Top Rated Camcorders for Buyers

If you are thinking of purchasing a digital camcorder, there are a number of compact digital camcorders available in the market. They are all good choices and all of them are a little different, offering different features and different recording media. Every year camcorder manufacturers release number of models. Here are some suggestion on camcorders from best brands.

Sony offers the best features at very affordable prices. Sony Handycam DCR-HC28 is one of the best products by Sony. This is the absolute finest home quality camcorder. The zoom switch is a very nice feature to have. A Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens makes sure everything stays in focus. Minimizing blur and camera shake is simple with built-in Super SteadyShot image stabilization and you’ll be able to keep all your video bright with Night Shot Plus technology. The DCR-HC28 gives you everything you need to capture vivid video every time.

Panasonic PV-GS85 is a powerful 32x optical zoom camcorder with O.I.S. This model offers the High-Picture-Quality Wide Mode, which produces images that make for beautiful, dramatic viewing on a wide-screen TV. The image is processed on 16:9 area of the CCD. You get beautiful images and all the excitement and dynamism on either a wide 16:9 screen TV or a conventional 4:3 TV. This model also features a wide 2.7-inch LCD, making it easier to frame shots when you’re shooting in 16:9 mode. You can enjoy shooting wide, and view wide.

Canon is also a popular brand offers entry-level digital camcorders which are designed to deliver the latest in style, features and advanced technology at a most affordable price. The Canon ZR950 is the top of the line of ZR camcorders. This latest addition to the ZR family also includes an array of features that turn your camcorder into a digital still camera, including 9 Point AiAF (Auto Focus), Progressive Photo, Simultaneous Photo Recording, Special Scene Modes, and Image Effects. This is the perfect choice for capturing all of life’s precious memories.

Some Best Buys on HDTV

Are you out looking for the best buy on HDTV? There are various brands which are offering HDTVs at affordable prices with the latest features and technology. The first thing to find the best HDTV is to know the basic facts about it. HDTV can come with LCD or plasma monitors. Here are a few popular models and their specifications for the new HDTV buyers.

Samsung offers you many versions of HDTV screens. Samsung’s HL-T5087S DLP HDTV is one of the best products from Samsung. This product is well-built and slim. Its rear projection DLP user manual is good and extensive, and the remote is intuitive. The energy-efficient 50″ screen features a powerful, long-lasting LED light engine that turns on almost instantly. Full HD 1080p resolution and Samsung Cinema Smooth technology deliver a wide range of brilliant colors, with bright images and a crisp definition. The blackest of blacks, brightest of whites and nuanced tones are yours with a 10000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. The sound is great, but if you have the resources to add a 600W 5.1 surround system, you will hear the difference.

The Panasonic TH-50PZ77U is the 50″ class 1080p plasma HDTV with anti-glare filter, EZ sync HDAVI control and built-in GalleryPlayer-capable SD card memory slot. Panasonic believes to provide the latest in HDTV technology in its models. This television has the most beautiful picture display with deep, rich colors, very good viewing angles, and detailing in the blacks that an LCD can’t touch. The TV is a bit heavy and this prevents it from accidentally falling. Overall, this is a remarkable TV.

The S Series is the latest offering from the Sony Bravia line of high-performance and sleek styling LCD TVs. Sony BRAVIA KDL-32S2000 32″ LCD panel features the latest in Sony’s unique S-PVA technology, which delivers vivid and accurate colors along with wide viewing angles and a blazing 8ms response time. Other features such as PC input allow the user to connect a PC for viewing content in a 16:9 high resolution environment. And with integrated HDTV capabilities, you can enjoy digital programming with enhanced audio and video reproduction. While the KDL-32S2000 is value priced, it also offers an elegant flat panel design that can be placed anywhere at home.

Toshiba is another favorite in the market with a screen size ranging till 47 inches and embedded with Cinespeed LCD panel and Pixel pure technology for good picture and sound. It builds upon its heritage by delivering the industry’s most innovative, high-quality solutions. The Toshiba 57HM167 has great picture, amazing sound quality and an attractive design. It looks great in 720p and just think, if EA sports would have made the game in 1080p for ps3. If you want a “Full HD” at a very reasonable price, then this is it. Very easy to use TV with great options.

