HDV-G300 PS2 to HDMI Converter UP Scaler 1080P

This product was recieved and I hooked it up in hopes of it being a simple plug-and-play item just like my wii converter: not even close! I tried it as instructed, didn't work. Sent an e-mail to the company they suggested I go to the PbYr set up! My response, That's what I had without the HDMI converter only my new TV doesn't have RCA inputs! I told them it doesn't work and they told me to send it back, no address or instructions as to how. Told Amazon and they are supposed to refund my money with their A-Z guarentee. Watch the difference where you are getting the product from, overseas is a nightmare!

Great!!!!! Nice piece of hardware, works as instructed, no complains. PS2 games look sharp as if played in a PC.

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Plugged it into my PS2, connected the usb cable, connected the HDMI cable, turned on PS2. Sound was really poppy, fixed that by turning off Digital Optical in the settings. Kingdom Hearts looks good but its got black bars on the sides now. Mega Man X Collection wont play. I heard you have to use rf, composite, or svideo for that game though. Also if you use a digital optical cable it wont fit with this HDMI adapter plugged in. My whole reason for buying this and the Wii adapter was to remove cable clutter and theyve done that and do a good enough job videowise also.

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Levana Astra 3.5" PTZ Digital Baby Video Monitor with Talk to Baby Intercom 32006 (White)

I've been testing and using this unit for four months now; wanted to get a good sampling before writing a review.

Initially, I was disappointed; the first few nights the monitor lost connection with the camera right when I needed to see what was going on. With my daughter, it's often hard to know if she's awake or simply experiencing a brief night terror. I wanted the monitor because opening the door risks waking her up if she's actually sleeping.

After the first few nights of lost connections, it's been fine. Not entirely sure why, but for the last three months it's not lost connection once. So I'm pleased with that. I'm also highly impressed with the battery life. Unlike the monitor system I owned before (Secure Coverage Digital Monitor 2 Parent Units), which had a crappy battery life to begin with that got worse with time, the Levana Astra uses a cell phone-like Li-Ion battery (1800 mAH), which holds a charge much longer (up to 10 hours). It is also removable, so you can potentially buy a replacement from Levana, but I didn't see an option to do so online.

Typically, I take the device downstairs with me at nighttime when my wife and daughter are sleeping. I use it for a few hours at a time, keeping the LCD off until I need to look in on my daughter--between the audio and flashing light, I can detect when I need to check the video feed without having it on all the time. It can go for days without having to recharge; and a battery indicator lets me know when it's getting low so there's no guesswork involved. When I go to bed, I shut off the device because I can hear my daughter in the room next door. It only takes a few seconds to turn the power back on, so there's no need to keep it going when within earshot.

The ability to move the camera view remotely is nice, but I find I rarely use it; I can see the entire bed with it in one position. The zoom feature is worthless; it's not a true zoom, the device simply crops the picture down and doubles the size of the pixels on the screen to give a false illusion of zoom (and, because the pixels are stretched, they are fuzzy and hard to see clearly). As far as the picture quality in general goes, it's OK. The contrast is washed out in night mode, but that's to be expected (note: Night Vision Distance is 15ft). What isn't expected is the amount of light required to get color initiated. In night mode, you only get black and white, but with a light on, you should get color, but the ceiling light (60-Watt frosted) isn't enough unless the unit is set closer to it. Still, color isn't necessary for functionality, it's just an aesthetics thing.

I love the ability to speak over the device remotely. When I'm downstairs and find my daughter is awake, I can press a button and ask her what's wrong. Or, if she's doing something she shouldn't, I can tell her to stop. But this only works so well. Firstly, my voice doesn't sound like my voice on the other end. It makes me sound more like a robot, which is why I tell my daughter the camera is a sort of robot. But when she's half awake and crying, a robotic voice doesn't really help; I end up having to walk upstairs and comfort her in person (which is probably best anyway).

There are a few features I feel the monitor is missing. First, there should be a belt clip to use (during naps) when my wife is working in the garden (or similar situation). There is a removable tab that lets you stand the unit upright, but no way to clip it to your clothing. Second, it should vibrate. There are times when I have headphones on and can't always hear (or am not always staring directly at) the device. If I stick it in my pocket (because there's no clip) it would be nice to feel it go off. And thirdly, give me a real zoom, not this worthless digital pixel stretching.

That said, I absolutely love this device. It works a bazillion times better than the Secure Coverage Digital Monitor 2 Parent Units. Because it makes things much easier for me at night, I feel it's definitely worth the price.

So this may seem a bit out of place since the product made by Levana is intended as a baby video monitor. However just because that is what the intent is does not mean it cannot serve another purpose and in this case it does exactly that and does it extremely well. So hopefully this review will apply to those who may be looking at this to monitor their little one.

Our dogs hang downstairs and of course we cannot hang out with them all day even though one of us is usually home when the other is out sometimes we enjoy spending our time in other parts of the house leaving the pooches to rule the roost alone. Well this has presented problems for us in the past and we wanted some answers about our dogs. Who was the dominate when we were not around, who was peeing on the couch once in a while, and just a general amusement at watching our dogs sans the human factor.

