Showing posts with label motorola video monitors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motorola video monitors. Show all posts

Friday, May 30, 2014

Yukon Digital NV Ranger Pro Binocular

Yukon Digital NV Ranger Pro BinocularI recently purchased the Yukon Digital Ranger Pro monocular with the intention of using it to glass and stalk feral pigs on family land. After using it three times there are some areas in which this tool REALLY performs well and others where it is not a replacement for low-or-zero magnification NV. THE GOOD: Once you figure out how to focus the monocular, you can resolve a VERY sharp and VERY detailed image from quite a long distance. For example, you can easily identify a feral pig from a calf at a distance of about 300 yards and you can pick out the shape of a license plate (not read it, though) on a vehicle from 400-500 yards. Both examples were on overcast nights without visible stars or moon, some ambient light from the sky but not much. The IR beam that the Ranger Pro casts is very powerful and can be used to BRIGHTLY illuminate a target for a hunting partner with a Gen 1 rifle scope on a dark night, which I think is VERY cool. I also like that you can connect this device to your digital video camera and record what you are doing, but that isn't practical unless you are hunting out of a blind or from a hide. So, in short, you get a very sharp picture with 5x magnification, an excellent IR illuminator (I can confirm that the beam is invisible to pigs), the ability to record to the digital camera you already have and a relatively small pricetag for the image quality (have to go over $2k for conventional phosphor tube NV to get the same quality). If you don't need to see a REALLY SHARP image beyond about 200 yards, you get the same thing out of the regular Yukon Digital Ranger for about 1/3 the cost. THE BAD: It would be very difficult to use this device while moving. You have to stalk, stop, glass, resume stalking. If you want continuous visibility in low/no light conditions, you need something other than this device. It eats batteries although you can stretch it's effectiveness by intermittent use, don't count on more than two hunts out of a set of batteries (leave the 12v charger plugged in when not in use because it disconnects the battery pack otherwise the small IR illuminator continually draws a small charge). I recommend feeding this thing with rechargeables. The LCD display in the eyepiece will blind you for a moment in the eye you use it on, I can see this being a major problem in some situations. This device has trouble quickly acquiring targets at different ranges if you have a set of targets at 50 yards and another at 100, it takes both hands and a few seconds to examine both. I really wish this device had a set or auto-focus and/or a push-button zoom capability like many digital cameras do either would make it a much better product.

All-in-all, I am happy with this product. It suits my needs and offers some unique advantages, HOWEVER, for

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Friday, April 11, 2014

Micro HDMI (Type D) to HDMI (Type A) Cable For Acer Iconia Tab A500 - 6 Feet (Package include a Han

Micro HDMI to HDMI Cable For Acer Iconia Tab A500 - 6 Feetbought this for my acer iconia 500 tablet. works fine but you should connect in the following manner. plug into tv. turn on tv and set the proper input hdmi #. now plug the cable into your tablet and turn on the tablet.

Can't say much more than that. It's a nice long cable for your tablet to HDTV needs and works like a charm.

Buy Micro HDMI (Type D) to HDMI (Type A) Cable For Acer Iconia Tab A500 - 6 Feet (Package include a Han Now

This company provided very fast service. I would recommend them to anyone looking for the items they sell. The equipment we purchased works perfectly.

Read Best Reviews of Micro HDMI (Type D) to HDMI (Type A) Cable For Acer Iconia Tab A500 - 6 Feet (Package include a Han Here

Cord is really handy. It is very flexible and easy to carry in my briefcase. I also like the end covers when storing. Overall I am very pleased with the product and would buy from this seller again.

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The service from HandHeldItems was excellent and I will buy from them again, there is one problem and it is not their creation. It is my tablet, I have an Acer A501 and it turns out that Acer has done something to the micro hdmi port so that only their $30 cable will work with it. I didn't return this because one I waited to long and two it was not HandHeldItems fault and no need to deprive them of income. I highly recommend buying from them if your in the market for cables and such.

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Saturday, February 22, 2014

HooToo® HT-IP006 Outdoor Wired / Wireless Network IP Camera, Fixed Dome Camera with Waterproof Des

HooToo® HT-IP006 Outdoor Wired / Wireless Network IP Camera, Fixed Dome Camera with Waterproof Design Works in Extremely Hot and Harsh Environments, 3x Optical Zoom, Pan / Tilt / Zoom 3x Zoomable Lens From 4mm to 9mm, Wide Viewing Angle, Solid Finish in WhiteWell, the camera arrived on time, and I installed it. This is my fourth HooToo ptz camera, but the first one of this style with the enclosure, that I've purchased. It configured easily. Took about an hour to get it set up and tested for the features I use, and about 30 minutes to mount.

