Up and Hitch Alignment Camera with 3.5 Inch Color Monitor Discount?

While the idea behind this system is excellent and the easy of installation is more than I expected the system just doesn't work. I cannot get a clear picture no matter how I adjust it. I contacted the company and they attempted to help but nothing they suggested worked. They did admitt that this was a problem with the unit. I have installed other units on previous vehicles that have worked. I had hoped this unit would work as well as they did because it is not hard to install and can easily be transferred. But it just does not provide a clear picture. I would not recommend anyone purchasing the unit.

Save 26% Off

Saturday, January 4, 2014

Professional Cable MDP-HDMI Mini DisplayPort to HDMI 6-in Cable - White

Professional Cable MDP-HDMI Mini DisplayPort to HDMI 6-in Cable - WhiteThe product description says that this adapter supports "compressed audio", and one of the other reviewers said they got audio from a MacBook Pro through it. It didn't work for me. I plugged it in, got perfect video through my HDMI switching receiver to my TV, but no audio. The System Preferences "Sound" panel does not show a second audio output device.

I then ordered another adapter that specifically says that it supports audio out from new MBPs, and that one works. My receiver now appears as a 2nd audio output device in System Preferences, and when I select it the sound works.

This adapter is great if all you want is video out, or if you have a pre-mid-2010 MacBookPro that doesn't output audio through DisplayPort anyway. However, if you want audio out from a new MBP, do not get this.

The description is misleading, I think. It makes it seem like it would support sound output. I think most people would buy this to use with an MBP. Don't waste peoples' time just say that it doesn't support audio from an MBP in the description. Also, I emailed the vendor and they haven't responded for 3 days now. Oh well, at least it was only ~$7 with shipping.

I placed my order despite some negative reviews I've read regarding this product---and I'm glad I did!

The product looks and feels like an OEM from apple (nice white color, not grayish). It's plug and play, I didn't even have to adjust anything on my macbook pro. As soon as i got it, i hooked it up on my MBP to my samsung 5 series HDTV and played online movies, youtube, etc and it worked like a charm! I was surprised it even carried the audio! (SOME REVIEWERS SAID THERES NO AUDIO).....and BTW, the seller shipped it fast too.

Great deal. I'm very pleased!

Buy Professional Cable MDP-HDMI Mini DisplayPort to HDMI 6-in Cable - White Now

Not much to say, other than this product works great for connecting your Apple laptop to your TV or other HDMI interface. Just be aware that the display port on the Apple laptops is purely that display only. So, you will need to connect the audio port from your laptop to audio in on your TV if you want your sound to come out of the same display device you are connecting to.

Read Best Reviews of Professional Cable MDP-HDMI Mini DisplayPort to HDMI 6-in Cable - White Here

It can take the video from the mac to the tv, but no audio like an HDMI cable should.. so its not what I was hoping for.

Want Professional Cable MDP-HDMI Mini DisplayPort to HDMI 6-in Cable - White Discount?

This works great with my MacBook Pro. My TV and it Avatar-ed to each other is a beautiful thing--on the eyes. No sound transfer. Lame.

Save 82% Off

Sunday, December 15, 2013

SVP XThinn 12 VX Silver 12MP Digital Camera/Camcorder

SVP XThinn 12 VX Silver 12MP Digital Camera/CamcorderI really enjoy this skinny camera, it's very light weight, tiny (3.5" x 2") and easy to carry. I put it in my purse and it doesn't take up much space. It gives nice sharp images and I also use it as a video camcorder. Works great for me!

Forget this camera. After owning several digital camera's over the years and knowing how to operate them after only a couple of days it takes constant programming for every picture you take in order to get a good photo. This is not the camera for just grabbing and taking a photo. It requires thought and total concentration to just get an acceptable photo. I'd buy an off the shelf Kodak from Kmart before buying this one again.

Buy SVP XThinn 12 VX Silver 12MP Digital Camera/Camcorder Now

I cannot review this product for you because the seller has never sent it to me. Nor has my money been returned. I am very disgusted with the whole business. It's too bad. It looked like a good camera.

Read Best Reviews of SVP XThinn 12 VX Silver 12MP Digital Camera/Camcorder Here

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Aiptek ISDV 2.4 MPEG4 Video Camcorder

Aiptek ISDV 2.4 MPEG4 Video CamcorderMy Sony video camera died and I needed a quick replacement for my child's preschool graduation. I had to buy something right away, as the event was only a few hours away, after finding out my Sony cam didn't work. I purchased this camera for 79.99 at Target. I wasn't expecting much for 80 dollars. However, I did expect more than I got from this camera, when it fact I really got NOTHING. This camera is acceptable ONLY for closeups. If you are trying to record an event, the zoom is horrific--all you get is a blurry, unrecognizable image. I got this camera to record precious memories and I lost, big time. I will never be able to record my son's preschool graduation again. I regret that I depended on this camera and it let me down considerably. The battery life is laughable. I put brand new Energizer batteries in the camera. Played a 2 minute video and then the "Low Battery" warning came on. I go through batteries like you wouldn't believe. DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA IF YOU WANT TO RECORD PRECIOUS EVENTS. You will be sorry if you do.

I wasn't expecting much for the price however, I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of use, picture quality, screen size and functions. If your not sure how often you will use a video camera this is a great starter digital video camera.

Buy Aiptek ISDV 2.4 MPEG4 Video Camcorder Now

Friday, November 8, 2013

Savage 10x10 Infinity Hand Painted Muslin Background (Roma)

Savage 10x10 Infinity Hand Painted Muslin BackgroundLooks much better in the photo. Painted canvas, so it is very stiff. Best you can do with this is squish it into a small ball and embrace the wrinkles. It worked for the application we needed it for, but we added a million wrinkles to it to make it useable.

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.

Want Panasonic BL-C131A Network Camera Wireless 802.11 Discount?

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..