Finding the proper place for the camera proved very easy and the set up only took mins, about 2. Literally out of the box the Astra Baby Video Monitor is ready to use and to be honest we did not even need to read the instructions so a big plus on their end for ease of set up and understanding of use. Once set up we took the monitor and started to check out the functions available. The camera does a nice job of being able to move up down side to side and zoom in to look at your focal point. I can only imagine if this is being used to watch a baby in a crib the camera won't even need to be moved at all once you've found the sweet spot but the option is there to change those angles and zoom if you need to and it does it quite well with the use of the monitor/controller.

Another feature which we found VERY useful was the micophone. We were able to say commands to our dogs via this useful option to curb bad behavior making them aware we were in the room with them even though we were not.

This all played in a role in finding out all our questions about the dogs that we had and of course a little comedy in between.

One other feature was the lullaby feature which plays tunes that I imagine would be quite soothing and useful for helping your baby fall asleep or sooth their anxiety.

The only things that bothered me (why 4 stars and not 5) were I wish the camera had the ability to be used when not at home where we would be able to log in to a server and access our camera on our smartphones. I'd love to see this feature added in on future models and if this is an option I am unaware of and someone from the company is reading this or another customer owns this, please inform me and how to set that up since I found nothing listed in the instructions and I'd be glad to throw this 5 stars.

All in a well made product hat did exactly what it said that it does and I am sure would be the perfect peace of mind option that parents are looking for to monitor their children or in our case if you have a pooch palace monitor your dogs.

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Pros:

1) You do not have to point the camera to the exact point you are trying to view; you can move it in to position. This is especially useful when you have a baby or older kid that moves around because you can re-adjust the camera as many times as you need to without having to go in to their room. You just have to make sure that you select the pan button when you are setting the view; it is the small middle button located to the right side of the screen, and then use the big round bottom button to set it in place.

2) For older kids or babies who like to hear their parents' voice, there is a microphone feature that you can use. It sounds pretty clear so the little one on the other side of the camera should be able to recognize the person speaking to them.

3) The third button on the monitor is the picture of a house; you select the house button than use the big round button to set it to your needs. This button gives you a variety of choices, seven settings to be exact.

a) You can play music through the camera, all you do is press the house button then use the big button to select the melody sign then go up & down (you have 4 settings one is the off button & the other 3 have different choices of melodies).

b) There is also a setting to select the brightness of the picture on the monitor so it is visible during the day or night.

c) The receiver battery is rechargeable & holds the charge for a couple of weeks (this is using the monitor @ 2hrs daily).

d) It gives you the choice to hook the receiver up to 3 additional, which I have not done so I can't say if it is easy, hard, works well or if it has poor reception.

e) It also has a customer service button that I have not used yet.

4) In the center of the selection button (the big round button) it has a + sign & it allows you to zoom in or out the picture.

5) The camera & the receiver both have an antenna, which in my case is very useful because I get terrible reception at home.

Cons:

1) I have found that when I use the pan button and try to point it too far up or down, or to either side, the picture will start flashing.

2) You have to use the volume button on the lowest setting (which is the big round button without pressing any other buttons) because is very loud & it picks up all other little noises in the room such as fans, humidifiers, noise makers, etc, even if they are not in the camera's path.

So far I will give the monitor a 4 because for the price of the monitor I expected better on the settings that I do use every day. When I have to set it too far either up, down, left or right, which is almost every time because my baby moves a lot, it is constantly flashing. This is very annoying & also, even at the lowest volume, the receiver sounds like static the entire time the monitor is on.

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This really is just about the easiest thing to set up that I've ever encountered. The camera works like a charm, allowing my wife to feel one hundred percent confident that our grandson is safe when she's doing her chores.

The night vision is pretty good too, though we don't need it, because our grandson is really still a wee one (four months) so he's been sleeping with us when we watch him, which is about two days a week. But soon I hope my better half will feel reassured enough, so that he'll be sleeping the night away in his own room, yes our grandson has a room at our house, and I'm sure this little monitor will help in that regard.

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Digital and color video monitors have come a long way from when I first bought a video monitor. This one is easy to set-up, the power bricks are interchangeable (a welcomed feature for sure), the interface is easy, it has a color receiver which is phone sized and it can run on a battery. The picture really isn't bad, and a lot better than the first color monitors I'd seen, but the resolution still reminds me of a pre-iPhone smartphone, sure you can watch a video on it, but it's not a joy to watch. If I had to guess I'd say it was 320x240, passable on a 3.5" screen, but my old tube based black and white video monitors are much sharper (but to be fair... they suffered from interference, static, and a general lack of features). Where this one starts to win me over is the easy menu driven interface that lets you play music, talk to the baby, or pan/tilt around the room. It does have a 2x digital zoom, but it lowers the quality of the image even more so it's useful for an occasional check, but it would give you a migraine to use the zoom all the time. The only problem I could invent was bringing the monitor into close proximity of the camera, which would give feedback noise as expected. Finally, the low-light night mode works just as well as the daytime mode.