There was a quality control problem, which was somewhat easily solved. Although, it's a "gotcha" and would most likely drive a less experienced person crazy (I'll go over that further down in this review). The physical installation went well, but again, there is one small design flaw that was annoying, and which added maybe ten minutes to the process. However, over all, it was pretty easy and painless.

The camera was shipped and delivered on time. Out of the box, it was in good shape, and all components were there. I was pleased to see a 6dbi antenna, instead of the usual 3dbi that come with these low-end cameras. I did not have to do any readjustments or tweaks to the optics. Picture is Chrystal clear, and the 4x mechanical zoom is sweet. The ptz movement is nice and smooth, too.

Initial configuration of the camera is exactly like all the other cameras in this class (Hootoo, and other brands). Connect it directly to the router, via ethernet, find it's ip, connect and play with it to make sure everything works, and then set the admin password, ssid, wireless security configuration, etc. Then, disconnect the ethernet and test for wireless connectivity. This all went fast and easy.

I then took it out to the location and mounted it. It is a nice compact unit, but it is difficult to get a screwdriver to the screws. I had to remove the camera and housing from the base so that I could get a screwdriver to the mounting screws. Then, once the base is screwed down, remount the camera. Not real difficult, but I managed to lose two of the teeny tiny screws that hold the camera to the base. and now have to find a couple more that fit. Not a huge problem, but annoying!

The primary "gotcha" was the fact that the MAC address listed on the camera housing was not the actual MAC address of the camera! I found that out when I was trying to reserve an ip address , and set port forwarding for the camera (to view remotely, via DDNS). I had copied the MAC down from the one listed on the camera housing, but that was not the same address that the camera reported to the router. The MAC that the router sees is the "real" MAC address. The one listed as "Device ID" in the "Device Status" window (in the on-board management software) is also correct. The one on the case was 100% different (i.e. not a typo, or incremented by one, etc). This is sloppy quality control on the part of HooToo, and will probably prevent many people who buy their product from being able to set up DDNS!

The software cd that came with this camera is not too good either. I installed it just to see what it was, but intend to uninstall it. I don't think it would be real helpful in setting up the camera, and probably will add some confusion for the novice, or someone who has not dealt with these cameras before. Also, the little manual that comes with it is good for comedy relief, but not much else.

And finally, the camera does not see infrared. At night it will only see areas lit with normal light ... So, if you have a well lit area, then go for it.

This camera will work well for anybody that does not have a need for night vision. The 4x mechanical zoom is awesome. For those installing it, remember to verify the MAC via the router and/or with the management software in the camera. Also, the CD and manual that comes with it are pretty much useless, but this is no different than any other security camera in this class (including the more expansive Foscam). I did give 4 stars due to the lack of IR, but all other features of the camera are very good.

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NOTE: My original review of this camera was pretty harsh, because of the lack of night vision. I have changed my review, due to the extremely good customer service of Sunvalleytek. It has been amazing! They immediately went to work setting things right. Paid for the return of this camera, and sent me a replacement camera, which does have night vision.

Sunvalleytek provides good quality products, and superb customer service. I am now very satisfied with this Amazon purchase from Sunvalleytek.



The video quality is grainy. I wish some other people would post a video or snapshots of their camera so I could have compared it against others. I am not sure if my camera is defective or if all of them are like this.

Unboxing was easy. You must unscrew the dome, counter-clockwise, to get the foam out of the dome. It was EXTREMELY difficult to unscrew the dome. I wish I would have read that on here. Putting it back on was easier as I took a dot of dish soap and put it on my finger and went around the threads on the dome and was careful not to cross thread it when I put it back on. Just be aware that the dome may be VERY difficult to get off.