The Very Best Way to Save Gas This Summer

Stay Home and Watch HDTV

Last month we reported on several ways to save gas this summer including buying a GPS with traffic info and gas prices. Since that report was published the price of gas has risen over a dollar a gallon along with the price of everything else. After much internal discussion we can only re-emphasize the conclusion that the best way to save gas is to not drive. Seriously, this may very well be the summer of the stay-at-home vacation and while you’re staying home, why not watch HDTV? Look at it this way; a week-long road trip vacation is going to set you back at least $2,000. For that kind of money you can get a nice big LCD or Plasma TV that you’ll be able to enjoy all year ’round.

Summer Olympics HDTV Extravaganza

There’s no shortage of good HD programming. The summer Olympics start in a few weeks and NBC has promised that this is going to be a premiere HD event with over 1000 HD cameras recording over 3500 hours of HD Olympics coverage. And before you know it, the fall TV season will be starting up including Monday night football. If you haven’t watched football in HD you have been missing out on the visual treat of viewing players’ tattoos in detail and checking out all the good looking babes (and guys) in the stands that on SD just look like one big blurry mass of people.

1080p vs. 1080i

We’ve been known to recommend 1080i/720p sets for good value. In fact, they’re still good values and if you’re looking at something smaller than 32 inches most people can’t tell the difference between 1080i and 1080p at those screen sizes. Furthermore, all programming comes in over the air on cable or satellite at 1080i or 720p so a 1080p is really unnecessary. On the other hand, with less expensive (maybe) Blu-ray players on the horizon, upconverting DVD players and game consoles all driving 1080P on HDMI outputs, we say it’s a good idea to future-proof your HDTV set purchase with a set that supports 1080P.

HDTV Suggestions

Here are some suggestions of HDTV sets that will cost lest than a week long vacation and still leave you with enough cash for maybe one fill up.

The Olevia 747i is at the top of Retrevo’s LCD value list. For around $1,500 you get a 47″ LCD TV that does 1080p and gets high marks from experts and users for image quality. Second on the value list is Sony’s BRAVIA KDL 46V3000 which also does 1080p and costs around $1,600. It gets generally favorable reviews with some mention of blurring on fast action scenes. For a real bargain you should consider a 720p Vizio LCD TV. The 37″ VX37LHDTV goes for well under $1,000 while the better rated, 32″ VX32LHDTV which gets very good reviews costs around $600.

If Plasma is your choice then consider the Hitachi P50T501, 50″ Plasma HDTV that does 1080p for a very affordable $1,300. Samsung offers the Samsung FP-T5884 a 58″ 1080p Plasma TV for around $2,300 and LG has a 60″ Plasma for about the same price called the LG 60PC1D while the top-rated Panasonic TH-50PZ77U, 50 inch plasma will cost you around $1600.

Projection TVs are probably going to disappear eventually as big LCD TVs become better and cheaper but you can still get a lot of HDTV for your money. Unfortunately part of that bigness comes in size for example, you can get the Samsung HL-S5687W, a big 56 inch rear projection TV that runs 1080p for less than $1000. You can get the Sony BRAVIA KDF-46E3000 a nice LCD-based projection TV for around $900.

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Behind the HDTV Scenes at the 2008 Summer Olympics

The 2008 Summer Olympics has begun. As we recommended, we think you should stay at home, save gas, and watch HDTV. NBC has promised to make this Olympics a high-def extravaganza using over 1,000 HD cameras to create thousands of hours of high-def programming. For a guide to all the high def Olympics programming check out this page on HD Sports Guide. A PDF file of the complete Olympic schedule for the NBC family of networks is available here.

Slo-motion in High Definition

Contributing to the high-def experience, will be high speed, high definition cameras named the Fastcam SA1 from San Diego-based Photron which is integrated into a new imaging system called SprintCam V2 from i-Movix, of Mons, Belgium. The SprintCam Live 2 HDTV cameras will be recording high definition images at 5,400 frames per second which will be available for immediate slow-motion replay.

Sounds of the Olympics in 5.1 Channel Audio

Adding to the high-def experience, NBC has selected five Calrec Omega with Bluefin consoles as part of its coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. “This is the first time the games will be produced totally in high definition with 5.1 discrete channels of audio,” said Bob Dixon, NBC’s Director of Sound Design and Communication.

Sony HD Cameras Going to Beijing

NBC Universal will use Sony XDCAM HD systems as its primary ENG (electronic news gathering) source. The Sony PDW-700 uses big 2/3 inch CCDs to records 1080i or 720p high quality, MPEG HD422 video on 50 GB optical discs. NBC will also be using Sony’s companion PDW-HD1500 decks.