PROS:

+ Easy setup

+ Thoughtful design and layout

+ Can re-position the camera remotely.

+ Good quality video and sound.

+ Can add on cameras (up to 3)

+ Lights that indicate sound

CONS:

Zoom is digital

Video display is good for this product type, but is still short of modern consumer electronics screens.

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Panasonic HX-WA2 Waterproof Full HD Camcorder (Blue) HX-WA2A

This item was suggested by a salesman at a very reputable electronics store. We didn't buy it on-site because they only had the orange color in stock so we ordered from Amazon where we got the color we wanted and a better price. This is absolutely perfect for those who don't want to carry around a larger camcorder and all of the chargers/attachments that come along with it. This fits nicely in my pocket of my husband's jeans or in my purse. We prefer the smaller size so that we can bring along and not feel like stalkers. The videos are of great quality and we were very happy with the purchase.

Solid purchase for the holiday season. The unit itself is light weight and good for pockets or other easy storage spaces. Havent figured out all the bells and whistles yet but recording is very clear. Manual is a bit long.

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Love the camera. HD quality is stunning. Learning curve was minimal because all options are very easy to get to and to use. Button placement prevents using the wrong button at the wrong time. Lots of features I've already used that I haven't used in other cameras because it's too hard to remember, on site, how to get to them (all found in scenes on the panasonic). Easy to change settings while in use, even underwater. Most video has been shot underwater and I am very pleased with the quality and the camera's auto compensation for low light levels. Typically we stay in the water close to an hour (the max allowed by the camera anyway) and the battery is only down to about 3/4 when we exit. Bought a 32 GB card and we have been in the Caymans 2 1/2 weeks and there is still memory left with daily shooting of usually 2 snorkel trips.

Have some questions about use of the photo zoom, which appears on the monitor but does not register for the actual picture. Also, the HD Writer seems to have a glitch that doesn't allow me to send emails. That menu item only takes me to the same one as the online sharing (You Tube and Facebook). Lastly, I also have some concern over water that appears in the card/battery area. So far it has stayed on the "wall" of that docking area and it has been just a few beads of water. My concern is that it's there in the first place (is this a faulty camera?) and that when I open the door it could drop on the electronics. I even made sure it was dry, put it in the sink for a soak and there was water in there then so I know it's not the depth I'm going to in the water. Please respond.

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My previous waterproof cameras merely required a quick rinse under a faucet and a toweling, before they were safe to open. According to the manual, this camera must be shaken in a special way, and then leaned against something to keep it upright for an unspecified time, to allow water to drain from its waterproof shell. The manual doesn't say how to deal with sediment and minerals eventually clogging the drain holes, allowing it to drain into the interior when opened.

Also from the manual: A tripod screw a hair too large and/or tight can crack the waterproof housing. If used in salt water, a fresh water soaking, not to exceed ten minutes, must start within an hour. If the camera is subject to rough handling (unspecified) the waterproof seal can leak.

From the manual: Careful inspection is required in a safe area before each closing. Hair, dust or lint on the paper thin O ring can cause a leak. A special brush, included, is required to remove the almost microscopic particles.

From the manual: Even if you don't get the camera wet, it's subject to condensation inside, and malfunction. This can be caused by temperature changes by going inside to outside or cool water contacting the camera on a warm day. Because the lens components aren't sealed, condensation can also form there. If it can't be dried out, it can cause fungus growth on the lens.

Panasonic recommends replacing the O rings once a year.

Menus are navigated and operated with a floppy, non tactile, half inch button/joystick. The button has to be pulled exactly left/right/up/down to get the desired results. Pressing doesn't work. I don't have big fingers. I had to hook my fingernail under the tiny ridge around the button to precisely pull it. To make my intended selection, my finger had to come down perfectly perpendicular to the button.

The delay timer requires difficult menu navigation, as described above, for each picture. So much for fun and spontaneity.

I used the camera once, in shade, and the automatic white balance didn't work. Everything looked like it was shot through dark blue glass. The instructions say the automatic white balance doesn't always work and suggest always setting it manually. That would include going from sun to shade. See joystick menu navigation above.

There are probably lots of other problems with this camera, but I only used it for about two hours. It is poorly designed, difficult to use and seems basically self destructive. The automatic functions don't always work. Panasonic should be totally ashamed of themselves.

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This is a pretty good camera. Takes great HD videos and works well underwater. Takes good still photos as well. Biggest draw back is the controls are not easy to operate and are too close together.

Sanyo Digital Camera w/ 5x Optical Zoom, 14 MegaPixel , 3" LCD Display , Movie Rocording - Blue Col

I am an apartment manager, and I use this camera all the time to take photos of damages after people move out. The auto-focus works great in various lighting conditions, and I have never had a photo come out blurry. The batteries seem to die fast, so I always carry an extra set.

I am purchasing another one of these for my 7 year old, because it is inexpensive for the quality of the photos. The shutter speed is quick enough for his always-moving hands, and the buttons are simple enough for him to easily operate. This is exactly what I have been looking for.

