Showing posts with label video production. Show all posts
Showing posts with label video production. Show all posts

Sony GV-D1000 Portable MiniDV Video Walkman Review

Sony GV-D1000 Portable MiniDV Video Walkman
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Since owning a miniDV camcorder and wishing there was a way of playing back tapes (on the TV) I've made without holding the unit in my hand 6ft from the television, this MiniDV Walkman is the answer to a prayer.
Although pricey, it does exactly as the description claims. I haven't owned it long, and although I've not tried any of the editing features it has, I can say that I'm pleased with its overall performance. As it also claims, the 4" monitor provides super clear viewing, and can be shut-off when using your TV as the monitor for viewing tapes. That saves battery power as well.
It's primarily a VCR for the MiniDV format. It records, (dubs), and plays back in forward or reverse, with excellent picture quality in 2x & slow motion. It definately IS a full-featured product, not to mention its capabilities when using the built-in memory stick slot --- mainly for converting a moving image into a still picture and to be able to view stills already taken. This brings me to the only "aw shucks" incident I've had thus far. The unit refuses to read the Sandisk pro duo mem stick I have in my SONY Cybershot camera. It claims the stick is corrupted for some srange reason.
The main reason for the 4-star rating, is that the unit does NOT come equipped with a lithium ion M-series battery... which it requires for its portability. It comes with 2-AA batteries, used to power the remote. (which is great by the way) But for about a thousand bucks you'd think they could at LEAST throw in a lithium battery!! So in order to get a half decent battery, (4 hr playback time) I had to shell out another 100 bucks! It already weighs 2 lbs; add a few more ounces for this enormous battery that looks like a growth on its backside!
Oh well, I got what I wished for, and can't complain too much for another fine & very diversified product from SONY.

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The Sony GV-D1000 video walkman does it all, recording as a digital VCR using the MiniDV format, while also playing back people's favorite clips on the included 4-inch LCD screen. The MiniDV format is a favorite among digital videographers, as it offers three times the color bandwidth of traditional VHS video, giving it enhanced clarity and realism. The device also includes a memory stick media terminal, to which a user can record digital still images in 640 x 480 resolution from videotapes, through the analog input, and from digital video. The memory stick makes it easy to transfer images to personal computers for e-mailing, printing, or sharing with other digital devices. The recorder also includes an iLink output for direct transfer between two devices equipped with an IEEE 1394 interface, such as computers, camcorders, or digital VCRs.
Other features include an MPEG movie memory mode--which captures compressed MPEG1 video with audio onto a memory stick--a USB port that delivers streaming video over the Internet, and an editing mode for manipulating up to 20 scenes. Users can convert analog NTSC video to digital format through the analog inputs, or directly to a PC using the iLink interface. The GV-D1000 doesn't skimp on audio, either, offering 12-bit/16-bit recording that sounds as clear as a compact disc.
Users will also appreciate the crystal-clear pause mode and slow motion playback, along with the playback zoom that allows editors to enlarge, crop, and resize images. The unit also includes an index titler for creating movie titles and a built-in 4k integrated circuit memory chip.
What's in the Box GV-D1000 digital video walkman, AC power adapter, AV cables, remote control, two AA batteries, CD-ROM drivers (Pixela, ImageMixer 1.0), user's manual.

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Blackmagic Design DeckLink SDI 10 Bit SD/HD-SDI PCI Express Capture Card Review