The Olympics on Windows Media Center

Wavepress’ TVTonic will put high quality video of the Summer Olympics on your Windows Media Center. Users will be able to subscribe to their favorite sports and then watch the events on any Windows Vista Ultimate or Home Premium PC.

“This service will provide a fantastic viewing experience for Olympic fans with Windows Vista Media Center,” said Wavexpress President Michael Sprague. “They can choose their favorite sports, from diving to water polo to gymnastics, and extended coverage is automatically synchronized to their PC in the middle of the night.”

Motorized HD Cameras

Camera Corps of Shepperton, UK-based will have more than 200 HD camera systems including 18 motorized tracking systems, remote heads and large camera cranes. According to Camera Corps, “The inventory of cameras to be positioned in and around Beijing includes 39 Camera Corps HD MiniZoom, 68 Hitachi, four Iconix and four Toshiba cameras. An Abakus fisheye stadium lens will be installed above the Velodrome at Shi Jing Shan to cover the 250m-circumference cycle track. “

Special HD Olympic Programming

In addition to the thousands of hours of programming that NBC will be generating, other channels like MOJO HD will offer a 10-Part series of high-def profiles exploring the mindsets and motivations of U.S. Olympic athletes, beginning July 28. Experts in each sport will be featured, detailing the psychological and body strength needed to compete including how to overcome injuries and setbacks and how these new competitors compare with previous champions.

Buying HDTV? Avoid these Mistakes

Buying and owning an HDTV can be challenging. There are many things to consider and problems to avoid. Here’s a list of some common mistakes for buyers and owners of HDTV sets.

1. Keep chemicals away from TV, ammonia in Windex can damage coatings. Liquids sprayed on the screen can seep in between the bezel and panel and cause all kinds of problems. Best to use a damp cloth preferably not wood-based paper products like newspaper or paper towels which can create tiny scratches.

2. Don’t buy a Plasma TV if you’re going to be watching TV in a brightly lit room with a lot of windows. Unlike LCD TVs plasma TVs have thick glass panels which can create a lot of glare.

3. Don’t pay too much attention to those formulas that use room size to determine screen size. Buy the biggest TV that fits with your furnishing. Also keep in mind if you don’t have an upconverting receiver or upconverting DVD player, a lot of programming that comes from DVDs and standard def programming that shows up on your screen with big black borders around it.

4. Don’t pay extra for big brands. Many of the smaller LCD brands like Olevia, Vizio, and Westinghouse use the same LCD panels and even the same electronics that the big brands use.

5. Don’t leave the brightness up too high. Many TVs ship with the brightness setting 21 in “showroom” mode. In a normally lit living room a lower brightness level is perfectly adequate and saves energy too. Some new TV sets have light sensors built in that automatically adjust the brightness according to ambient lighting conditions.

6. Don’t get fooled into buying expensive add-ons from the saleperson at your local big box retailer. Most HDMI cables work just fine for most programming. You may want to consider a higher bit rate HDMI cable for 1080p programming or high end HD audio.

World’s Thinnest Gadgets

Thin is in. Not only do thin gadgets look cool, they often use less power. Here’s a collection of some of the thinnest gadgets in the world.

MP3 Player

If you thought the Apple iPod Nano was thin then check out this MP3 player that’s as thin as a credit card. The Walletex Wallet MP3 player is about as thin as you can get and it’s waterproof to boot. It stores up to 4 GB and they claim you can get over 4 hours of play back on a single charge.

Thin TV Sets

This past January we saw the thinnest Plasma TV at CES, the 50″ Pioneer Kuro “concept” Plasma TV. It was 9 mm thick and was displaying video (honest it was). We haven’t heard any more about it since January although it might have something to do with the announcement that Pioneer is going to stop manufacturing their own Plasma TVs (they recently selected Panasonic to make the panels for them). Sony has started selling its 3 mm thick OLED TV that offers amazing image quality. Once you see the gorgeous picture quality of an OLED TV, you’ll want to own one.

Announced at CES 2008 and due to ship any day are two super thin LCD TVs from JVC. The 42-inch LT-42SL89 and 46-inch LT-46SL89 HDTVs. Both are members of the Procision family. Depth runs from 39 mm (1.5”) to 74 mm (2.4” inches) at the center of the panel. Joining the 39 mm club, Hitachi has a series of super thin HDTV sets which are part of the Director Series and the UltraVision V series. The sets are also 39 mm thick and include some impressive features like 120Hz, de-judder smoothing circuitry, and fanless ventilation.