The software that came on the CD was not useful to me. I used the Ethernet cable and plugged it into my router so it would get an IP address. I went into the router and determined what the IP address was under DHCP client list. It was easy to identify as the hostname appeared as ipcam or something like that. I then hit the IP address with my browser (Chrome), logged in as admin and a blank password, and set the network settings. I set my camera to have a static IP, otherwise I'd be playing guess the IP every time my router reboots. Then I went into the wireless settings, clicked scan, clicked scan again, selected my wireless network, set the security settings (look on your wireless router security settings for the correct encryption settings), put in the wireless password (I really hope you have one), saved the settings, put some user accounts on it, and unplugged the Ethernet cable. I then tested it to make sure it worked on the wireless. I then mounted it to a wall, outside.

You will need to drill a 7/8" hole, possibly 1", to stick the cables through. I was a bit disappointed there wasn't a harness you could disconnect so you could drill a smaller hole. I didn't end up drilling a hole and ran the cable up under my eve since I mounted it on a shed building. The camera pans all the way around no problem. You can adjust the left and right endpoints of the horizontal pan by using the two small screws at the top where the top of the dome connects to the mount. I mounted mine to the corner of my shed to get even a better viewing angle. I did this by bending the mounting bracket ears to about 45 degrees instead of the 90 degrees they were originally at. I did that using a vice, vice grips, and then finally mounted one ear of the bracket and then held the camera securely with one hand while tapping the other ear with a hammer to get it flat against the wall. Holding the camera made sure it didn't get the vibration from tapping on the mount with the hammer. Mounting was quick, it only took me less than half an hour. Once it is mounted, get power to it and you're good to go.

One thing I am disappointed in is the vertical pan. It can't pan up past the dome. So essentially I can't get a picture up hill. That is aggravating for me since my camera is mounted at the bottom of a hill where my horses are. It would have been great at the top of the hill! I figure most of them have this limitation, but I thought I would point it out. Technically if the camera were lower in the dome and then allowed to pan upwards more, it would be possible to make a PTZ that could pan up higher, so maybe the expensive ones do. Horizontally you couldn't ask for more. Unless you mounted it to slim pole or hung it by a string, the camera's blindspot is simply your wall, which you don't need to see. The zoom is ok, the optical 3x is better than nothing.

The web interface is easy to use. If you want to use IE to use the ActiveX component, which allows you to record video (that is what I used for the video), then you'll need to go into IE, add it to your local intranet zone or trusted sites zone, and configure the local intranet zone (or trusted sites zone) to prompt for installing and running activex by untrusted publishers. For goodness sake don't do this for your Internet zone for security reasons. Personally I use Chrome or Firefox most of the day so I don't care for the ActiveX component.

I was able to easily poke a hole through my router. The camera only works on port 80 so it is disappointing that your credentials are being transmitted over the net in plain text. Hence, use a password you don't care to lose. I used my router settings to put it on a different port on the outside of my router since I don't like running things on port 80.

Personally I use IP Cam Viewer (by Robert Chou) for Android to view it remotely. All the PTZ functions work with it. I found an article on the Zoneminder forums about getting the HooToo cams to work with Zoneminder, although I couldn't get it to work in 90 seconds so I gave up for the moment.

I will be curious how well the mount and dome stand up over a couple years outside. They seem painted good so let's hope for the best. The dome has a rubber seal so I don't expect it to get condensation in it.

My primary purpose was to add to several other bullet cameras I currently use on two other systems. I wanted to be able to pan around and watch my horses in the pasture while being able to track anything else I wanted. I should also mention I am on satellite Internet since we can't get DSL or cable in the boonies. It seems to work fine, although because of the satellite latency the PTZ is not as quick as if you are sitting at your computer at home. However, it's good enough for me. I'll use the bullets to identify someone if God forbid I had to, and this HooToo to be able to give me peace of mind watching my horses in the pasture.

UPDATE: I did contact HooToo support who offered to refund my money for the camera. I am in the process of obtaining a new CMOS sensor board (the part that captures the image) to see if I can get a better picture from the camera. If so, I will post an updated video and would definitely give the product a higher rating.