The camera worked great, for the first 7 weeks I owned it. I purchased this camera for the Lomo feature. The camera took decent pictures. The reason I give the item 2 stars is that on the 53rd day I owned the product, it would not turn on. I thought it might have been a dead battery, so I plugged it into the charger, but the USB/Power LED did not light up. Despite reseating the battery and trying different USB cables, I could not get the camera to operate again.

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this camera is everything i would want in a camera!!!!!!!! i love it i bought it last night got an sd card so easy to use you can edit your pics you can make REAL movies you can stop in the middle and start again! i would recommend this to ANYONE !

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love the touch screen

Daytime pictures are great, night shots can be a bit grainy if ISO is set a little high, but other than that, it is a great camera.

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I use this camera for audit work. It is the only one I have found that imprints date and time on the picture. The zoom is very good and the flash very bright, sometime too bright but good for even 10 feet away. The camera also does HD movies.

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Foscam FI8918W Wireless/Wired Pan & Tilt IP/Network Camera with 8 Meter Night Vision and 3.6mm Lens

If you have never interfaced with your router's software before (and you are not brave!) than this might not be for you. It is not hard to set up. You plug in its AC adapter and plug it into your router. Follow the instructions and wow.

The picture is wonderful. The motion alarm is fantastic. We placed on of these inside our barn across the street from our home, about 350 feet away. We added an $80. antenna to our router from Hawking, also available on Amazon, and poof! I can now see what all the sqwak is at 2AM in my barn with out walking all the way out there! Wow, wow, wow. The pan and tilt features are really nice. We setup another at our front door, and three "out door" styles around the outside of the property. I don't know how long this black "indoor" will last in the extreme temps and humitity of our barn and front porch, but that is not Foscam's problem. I will update at the end of the winter, or sooner if they die during winter!

4/3/11 Well they made it through the winter. We have been able to review motion detection alarm triggered video clips that were saved on our pc. We have been able to remote pan across the barn to see who is making all the racket and why. It is lovely to know who has been on your porch while you were sleeping! The cameras are wonderful. the there is an antenna you can get on amazon that will extend you wireless cababilities. We view the inside and outside of our barn across the street. These are great.

Where to start...

Well I'll open with.. I'm IMPRESSED! I opted to get the white version of the FI8918W just because it was cheaper than the black version and was identical other than the color. I was first concerned because I got two camera's and the first one was "loose" it seemed (camera from the base). The second seems to be identical so this must just be the way these camera's are. I hooked this up directly to my router as per the instructions and tried to determine a standard ip address without having to use the included software. I wasn't able to so then used the mini-disc on my windows 7 PC. The computer prompted for reboot which I did before I noticed the icon on the desktop. When it rebooted I double clicked the icon and after a brief moment it displayed the ip address of the camera. Note: I'm also using zone alarm and it requested access to 255.255.255.255:10000, which I allowed and it displayed the camera.

When I double clicked the ip address displayed in the software window I was taken to ie which then I put in the user id: admin and for the PW. I don't know if I'm just lucky because I've had so many lessons with my other IP cameras, but this one was very easy (outside trying to figure out why the wireless config wasn't working as expected). One of the other things I was really impressed with was the ease of setting up the wireless. I "scanned" for wireless sources, found mine, clicked it and nearly all the fields were prefilled. I only had to input my security key. Now... The issue I had. I'm currently running 4 different cameras, x2 different Linksys camera's and a trendnet. Those all when setup kept their ip address. This Foscam uses a different one. So after you have it setup I'd recommend re-running their ip software and finding the new ip address after you have removed the cat5 cable. This took me about an hour to figure out.

My camera background:

I started out with x2 Linksys wvc54gca. These were my basis for learning about the IP camera's, the router work required to open the ports and more especially multiple camera's on the same router and how to accomplish that. After moving from the lower 48 to Alaska, we wanted a pan tilt zoom (PTZ) camera and opted for the Linksys WVC210. This camera is a very nice unit, but after getting the new Foscam night PTZ camera, I feel like I wasted a significant amount of money on this one unit, when I believe the Foscam FI8918W is easily a better buy. We also have the Trendnet tv-ip422w and compared to this new Foscam camera, the video is absolutely SUBPAR to the Foscam.

While this is a review about the Foscam FI8918W I want the readers to know and appreciate what this camera does. The Linksys WVC54GCA works perfectly in IE and Firefox (Safari as well). The WVC210 will NOT, repeat NOT work with IE. There is an active X that is required and Cisco must have an issue with Microsoft or something because I cannot force my computer to accept the active X. You can ONLY view this in Fire Fox (FF) or Safari (if I remember correctly), but FF is what we use to view it. These Foscam's work in: IE8, FF and FF on Mac OS-X (Snow Leopard). I haven't tried Safari, but our needs were met in that realm.