Blackmagic Design DeckLink SDI 10 Bit SD/HD-SDI PCI Express Capture Card
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This card is a fantastic buy at the price point which they provide it. For a fraction of what competitor cards cost, this card is an ideal ingest device able to capture SDI and HD-SDI signals at full rate on just about any modern PC. I've been a user of Blackmagic for the past 4 years and have been every pleased with their products. If you're a using this card to capture from a Digibeta deck or a HDCAM (not SR, that requires dual-link) for the purpose of producing file based formats or for DVD and Bluray production, this card is nothing short of great.
It's able to capture video and audio from a source with little effort.
There are a few gripes I have with the card.
1) Reference clock.
It doesn't always do a great job without having access to house clock. This is silly on a PC capture device since a PC can derive the source clock from the SDI signal. Reference clock should only be necessary for play-out, to synchronize with other sources. For a single point to point connection reference clock should not be needed.
2) Drop frames requires full recapture.
SDI and HD-SDI are amazing in the fact that audio is synchronized to a specific line of video. Since Blackmagic's devices demultiplex audio and video while capturing, sync isn't guaranteed to be perfect. The only way to ensure a perfect capture is to capture from start to end. If Blackmagic wanted to do this job better, when they detect frame drops, they would rewind the source media and recapture from the drop. Alternatively, it would work to capture the individual dropped frames with audio afterwards. The way they have done it means that if you dropped a frame an hour into a capture, the entire hour has been wasted. Time to start over again.
3) Play-out does not follow SDI spec and is spectacularly bad for broadcast.
As an engineer that designed hardware CODECs for SDI, HD-SDI and 3G-SDI sources, I spend hours a day decoding streams sample for sample and producing valid streams to play out as well. SDI and HD-SDI are extremely hard to get right and Blackmagic simply doesn't. The Blackmagic card ALWAYS outputs 16 channels of audio, whether it is present or not. This is wasteful and confusing. Additionally, the Blackmagic card does not implementing the switching line of the signal. This means that audio is transmitted on the switching line which by definition should be clear. This will trigger alarms up and down the production pipeline if any resyncing needs to occur. I generally work in a PAL environment, but this is catastrophic in a NTSC environment. Blackmagic also does not implement ECC for HD-SDI audio. This is probably a good thing since during testing, I've learned there are way too many interpretations of the spec and the only safe thing to do is to just leave it out. Blackmagic however should at least implement Sony's implementation of ECC on HD-SDI audio since ECC is extremely important on tape based media. Bit rot over time can be somewhat avoided using ECC. The correct solution would be to implement Sony's interpretation of the spec and make it an option in the driver whether to enable it or not.
So overall, while this card is clearly unsuitable in a professional broadcast environment and probably should never be used for printing to tape, it is an amazingly good solution for ingest of SDI and HD-SDI signals.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Blackmagic Design DeckLink SDI 10 Bit SD/HD-SDI PCI Express Capture Card

The Blackmagic Design DeckLink SDI gives you incredible quality SD/HD-SDI capture and playback on any PCI Express Windows or Intel-based Mac Pro computer. It is perfect for use with SDI decks, or in large facilities with SDI routers. The world's smallest and most affordable 10 bit SDI video card works in both SD and HD and includes blackburst, tri-sync reference input, 8 channels of SDI embedded audio and RS422 deck control. DeckLink SDI is perfect when combined with routers such as Broadcast Videohub, SDI monitoring such as HDLink and video converters such as Blackmagic Design's Mini Converter range.

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Canopus ADVC300 Advanced Digital Video Converter Review

Canopus ADVC300 Advanced Digital Video Converter
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Someone wrote a review about the ADVC-300 in which they said "I am no expert when it comes to video editing.." I am, I have been in the professional video editing business for 10 years and all I can say is that this gizmo is out of this world!!!
Simple to use it gives you a very intuitive control panel based on sliding bars in which you can preview adjustments to your footage which are done on the fly without the need to render scenes, AMAZING!!!
This is PERFECT for anyone who wants to do editing and is concerned about quality of color and speed, for the novice it is an incredible gizmo that will restore your VHS tapes to a state close to the original fixing midtones, highlights and shadows on the fly, it lacks additional software to perform global color adjustments such as gammas but hey, for the price and unless you own sophisticated software, hardware and are in the editing business this is MORE than you need.
Your old tapes have never looked this good. This is 100% compatible hith Apple's I-Movie, you can even preview your restored footage on I-Movie's widnow!!! how cool is that???
I bought other hardware before and it was a pain in the gulliver, I highly, highly recommend this converter, this comes from a pro, it is worth every penny!!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canopus ADVC300 Advanced Digital Video Converter

ADVC300 - Bi-directional Analog / Digital Video Conversion... The ADVC300 is the ultimate bi-directional analog to digital video converter unit for the video enthusiast.Featuring high-quality image enhancement technology including digital noise reduction and image stabilization using Line Time Base Correction (LTBC), ADVC300 instantly cleans, stabilizes and preserves old VHS and Hi8 videos in clean DV format.Supporting Windows and Mac OS, ADVC300 is compatible with all widely used video editing applications including Canopus EDIUS, Final Cut Pro®, Avid Xpress® DV and Adobe® Premiere® Pro.