Buy HooToo® HT-IP006 Outdoor Wired / Wireless Network IP Camera, Fixed Dome Camera with Waterproof Des Now

I bought this camera to use as a barn cam to view my cattle while they are calving. It arrived in good condition and installation was tricky but acceptable for someone with computer/network experience. The IP Camera Tool software that comes with the camera is useful for obtaining the IP address. It is necessary to have DHCP enabled on your router for the tool to locate the ip address. The IPCamClient software that came with the camera is good and allows up to 64 cameras to be attached, and port forwarding to view the camera remotely. There are only 9 preset positions, but otherwise it works well. I found an updated software version on the web that worked better than the version on the disk, which seemed to have some glitches. The picture quality is quite good when there is adequate lighting. Daytime viewing is in color which is accurate, but night time switches to b/w. The IR led lights around the housing cast a limited amount of light in total darkness, but seem to help when there are some lights on. The zoom is a useful feature but could be higher power. Auto focus, white balance, and iris function are good. PTZ control is good wired but a little jumpy when used wireless. Once you have your presets set it works well. I have tried this camera in two locations. The first was outside mounted on a yard light pole. Daytime viewing was good, but nighttime was not bright enough. The second location is in a 40X80 calving barn. With several lights left on this camera is working well, but in total darkness you will only see shadows up to about 20 ft. I purchased a Loftek camera after this one because it looked identical and was cheaper, but the picture quality has not been as good. Overall, this is a good camera for daytime use and with supplemental lighting. The lens is good quality and the camera seems to be well made. It has been operating for about a week. I will update after I have used it for a longer time.

Read Best Reviews of HooToo® HT-IP006 Outdoor Wired / Wireless Network IP Camera, Fixed Dome Camera with Waterproof Des Here

Good camera with a decent picture. I mounted this in an upstairs window to keep an eye on my courtyard. The PTZ function works flawlessly. The set-up was very simple. Overall, amazing camera for the price. This is a perfect solution to log into your camera system software online from anywhere in the world and see what's going on at your house/business/etc. Additionally, Sunvalleytech's customer service was AMAZING a lost art in today's world. Overall, pleasantly pleased with the product and the experience. Keep in mind, this camera is not onvif compatible. So if you have a NVR that requires onvif compatibility, this camera will not function through your NVR. Again, this is a perfect online solution camera.

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The setup for this camera is nearly identical to the other brands on here, and if you run into any problems there's a wealth of info on the forums. It always helps to do some research first, and it can save you a lot of headaches especially if you are not the tech saavy type.

Overall, I was surprised how easy this was to setup. I basically just plugged it into my router via a cat5 to access the web interface, setup the wifi, then moved it to my place of choice. I was happy with the quality of the video and smoothness of the pan & tilt, and the zoom in/out function is a plus. The infrared night vision works great, and for android phones, I recommend the TinyCam monitor pro app for $3.99 which works with the Kindle Fire as well.

Unfortunately, this doesn't have a mic/speaker so look elsewhere if you need one with that feature. However for an outdoors camera, I would say it isn't really needed.

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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Canon XLR Mic Adapter/Shoulder Pad for XL1 & XL1S

Canon XLR Mic Adapter/Shoulder Pad for XL1 & XL1SIt is very nice to have more versatility when considering audio input. This gives you that plus a shoulder pad. I feel it's a tad short. At 6'4", it could just be me though. It also has the capability to attach a bracket to add more goodies to your rig. Overall, very useful and highly recommend.

Lets say that after purchasing the Canon XL1S fro the same people this XLR MIC ADAPTER Item functioned better than the Camera Which continues to eat tapes, Of course the 350.00 to 500.00 dollars I WILL NEED TO SPEND ON REPAIRS AND SHIPPING ARE OF NO IMPORTANCE TO AMAZON......

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Saturday, January 11, 2014

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Full HD Camera with Sharp Shooter Kit - Package includes

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Full HD Camera with Sharp Shooter Kit - Package includes: EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS, EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III, Opteka EF-600 EO-TTL II Speed Blitz Flash, 10X macro Lens, 53' Travel Tripod, 16GB Memory Card, Camera and Accessory Bag and Much More!I bought this for my daughter to 'keep up' with the moves of the grandaughter, we have the 7D and for the costs of this camera its almost a better deal (so close the difference in money for the other) is not justified!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Petrol Deca Mini Hood for Camcorders with 3.5" LCD Monitor Screens, Rigid Panels

Petrol Deca Mini Hood for Camcorders with 3.5' LCD Monitor Screens, Rigid PanelsI'm using this Petrol Mini Hood Deca in a 3.5-AF100 panasonic camera LCD is perfect for the purpose, prevents annoying glare and reflections, the only thing is to use it with care not to force the screen even though it is very easy to install and remove, good materials and an additional piece to superimpose, I highly recommend,

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Thursday, December 19, 2013

Looxcie Wearable Bluetooth Camcorder System, Android Compatible (Black)

Looxcie Wearable Bluetooth Camcorder System, Android CompatibleAs a gadget nut, I ordered this the day it became available on Amazon and had it shipped next day (ok, so an impatient gadget nut). The concept is awesome capture and share those expected or unexpected moments in life as I see them, how I see them. The videos you see on youtube were promising and I was in need of a new bluetooth headset, so I bought it.