Mobile browsing: Both of the Linksys cam's were visible on our iPhone/iTouch. We have now ditched the iPhone (junk) and went with the Samsung captivate (android) and had the same experience. The Trendnet and Foscam units were not viewable on either of our phones. This was an initial HUGE issue, but I've found that on both the itunes and android app store there is an app (android has a free version, apple doesn't) called "IP Cam Viewer" by Robert Chou (android lite version works for free and has a banner at the top). If you use this program use "Add IP" in the settings to add your DNS address you established and go from there. This app also allows "swipe to pan" option.. NICE!!

In setting up, I mentioned that I have multiple camera's. I've resorted to using multiple different port's such as: myipcam,dot,com:1111 and the next is: myipcam,dot,com:1112, and: myipcam,dot,com:1113, etc. You will establish this in your individual camera settings and your router config.

Over all.

I know my setup was based on historical config's I've done with other camera's so I was aware of some of the pitfalls. But I believe these cameras were the easiest to setup. The camera's software/firmware is a little "hokey" and could be improved I believe, but It has everything it needs to have (that I could determine) so I can't fault the firmware (admin) settings/options about that. The actual web GUI (interface) was pretty nice, especially compared to the other camera's I have. I didn't try the multiple setup and accessing them through the internet because one of the two cameras we received will be kept a little more "private" and may have access to part of our bedroom from its location.

The camera is very quiet. I found myself enjoying that with the movement options you can hold down the arrow (on the screen) and the camera will move until you unclick it.

The status LED, which can be turned off, is located on the back. I appreciate that as well.

The only thing I found a little annoying was the IR bulbs are a little too visible. We have one of these in the kids' bedroom and the red glow (obvious) always attracts attention. This is visible even when the IR is turned "off" in the settings.

The package included everything I believe a normal user would require/desire. Camera, base (movable/adjustable which is a nice touch), antenna, screws and anchor, cat5 cable and the power cord.

On the audio, I didn't try/use the included option. I'm sorry that a review of that feature cannot be included. With the amount of camera's we are running we can't support the additional bandwith requirements.

The only problem I experienced was the wireless being a different IP address vs. the wired IP address. I've never experienced this before, but was a simple fix by using the supplied software.

In closing:

I wish I could provide a link so others could see how impressive these CAM's are. But I won't ;) Had I known how great a value these cameras would be I would have purchased at least a couple more, with the possibility of enough to replace / supplement all of our Linksys/Trendnet cam's. I'm leaving for a yearlong military deployment in 10 days so the ease in setup/config was a HUGE help and success on the part of this company. At this point I'd have no issue recommending these to anybody who is looking for an excellent camera. The day time image is excellent, the night vision (as with everything) is less grand, but the IR bulbs completely illuminate our 12x35' room with plenty of light to spare. These camera's are all usable on Win XP (laptop), Win Vista (laptop), Win 7 (PC) (Both with IE 8 and Fire Fox) and Mac OS-X (Snow Leopard) on a Macbook Pro and IMac , ipod Touch and Samsung Captivate (Android) WHEN using the app: ipcam viewer by Robert Chou (free on Android).

I really hope this review helps some other potential buyers as I had a ton of questions, to which few (if any) were answered by other reviews.

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There are a ton of well-written reviews for this camera (also check out the other versions, e.g. FI8918W White, FI8905W) that give an excellent sense of its many strengths, minor weaknesses, as well as tips for setting up IP cameras in general. I won't rehash the basics, but I will give a brief overview of my setup. Then I'll make a comment on security, and finally go through some of the ways you can extend this camera's capabilities. This last section is where the Foscam truly shines, in my opinion. After all, if I just wanted a no-hassle cam/DVR, I could get something more basic (but much more expensive) off the shelf at Costco or through a residential security company.

If you have any questions, just comment on this review. I'm happy to respond.

Setup:

The setup process was very standard for any sort of web-enabled device. It'll take a bit longer if you've never gone through the steps before, but once you do it, you'll know how to set up a whole slew of similar devices (e.g. home webserver, media servers, etc.). There are literally hundreds of great tutorials on all of these topics around the web, so if any step or terminology is confusing, just google it and you'll find a bunch of good links. (i.e. don't get deterred by reviews that say "bad instruction manual" or "bad customer service", since you won't need either if you have the whole internet and the power of google at your fingertips). Anyway, here is the rough outline of the setup process for me:

1. Connected Foscam via LAN cable, checked "DHCP clients" list on router (I have a MacBook Pro and an Airport Extreme router) to get local Foscam IP, and then typed this into my web browser to get to the Foscam web interface. Alternatively, use the little utility included with the Foscam to get to the same place.

2. Added a new login/password, deleted admin login, and set up wifi access in the Foscam settings. Then disconnected from LAN and moved Foscam to the desired location. Plug it back in and now it's working via wireless.

3. Went into my router's settings and assigned a static IP to the Foscam's wifi MAC address (note: this MAC is different from the ethernet MAC). This is done with "DHCP Reservations" on the Airport, but of course the exact label will vary by router. Now the Foscam web interface will always be accessible at the same local address within my home network.

4. To get external access outside of my home network, I went into my router's "Port Forwarding" settings and forwarded some external port to port 80 at the static local IP of the Foscam.