Thin Laptops: MacBook Air vs. Voodoo PC Envy (from HP)

First there was the Macbook Air, so thin it fits inside a standard-size manilla envelope. The MacBook Air is an impressive laptop but can be a little on the pricey side at well over $2,000 for a decently configured model. It also lacks some useful features like an ethernet adapter (you can’t be all WiFi all the time). HP is offering a Windows-based competitior to the Macbook Air with the Envy133 which comes from the Voodoo PC group and edges out the Air’s thinness by a fraction of an inch. The MacBook Air is 0.76” and weighs just under 3 lbs. while the Envy133 measures 0.70” but weighs a tad more than the Macbook at 3.4 lbs. Both laptops offer similar features like a 13.3” LCD display with LED backlight. The big difference is the Envy133 runs Windows out of the box.

Thin Cell Phones

There’s Motorola’s razor thin MotoRAZR V3 at 13.9 mm thick which started the thin cell phone movement and now there are other super thin cell phones starting to appear on the scene. Nokia has a very thin cell phone coming soon called the E71. It’s 10 mm thick and has all the E series features like WiFi, HSDPA, A-GPS, a 3.2 megapixel camera and a front facing camera for video chat. It’s not going to be cheap at over $500 when it goes on sale in the US which is any time now.

LG will be shipping a new addition to its Black Label Series which currently includes phones like the Chocolate and the Shine. The new phone called the Secret (model number LG-SU600, we think), is made of carbon fiber, weighs 116 grams (4 oz), is 11.8 mm (.46”) thick, has a 5 megapixel camera with face detection (who needs a camera now?), 120 fps video recording and includes a tempered glass, touchscreen display.

Thin Camera

BenQ’s new 8 megapixel T850 camera is 14.9 mm thick (at thinnest part) and includes a “swipe” gesture interface, which BenQ claims is unique among touch screen cameras. It will come in black and red and include a 3x optical zoom, 3-inch display, image stabilization and face technology. The price hasn’t been announced just yet, but you’ll be able to get this one in black or red when it launches in the (presumably) not too distant future. Casio’s Exilim EX-S10 is another skinny camera measuring 13.8 mm at its thinnest part. It’s a 10.1 MP camera with a 2.7 inch display.

Guide to High Tech Barbecue Gadgets

Summertime and the gadgets are easy. The barbecue season is in full swing and it’s the right time to check out some cool barbecue gadgets. Mouth-watering steaks and sausages are a great way to enjoy a lawn party.

Branding and Barbecues

Let’s not talk about brands like Weber or Big Green Egg. This is a home version of the cattle ranchers branding iron. If personalizing your steak with your own custom brand sounds appealing then check out the Monogrammed Barbecue Branding iron for around $60.

Tumbling Steaks

How about a high tech tumbler for marinating things before you put them on the grill. Reveo MariVac Food Tumbler Marinader goes round and round to make things taste better for $199. ($150 on amazon.)

Barbecue Light (not lite)

For barbecuing after dark you might want to spend $14.94 on the Outset magnetic light that has 3 bright LEDS and holds fast to your grill with a strong magnet.

High Tech Thermometers

A good thermometer should be part of every serious grill master’s tool kit. The Bonjour laser thermometer uses infrared light to measure the surface temperature of a pan or grill. It includes a probe thermometer for measuring meat temperatures. The Thermapen digital, instant-read thermometer costs around $90 and was Cook’s Illustrated top rated thermometer. It’s noted for its super fast response and small probe tip. You can buy a thermometer from Williams-Sonoma that has a voice alert to tell you when your meat is done.

Grill Recommendations

Here are few top picks for grills:
The Weber Genesis E-320 is a nice looking gas grill that is built to last with porcelain coated grates and a 10 year warranty on the 3 stainless steel burners. It comes with one side burner. If you don’t need a side burner, you can get the Weber Genesis E-310. The Weber Performer has a great feature; you start the charcoal with a propane gas burner and once the charcoal is lit you turn off the gas and start grilling. The Brinkmann 810 gets good reviews and a “Best Buy,” from Consumer Reports.

Portable Green Grill

Woodflame makes a very cool, or should we say hot, portable grill that burns a small hardwood cube in an enclosed space and uses forced air to produce a very high heat in minutes. The unit weighs about 15 lb is safe and efficient to use.