First thing that I noticed was how nicely everything was packaged. I took the Looxcie out of the box and set it to charge via the wall outlet adapter Don't want to run out of batteries on my day out! I love the design of this thing, looks so slick! After it was fully charged, pairing to my Android phone is a breeze. With the Looxcie software downloaded, it was time to put this thing on my ear and see what it can do!

...And that's where things started going downhill! First of all, the Looxcie does NOT fit on my ear correctly. I tried all 3 sizes of ear buds and on both ears (in case I had a deformity in one ear of which I wasn't aware) and with my glasses on and off. I read the instructions and my Looxcie did look bent as shown in their images anfter several attempts. Perhaps its the weight of the camera boom, but the Looxcie just droops down such that the camera is not eye level (aiming more at my jaw line). I would have to walk around with my head tilted up in order for the camera boom to be level with the ground. I had my wife try it as well, maybe its the size and shape of my head and she experienced the same issues, no matter how we shaped the flexible ear-piece.

After much fiddling to the point where my outer-ear was a bit sore, I managed to get the Looxcie on at an acceptable viewing angle. Any quick head jolts and I risk having the camera boom shift slightly downward again. Now comes the other fitment issue Being that the Looxcie was on my right ear, anything that was happening to my left would not be picked up. If I held my hand out in front of me, the camera eye would not see it until my hand was about to cross my nose. They really should have included some sort of curvature to the camera boom to contour to the face because as of now when it is at eye level, it points to the right (on my right ear).

I love the fact that I can use my phone's screen as a viewfinder! Going into it, I knew the Looxcie's recording specs and frame rate so my expectations were low but the resulting videos I took were even worse than expected. I tried several activities from driving, to walking to just standing and panning my head back and forth. The video I get from the Looxcie is very choppy, I would say even worse than the 15fps they claim. I was walking through the mall in one video clip. I turned to look at a dog that was there and turned my head back (more than a 1 second look) and in the captured video, I don't even see the dog because of the choppiness of the video (although I can clearly hear myself talking about it).

The other thing is battery life the Looxcie is rated for 4 hours but after a full charge and playing with the unit, I would say its more like 2-3 hours of video use tops. This should definitely be improved.

I do have to say that I like the ability of reviewing and editing video clips on my phone, then e-mailing or posting to Youtube, Facebook, etc without having to be at a PC. That is a key feature of this device!

I would have to say my expectations have not been met with the Looxcie. The concept and idea is there, but due to the lacking design, ergonomics and quality of video I am fairly disappointed. The price-point is good if they can deliver a quality product that will actually fit, stay on my ear(aimed properly) and take video where I don't miss any of the action (true 30 fps PLEASE!). I honestly wouldn't mind the low-resolution of the video if the frame rate was there and I could record for an actual 4-5 hours as claimed.

Once these issues are resolved, perhaps they can look into adding features such as retaining the last 10-30 seconds of video before the record or instant-clip button was pressed. :D

Likes:

-Concept of sharing the every-day

-Visually pleasing design

-Mobile editing/emailing of video thru an Android phone

Dislikes

-Device Fitment/Aiming of camera boom

-Recorded video quality lower than expected

-Battery life

UPDATE: As of today Looxcie updated the firmware on the device and added a new phone app and new desktop app. This is a major improvement to the device as it now adds the ability to record in 480p @30fps which I've tested and is a HUGE improvement. You can also save clips directly to the phone's SD card now instead of just on the Looxcie device. They also allow livestreaming now which is awesome.

Ok, so I was extremely excited to get this product and ordered it as soon as it became available. Since I've had it I've probably recorded about 2 hours of video with it at various places with varying noise levels. So here's my impression.