5. Since I have a residential internet provider, my external IP is dynamic, which means it could potentially change. To get around this, signup for a free dyndns account. Then just use the updater client on the Foscam, itself, or one of many others that are available for free for mac, windows, and linux.

Security:

This is a bit confusing since the Foscam advertises "encryption". The part that IS secure is the Foscam's communication to/from your router via wifi. This is very good, and considering how easy it is to snoop traffic over an unprotected or WEP-protected wifi (there are even NYTimes articles describing the basics!), I would consider this a mandatory feature of any IP cam. While this is excellent to have, if you choose to make your Foscam web interface accessible from the outside internet (i.e. you did port forwarding), then this connection is public and completely unencrypted. Firstly, this means you should immediately add a new user in the Foscam settings and then delete the admin login. Even once this step is done, it means that there will be no little "lock" symbol in your browser indicating SSL encryption, and your new login/password and video stream will still be sent in the clear. This doesn't bother everyone, but if it does, you can use a computer on your home network to set up a VPN or SSH tunnel (easier) to make the connection encrypted (or just disable external access completely if you don't need this feature). At any rate, it's good to be aware of this limitation at least.

Enhancing functionality:

Misc information on advanced features There is a lot of useful information about these Foscams, including some more advanced topics, scattered around on various blogs and forums. Here are a couple (I'm sure google will find even more): gadgetvictims dot com, forum dot networkwebcams dot com, networkcamerareviews dot com.

mangocam dot com Free online storage for your cam stream. What's the point of having a security camera if the crooks steal all your computers with the footage!? This site just popped up with a free public beta, so it's definitely worth checking out. Sort of like the built-in FTP/email features taken to a whole new level.

Smartphone apps A neat way to check in on your cams remotely (but see important security note, above). IP Cam Viewer Lite works great for Android, and other reviews mention other apps for iPhone, etc.

ZoneMinder The holy grail for getting the most out of your cam. This is a free and open-source web application for managing your cam feeds. It is sort of like mangocam, but you install it yourself on your own webserver, and it does a whole lot more. For instance, you can define different motion detection "zones" in the image. Maybe zone #1 is the whole image, zone #2 is just a doorway, and zone #3 is a tree that is always moving in the wind. Then you can define all sorts of complex filters, like 1) Record a section of video footage when there is any motion in zone #1, excluding zone #3, or 2) Record a section of video footage when there is any motion in zone #2, but only during work hours on weekdays; then automatically send some still screenshots to my email and upload a movie of the event to some off-site server. Wow...the options are truly endless! With just this program, some $200 linux boxes, and some Foscams, you could start a business setting up surveillance systems for people!

Read Best Reviews of Foscam FI8918W Wireless/Wired Pan & Tilt IP/Network Camera with 8 Meter Night Vision and 3.6mm Lens Here

I really wanted to love this camera, the feature set appeared to be excellent. The set up was fairly simple to set up a static IP address and I even gave it a higher port number. It did work well in Firefox, Chrome and Safari, but the most advanced features like sound and better quality picture appear to be in Internet Explorer. I even got it to work via my iPhone. The problem I have is the constant freezing upon logging via Internet Explorer on my Windows 7 Laptops. I'm running both 32 bit and 64 bit IE. I looked for solutions and saw users have been experiencing IE issues with the buggy Active X controls since Vista.

I'm on the fence if I should keep this Wireless IP Cam, since the Activex code crashes on both my laptops and freezes them. I'm sick of having to reboot. It's very annoying, but I'm not sure if I really need the audio anyway, I'm more interested in photos and ability to ftp, and email pictures to an account. It's annoying since I even upgraded the firmware to the most current version and tried to follow all the useless instructions of disabling firewalls, disabling antivirus, and allowing all active x controls even whitelisted the IP in a trusted zone. NOTHING WORKED. So far the Active x controls are the only thing broken, besides two IR lamps seem to dim compared to the rest, the ability to pan and tilt are excellent. Image Quality is fair, seems almost better in the dark, but in the dark it's black and white.

Update:

I decided to keep the Camera. I've noticed it seems to go into a "look" mode randomly moving everywhere occasionally, but overall I'm happy with the product. I signed up for the free dynamic dns account, then put the info in my Verizon Fios Router and Foscam settings. I also used my ISP and set up an FTP Account. I also enabled UPnP, which allowed me to set up the port forwarding rules in my Verizon Router. I'm using a higher 4 digit port number ending in zero so I can add additional cams in the future. Other then the remote control with Internet Explorer, I was able to get all the other features to work, including motion detection, emailing via the SMTP settings (used my ISP again), and FTP of any activity out to my account (my hosting ISP is Bluehost which allowed me to configure the FTP and SMTP info very easily).

Let me know if you require any assistance configuring settings, it's convenient to access via Dynamic DNS Address or directly via the IP Address (must add high port to each to connect). The 5 dollar iPhone app is also a nice access option.

If they resolve the Win 7 Active X issues or allow sound via other browsers, I'll raise my review. Also we'll see how the quality holds up over time.