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Canopus / Grass Valley ADVC-110 Advanced Digital Video Converter - 77010150100 Review

Canopus / Grass Valley ADVC-110 Advanced Digital Video Converter - 77010150100
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I've tried several lower-end AV capture cards - some worked some of the time, often requiring a proprietary program to perform the capture. Don't waste your money on other on-the-cheap options. I bit the bullet on getting this one after learning about Canopus/Grass Valley and their professional line of production equipment. In short, this box works, has several hookup options (firewire, S-video, RCA) and works every time for me. The built-in hardware processor is the key. It's certainly not required, but it works seamlessly with Edius Neo NLE editor. Makes video work a lot more fun!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canopus / Grass Valley ADVC-110 Advanced Digital Video Converter - 77010150100

The ADVC-110 is a bidirectional media converter. Conversion is accomplished by transferring media data from an IEEE-1394 Firewire port and outputting through composite and Y/C video and unbalanced stereo audio connections and vice versa.

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Canon XH-A1S 3CCD HDV High Definition Professional Camcorder with 20x HD Video Zoom Lens III Review

Canon XH-A1S 3CCD HDV High Definition Professional Camcorder with 20x HD Video Zoom Lens III
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I love this camera. If you don't have a lot of experience with prosumer cameras (as in my case), the first look may be a bit intimidating (a friend said, "It looks like you're filming tv news"). Especially as I added a Rode shotgun mike (not sure it does anything other than make the sound louder, but...still checking it out).
You can't rest the camera on your shoulder, but the image stabilizer helps and the grip and buttons are all well designed and easy to reach. I struggled through the manual, but fortunately bought Dan Curran's dvd about the xh-a1 which appears to be almost identical. This was a -huge- help. I can't recommend it enough if you are at all unsure of what you're looking at. He goes through the simplest things (putting the shoulder strap on) to some very technical settings that you can do. The dvd saved me -so much- learning time and also prevented some careless mistakes (like letting sunlight through the viewfinder).
This camera feels like a terrific tool that can do whatever you need and the picture quality--even on Auto--is beautiful. Having the two XLR terminals will make a big difference, too. The versatility and design really meets such a variety of needs--way too much machine/expense for "home video" (it's not the kind of camera people forget is pointing at them), but great if you want to shoot training films, web videos, independent films.
Technology has changed so much in the 20 years since I was in film school--and it's still hard for me to believe that such a great camera, capable of such a quality product, is available for under $4000.
Very impressed. Highly recommended.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Canon XH-A1S 3CCD HDV High Definition Professional Camcorder with 20x HD Video Zoom Lens III

For the professionals who require a smaller, lighter weight HD camcorder but who won\'t give up capability and performance, Canon offers the XH A1S. Our latest in a family of high quality HDV camcorders, the Canon XH A1S delivers advanced features and a wide range of image parameter controls to make your vision a reality- and at a very attractive price.Starting with the superb Canon Genuine Canon 20x HD lens with Professional L Series Fluorite, the XH A1S adds 3CCDs, each of which is at 1440 x 1080 pixels. It also means you can be sure that your shooting in the field will be the best it can be with Canon\'s SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization. It corrects for a wide range of camera movement and vibration, and combined with Instant AF (Auto Focus) you\'ll get ultra-quick, accurate focus. The DIGIC DV II HD image processor finishes the picture with improved color reproduction and noise reduction - for a final result that delivers excellent image quality.To further ensure that your vision is realized, the XH A1S gives you features that let you make manual adjustments to fine-tune your video- the ultimate in total image control. For those situations in which you need to let your camcorder take care of exposure and image controls, the automatic settings on the XH A1S will expertly assist you.FEATURES:Updated Features - The XH-A1s improves upon on an already stellar camera. Some improvements include flags for 24f 2:3 pulldown through HD-SDI, simultaneous use of XLR and built-in microphone, audio volume lock, a 6-Pin FireWire I/O, the ability to share scene files between XL-H1 series and XL-G1 series camcorders, an audio limiter, and more! HD at Your Fingertips - The XH-A1 camcorder has three 1/3" 16:9 interlaced CCDs that capture images at 1080i resolution. The camcorder features selectable frame rates of 60i, 30 Frame and 24 Frame to allow the user to adjust to the assignment at hand and can switch back to SD resolution if needed.