For the price it is a really nice piece of hardware, I've had no trouble with the build quality, it's comfortable and very light when wearing and adjusts to fit virtually any way you want it. The video quality is exactly what I expected it to be. Nothing great but not horrible considering the size of the device. I love the Android app that this device utilizes, you can use your phone as a "viewfinder" and Looxcie is very easy to pair with your phone (Nexus 2.2 in my case). You can save notable clips on the device by pushing the clip button making 30-second clips or make custom length clips through the app. Once you make the clips you can hook Looxcie to the computer and do what you want with them there, or upload them to the place of your choosing through the Looxcie App. Playback in the app is a little choppy but much more smooth on the computer. Using the device as a bluetooth headset has been great for me. I usually run into problems where the volume is never high enough but my Looxcie is so loud it hurts (luckily you can turn it down). Call quality is good and I have no problems hearing anyone or with them hearing me when talking through it. It's very useful to be able to use this as a "dual-purpose" device.

My gripes:

-As of now the clips you "save" are saved to Looxcie and not your phone's SD card. So viewing clips while away from your Looxcie are impossible unless you've uploaded them somewhere through the app. Now this can be fixed through an App update but just something to be aware of.

-Audio: While playing back my clips on the computer what I've noticed is that (since both microphones are on the bottom of Looxcie) I can hear myself talking fine, but whenever someone else in front of me is talking I find it difficult to make out what they're saying. I CAN hear them but if you're anywhere but in a quiet room with a couple people it can get difficult to hear anyone other than yourself. This is the only real problem I have with Looxcie.

My likes:

-Easy to use App interface, easy to pair

-Portable, wearable camcorder, letting me have my hands back. Great for when I go fishing/snowboarding or anything else.

-Look/Build quality of the device is wonderful!

-Battery life is very good considering the size of it.

-So many adjustment options makes it very comfortable and adjustable for any size/shaped head.

-Recording length (5HRs)

-First of its kind/cheap for what you get.

Overall the Looxcie is definitely worth the price and I would recommend it to anyone who is tired of always "holding the camcorder" and missing out on the action. Very useful, easy to use, and fun device even though placing one of the microphones in front would've been a wise decision. (And no I don't work for Looxcie in case you're wondering)

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Yep jumped right in the day it was available. Not a bad price for bleeding edge though I'm sure it'll drop soon enough. Conceptually great! I love the potential! Paired immediately and Android app installed and works though the images have a pixelated quality along edges. Very cool app though! Only had for about 2 hours now. First thing was to rotate for left ear. Manual doesn't make clear what exactly rotates. Figured out it was just the earbud itself (makes sense) however when rotating it gently and smoothly the top half of the earbud clam-shell fell off. It was glued so technically its broken but a few drops of plastic adhesive fixed it. I'm not ready to return it without playing. Maybe later if anything else happens. Going to play with the actual video functionality now and write more later.

Day two. Played more with the video. Other than the previously mentioned edgyness everything seems as described. This product DOES NOT stream to or thru the handset. The real issue today is the audio quality. In a word it's atrocious! I have many many Bluetooth headsets including some real bargains and this is by far the absolute worst incoming quality I've ever experienced (that's why the stars dropped). I think there must be a defect with my unit but I'm not ready to return it yet. Again audio quality is lower than anything I've ever used. I am still so enamored with the potential of the device I will keep playing until I must decide about returning/exchanging it.

Third and forth day. Looxcie has GREAT customer service! One of the engineers was reading the reviews here and jumped right on it and contacted their customer service (on Sunday) and made arrangements for a replacement.

Before the replacement arrived today. I was able to spend a lot more time with the video functionality. Again the Android app is great! I clipped the 'my girlfriend almost hit 2 baby dear' clip that of course no one ever gets. Looxcie is gonna be great for accidents, and once in a lifetime stuff! I agree with Nathan's comments on the microphone placement and clips being pushed to the app as soon as possible but of course that could use more power when you're not necessarily close to power like you probably would be when intentionally sitting down to review clips (maybe a check box option). It's certainly ok the way it is now. And also that the video quality is more than I expected from a device this small and cool. Really haven't seen anything better at this resolution.

Replacement unit: audio is far more normal on this unit and though it still sounds a little hot it is absolutely fine. Nathan is also correct that the volume can go way up. Even to the point of distortion which was at least some of the problem with the audio experience of the original unit.

Something I didn't quite get at first but makes sense now. Looxcie is called an always on camcorder with the ability to clip the last thirty seconds. What that means though is its always on once you turn it on with the app or the capture button. Not a problem once you realize it. So battery life has multiple modes. Standby (un-connected to phone), headset mode (connected not in use w/wo capture on) and active (in a call w/wo capture). No un-met battery expectations so far.