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This is a decent IP camera with enough features for most first time users. I was able to configure and use the camera without having to load any of the included software without any trouble, but an average person might have trouble getting every feature working. If you don't know what DNS or FTP means, you are one of these people.

If you are planning on just sitting this on a window sill and pointing it outside as a 24/7 security camera, think again. It works fine in the daytime, but interior reflections on the window glass make it less useful at night. The IR LEDs reflect back off the window and effectively blind the camera.

Image quality is typical of a low-cost CMOS sensor. Color accuracy and saturation is poor, but adequate for most uses.

It also has several shutter speed settings....a 60hz speed for night/low light, a 50hz speed for medium lighting, and a slow shutter speed for outdoor use. While the camera is able to automatically adjust sensor sensitivity a bit to compensate for changes in lighting, it doesn't have an automatic shutter speed setting. This means that if you have the shutter speed set on the "Outdoor" setting, it works great on a sunny day, but at night is far too dark to be useful. You'd have to manually switch shutter speeds every day if you were using it as an unattended security camera. Leaving it on 60hz setting and trying to view an outside scene just results in a white video image...the sunlight totally overwhelms the sensor unless you use the "outdoor" setting.

The motion detection feature is excellent. You can have the camera automatically email you a sequence of still photos everytime it detects motion. I was pleasantly surprised at how well this worked. You can specify up to 5 individual recipients.

It is also capable of uploading the same still images to an FTP server if you wish to archive them for review later. A date/time stamp on the image would have been a nice addition but isn't a feature.

I did not try the audio features, thus cannot say if they are improved over the old camera. If you are looking to integrate this camera into your DIY home security system, you should purchase the previous model (FI8908W) as this new one doesn't have the RS485 port anymore.

Bottom line, whether you want to use this camera to monitor an interior room, or an outside scene, it's a good entry level camera. Just don't expect it to be able to do both without manually making some adjustments for one or the other.

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Zacuto Z-Find-Pro3 Optical Viewfinder

Pros: Great Viewfinder. Well made, the anti-fog coating covers are wonderful. It is simply great, fits perfectly on my T2I. I suggest buying the "Z-Finder Mounting Frame" if you have the Canon T2I so you don't have to unscrew the mounting plate every time you have to change the battery. Plus if you have only one viewfinder and a spare camera, you can swap between the two.

Cons:It is very expensive...there are much cheaper ones, but I am unsure of the cheaper one's quality.

Final Thoughts: I took off one star for the price, but in my opinion, when filming video on these DSLRs or any video for that matter, one of the most important things is seeing what you are recording. Focus is SO important. So I decided to not skimp out with this one item, and I am very happy I did not skimp out. Dont get me wrong, you may be able to get similar results out of another viewfinder, but I have not found any that are 3x and that have anti-fog and a diopter. Plus most others use magnetic strips which...I don't like the idea of magnets near my electronics.

This product review is more about application and less about the product itself. This viewfinder is great, the gorilla mount is super heavy duty, the viewfinder is rugged and solid, and most importantly it works really well and does not fog up. Even the fact that it snaps onto the plastic clips, which originally seemed like a flaw and something that would wear down and eventually stop working, have held up pretty well for me.

The issue is, I use it less and less. I have a Canon 7D and a Canon 60 D at my disposal, obviously this presents a problem with the 60 D because it'll eliminates the FlipOut LCD screen. On the 7D, it's fine but I find I'm constantly popping it off and on because otherwise it limits your shots. We do a lot of run and gun shooting for weddings and corporate events and I found that this viewfinder sits in my bag more than it sits on the camera. That being said its great for shooting a speech or conference because you don't always have the luxury of getting a critical focus at the beginning of a speech and nothing is worse than being out of focus for a full speech (in 12 minute increments of course...damn limited recording time!)

Bottom line, it's something good to have, but if you're starting out building your kit and you keep reading all these reviews that you can't trust the LCD screen on your camera that's not true either. If your on a limited budget and it's between this and something else you might need like a mic or a lens, get that first.

If someone reads this and thinks I'm full of it and has a better workflow for running and gunning I'm all ears by the way :)

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I've looked at all the options for a compact solution to solve the question:

What product will help me improve my focusing ability on my DSLR?

This is it.

Excellent construction and handling. Fits perfectly, works perfectly.

Note: Some may prefer the 2.5x version. If I had to do it again, I might get that version, because the 3x makes the screen of my Canon 5D mk2 look a bit pixelated (ie: not enough resolution for this much magnification).

Read Best Reviews of Zacuto Z-Find-Pro3 Optical Viewfinder Here

Purchased this for my new Nikon D7000 which I acquired primarily for video shooting

As a long time Pro Photographer I wasn't used to shooting with the LCD screen on my dslrs...manual focus was proving problematic at best while shooting video so I decided to add a loupe to assist until I can justify getting a SmallHD D6 video monitor (check it out...it's the ultimate hddslr wish list item ;-).