Honeymooners Gadget Guide

No, it’s not what you’re thinking. We’re talking about good old wholesome gadgets that newlyweds can use to make their honeymoons more memorable and fun.

Camcorders

Honeymooners, imagine the fun you can have video taping your favorite moments and sharing them with friends or other honeymooners. Make sure to bring along a tripod to take pictures of the two of you on the beach or in your room. Here are a few camcorder recommendations:

Sony calls their new TG1 “palmcorder” the world’s smallest 1080i camcorder. It’s very small, weighing 10 ounces and is a little larger than a pack of cigarettes. It takes 3 MP stills (not a lot by today’s 8-10 MP standards) using face technology to optimize images. The titanium body makes it more rugged and able to take some rough handling. Some reviewers prefer the Sanyo Xacti HD1000 to the Sony. The Xacti gets high marks for features like 1080i video and 4 MP stills and costs around $700.

The only drawback with these new flash-based camcorders is that you may have to buy extra memory cards which aren’t cheap (compared to tape or DVDs) and you ultimately have to transfer the video on the cards to a hard drive or burn DVDs. For a great all around HD camcorder that still uses good old tape, we recommend the Canon Vixia HV30. It consistently gets high marks from users and experts and it stores video on miniDV tapes which are cheap, easy to manage and easy to edit the video.

We’re starting to see more still cameras that take videos and more camcorders that take high resolution stills. The Kodak Easyshare V1233 has some impressive specs, a great price, but gets mixed reviews. Complaints about ergonomics and image quality are common although some users love it. The Easyshare V1233 takes 12.1 MP stills and 720p video which could fill up your memory card fast.

iPod Accessories

Altec Lansing InMotion iM7 costs about $150 and gets very good ratings. Reviewers like the sound quality and design features. The only drawback is, at 10 lbs, it’s a little on the heavy side and might not be better suited to a honeymoon that doesn’t involve air travel. For a more portable speaker system check out the Griffin Technology 1202 Journi. At 5 lbs, it’s lighter than the Altec Lansing system.

Possibly the best solution for honeymooners sharing music whether it’s on the plane or one the beach is a headphone splitter. The Griffin SmartShare Headphone Splitter costs about $12.00 and has individual volume controls which could be a key to marital bliss.

Two Kindles Are Better Than One

You can’t keep active 100% of the time, so when it’s time to relax, how about a good book or even better, how about 1,000 good books? The ultimate gadget for the well read honeymooners just might be the Kindle which now costs $359 from amazon.com. You can download individual books which will cost you $9.99 each and you can also subscribe to the major daily newspapers and magazines for additional fees. Everything is downloaded over a widely available, high speed, EVDO data network (included with the unit).

Honeymoon? Avoid these Gadgets

There are plenty of gadgets honeymooners can take along to help their marriage start out on the right foot and grow. At the same time, there are a few gadgets we think would be better left at home. Here’s that list:

iPod or Any Other MP3 Player

You’re supposed to be tuning into your new partner in life not tuning into the latest Radiohead album. Unless you’re going to bring a headphone splitter or set of external speakers we recommend you make your own music and leave the iPod at home.

Gameboy

Marriage is serious commitment and not a game. The only games you should be playing on your honeymoon should be on the beach or in the privacy of your room. A handheld game player could definitely send the wrong message. The only reason to bring one along is if your spouse is into them too and you bring one for him and one for her. In that case, our recommendation would be the Sony PSP 2000.

Laptop Computer

This is your honeymoon! No emailing, no slingboxing, no game playing, no sneaking in a little PowerPoint. Leave all that stuff at home and do some gazing into your soul mates eyes instead of the computer screen. Okay, if you can be real discrete and keep it to a minimum then consider taking along an Asus Eee PC. For about $400 you can get a 4G version or a very small full-function notebook computer with a 7 inch screen that will get you online and checking email in a snap.

Blackberry Phone

Better to buy a throw-away, burner phone and use it only to make reservations then be tempted to scroll through incoming messages. On the other hand, you might be able to get away with something like the Blackberry Pearl or Blackberry Curve that you can both watch video on together or use the headphone splitter to listen to music.

Bluetooth Headset

Unless you’re going to be driving in one of the states that require hands-free cell phone use, we say those things aren’t going to do anything for romance unless you both have very high geek quotients or met at a tech conference. If necessary, you might be able to get away with a stylish headset like the Plantronics Discovery 925 that you both can use.