A useful thing on the site would be audio clips for each signal tone. I hear some but not sure what it's telling me because there are some I haven't heard to know the difference (for instance there are 5 different 2 tone signals). Not too hard to force them so I've learned the difference now.

Stars go to 5+ and I love my Looxcie! Can't wait for all those clips I wished I had an always on camcorder for and of course upgrades to the device and app for even more features! I'm geeked!

And thank you to Rob and Michael.

Read Best Reviews of Looxcie Wearable Bluetooth Camcorder System, Android Compatible (Black) Here

The Android app for Looxcie (without which you can't really use the device) is infuriatingly unpolished:

(1) it does not use Android Intents for sending email or uploading videos to Youtube (ie rather than using the Android-provided facilities for this they implemented their own; for example they require your Gmail password; the only way around that is to create a separate Gmail account just for the Looxcie app)

(2) the UI for browsing the circular video buffer has many issues: it is sluggish, the position slider is too inaccurate to easily select a scene within the 4 hours of recorded video, when you click "create new clip" the position jumps so if you had carefully navigated to the beginning of an interesting scene you have to start over again)

(3) when uploading the video fails, retrying means that the app downloads the clip yet again over Bluetooth

(4) when you create a new clip and give it a title, the title is not reflected in the file name on the flash disk presented to a connected computer

This would all be tolerable if the app were open source or at least the Bluetooth protocol documented -as it stands, Looxcie officially says that they have no intention of opening up the product but instead intend to keep it a completely closed system.

Regarding the hardware: there is no motion stabilization and no wind protection for the microphone. This means when you take a movie while bicycling, you can all but forget about the sound and watching the video clip is bound to make you seasick. It also appears that the Looxcie has a hard time keeping up with rapid changes of the pictures -you'll see the image shearing.

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Ugh If you have 5 hours to waste and disappointment galore this is the product for you This is the iPhone version

1st A firmware upgrade

2nd press button 1,2,3 no no press 3,2,1 no no no press 2,1,3

3rd Plug it into a wall socket, no plug it into the laptop

No first press 3 buttons then it will reset then plug it into

the wall socket

After five hours four calls to the support hot line and three emails

I returned it disappointed upset and aggravated

The product is not yet mature

In my case the device could not hold a charge

I tried literally everything and even their support people could not get it to work

Was it just a bad unit My sense is "No"

Why

On the phone they relayed to me that I had to do a firmware upgrade

then I had to do a complete system reset back to the default mfg settings

My sense is that they have not worked out all the kinks for the iphone yet

Oh and by the way (a little untold fact) the transfer rate between the

device memory storage and your iphone is 300kbs that means if you recorded

20 minutes of video (which equated to a 500 mg file) It will take you

4 hours (yes 4 hours) to transfer that file using blue tooth Now that's what I call real time

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Datacolor Spyder Studio S4SSR100

Datacolor Spyder Studio S4SSR100I spent the weekend setting up my new spyder4 studio bundle, and I must say I am very very happy with my purchase. I'm a visual effects student who does photography on the side, and after school ate into my budget I found myself unable to afford a calibration solution for my monitors. It got really irritating trying to explain to my teachers that it looked right on MY monitor. Anyway, I got my tax return and bought a spyder4 studio with it. Initially I was aggravated because nothing worked. Every time I tried to run the Spyder4Elite software it locked up to the point that I would have to reboot the computer. Eventually I found that the software was clashing with my amd graphics cards Catalyst Control Center software. I uninstalled all of my amd software and drivers, downloaded the newest drivers and reinstalled without the catalyst control software. So far I haven't had any problems with the lack of that software, and unless you like to overdrive your gpu for gaming I don't see any reason why you would have problems not having it. After that the spyder ran perfectly, and it's made an amazing difference. I've also been able to try out the spyderprint, which also works very well. Overall I'm stunned with how well it worked. If you want to work professionally in any kind of visual field you're taking a big risk not owning something like this.

I found that the display calibrator worked great, however the SpyderPrint generated ICC profiles that were very off in color. The ICC profiles provided with my printer (Epson Stylus Pro 4900 produce far better results. Even letting printer manage color was better.

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Recommended by a photo pro and does what I want. Have installed on three of my computers. Generates a consistent color profile on each machine.

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It does the job, but the printer calibration is very difficult. I am sorry I did not pay more for equipment that would be easier to use.

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