First tried the Hoodman combo and returned it after one day...the rubber they use attracts dirt, fingerprints and dust like a magnet so it looked beat up after a few hours attempted use. I say attempted because it moved around a bit when used as a third brace point and wasn't the most comfortable against my eye...the $16 rubber band is a joke and kept blocking the lens opening during changes.

This was what I should have ordered from the start...pro build quality, excellent optics and feels solid and comfortable against my eye with or without glasses. The slight offset it's mount causes when adding a quick release plate actually worked well for me with my Shape Composite Stabilizer shoulder rig adding just a touch more offset of the camera on the rig and placing it directly in front of my eye...set up was quick and easy as I didn't need any of the extender frames and things just popped into focus bright crisp and clear.

I took 1 point off because for this price you'd think they'd include a bag to store it in and protect it from camera bag dust as even the less expensive ones do...

I justify the price paid by thinking about it like I do my lenses...Always buy the best optics you can...the glass you use will be around through many camera bodies...

Want Zacuto Z-Find-Pro3 Optical Viewfinder Discount?

Purchased the 3x version over the 2.5x version based on a gut feeling, thinking more would be better... Well, upon first use I thought I may have made the wrong choice. The view is so much bigger that initially I wasn't comfortable with it. But after a few weeks of use I really appreciate having it. (If you are lucky enough to compare the 2 versions, I recommend you do before you buy)

My Nikon D7000 has the battery attachment. So, I also order the Zacuto extended mounting plate for cameras with battery grips. It all fits around the LCD perfectly. However, it does make it a little harder to use the selection pad around the OK button since the frame is robust and cramps the space normally between the LCD and the selection pad.

Some minor issues after a few weeks of usage:

* Try not to get the anti-fog shield dirty it's sticky. They do warn you in the instructions. But, if you're like me and don't read them, then you'll find out the hard way the first time you try to clean it. READ THE INSTRUCTION on how to clean it properly.

* The lanyard is oversized in every way a giant billboard that is unnecessary. I would've preferred a simple tether to keep the loupe secured when not attached. There's been a few times that it has actually gotten in the way and caused me to yank the view off the camera... I've since replace it with a much shorter and detachable strap/tether.

* The plastic eye cover is attached with a simple cord, however the cord was cut and melted as a way to keep the cover attached. Unfortunately, this made a little ball of plastic at the end of the string on the inside of the cap which gets in the way of letting the cap sit flush within the eye piece. So the cap keeps coming off and won't stay on while I'm handling the camera.

* I have a sinking feeling that with a lot of usage, taking the loupe off and on the bracket a lot... I think after a lifetime of use, either the frame attachment point(s) or the inside attachment point(s) of the finder may wear down and not bind strong enough to keep the finder attached. Right now it's solid...

* The spacers are tough to separate! Make sure you actually need them before snapping them together and trying them out. I had a tough time separating the 3 provided I didn't want to use any tools that might have damaged them. So I had to work them apart by hand...

* As attached to a Nikon D7000 with a battery grip, the extended frame does fit, but it is not flush at the bottom of the Gorilla plate. There's about 2mm of the frame left at the bottom stick out past the plate. You'll have to consider this if you then plan on attaching a tripod head plate you'll need to position it to accommodate the extended mounting frame. (Maybe if you file it down to be flush with the bottom of the plate, then it won't be a concern...)

* No carrying case or pouch although it may not get used as much it would've been nice to have one included.

Conclusion:

So far this is a worthwhile purchase. When filming in bright daylight this is a must have for the LCD. The build quality is excellent. The 3x version does take some getting used to and does show a little pixilation with that level of magnification, but on the Nikon D7000 it is working great! With the magnification you'll also see just how bad your handheld technique is!

I only give it 4-stars because of its price and the number issue I described... for the money I guess I expected a more flawless experience.

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InFocus IN5122 4000 Lumen, XGA LCD Proj

I got two of these for our church. They are bright and clear. We have issues with angles on the wall and the adjustable angle feature and keystone adjustment worked great for us. Very happy with these projectors.

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

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

Pan/Tilt Security IP Wifi Camera Alarm 2Audio Night Vision Motion Detection- NCB-541W

Quality of the physical camera itself seems pretty good. Picture quality also seems pretty good both in daylight and night vision. It is easy to set up and easy to link to smart phone viewer application. It is great addition to home (or small business) security at a very reasonable price.

1/4" CCD 420 Line Color CCTV Mini Dome Surveillance Camera w/Microphone (White)

Bought this camera thinking is has it's own microphone, deceiving photo shows 3 plugs for power, video and sound, but the camera comes with power and video only, the sound is a seperate 3-plug cable with mic and can not be use together. It's no use to me, so I have to return this product. Beware

Resolution is low, but the IR lights are more than enough for inside 0 lux viewing. Camera is very small and can be mounted and positioned any way you like, the microphone is terrible compared to some other inline microphones I've purchased. also this camera does not have the IR cut filter, so greens and blacks look purple in the daytime.

I used this camera in my infant son's room, while the quality is a reflection of the price, I'm still ok with it. (my wife doesn't understand spending more to get more)

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