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Monster Cable MP AVS 2000 Home Theatre Automatic Voltage Stabilizer Review

Monster Cable MP AVS 2000 Home Theatre Automatic Voltage Stabilizer
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==UPDATE 9/2008 == When I wrote this it was $860. Now it's $200 more. This only strengthens my view that a quality UPS is a better solution than a home theater product.
I liked D. Bowman's review but he needs to change the word "watts" to "volts" i.e. "most neighborhoods fluctuate +/- 3 to 4 VOLTS" would be accurate, but not WATTS. WATTS is how much power YOU are using like a 100 WATT lightbulb, VOLTS is what is comming into your house and varries a little bit over a day based not only on your neighbors usage but yours as well. In the USA most homes get two 120 volt (average) circuits which combined make 240 volts for high power devices. A neighborhood uses thousands of watts. You should not need to be concerned about this to use your stereo or TV. Most every consumer product, including your HDTV, stereo, etc, is designed to handle this normal variation in voltage.
Now onto the AVS2000. A Psychiatrist did a study by holding a seminar where 50% of the audience was allowed in FREE, and the other 50% had to pay $50 for the advice, which was just plain common sense. Both groups were then asked to evaluate the seminar after they attended it.
Those who got it free felt "it was OK" while those who lost $50 had much more complimentary reviews like "It will be a life changing experience". This is common human nature to believe you did not get ripped off and a key to marketing high profit stereo equipment. I've heard people say that after buying monster cables for $200 their stereo sounded much more musical. I asked them to define "musical" and they couldn't.
The AVS 2000 is not a life changing experience, but it does lighten your wallet several hundred dollars, and you naturally will say it's the best power strip you can buy, which is probably true. But do you need its ability?
While the 2000 has some nice bells and whistles, and it does stagger the power on sequence of your equipment to prevent startup current surges, another feature I like, it is overkill for 90+% of all MODERN equipment. If you own a 1970's $20,000 stereo with TUBE amplifiers then you will probably derive a REAL benefit from the 2000's ability to regulate voltage. You MIGHT even be able to hear it.
On the other hand, If your equipment was made in the past 10 years, take a look at the nameplate data (usually stamped where the power cord goes into the device) and it will likely say "Input Voltage 100-120" or maybe "100-240 volts AC 50-60 Hz" if it is meant for international markets like many products these days. If your house outlet is in the 110-115 VAC range, which most are, then your equipment will perform EXACTLY as intended without the AVS2000. A $10 voltmeter can tell you what your voltage is.
HDTV won't be any better with the AVS2000 than without it. Your stereo won't be any louder with than without it. You'll have a hard time to hear anything more "musical" like the salesman said you would.
Monster products tend, in general, to be well made overbuilt cables with great strain reliefs built in and oversized conductors. Their equipment is aimed at the true audiophile who has money to burn on a $100 cable instead of the cheap one that came in the box with his new DVD player. Their packaging is advertising how important the product is. They are high profit margin items for stereo stores to sell with a system that has a limited profit margin on the main item. Former used car salesman turned stereo experts will tell you how much "more musical" your system investment will be if you spend another $300 in cables or $900 in power strips. Of course you can't setup 2 identical systems in the store to see this for yourself, i.e. a direct A-B comparison like we do in the laboratory.
Monster products are very nicely made, and I do own several of them, however I did not pay for mine, they were given to my lab and I was paid to evaluate them against other alternatives, and comparing a $110 monster fiber optic cable against a $10 no-name fiber optic cable showed zero difference in connecting an optical digital output to an amplifier. Being digital, it either works or it does not work.
The AVS2000 does what it says. Most devices sold today, however, simply don't need it.
If your equipment can tolerate a wide range of input volatages, and you are not having power problems where you live, then this is NOT the solution for you. Your HDTV will look better if you spend the money for an AVS2000 on a bigger screen.
If you ARE having problems with your power, GET THEM FIXED! I had power problems and contacted my utility provider who fixed their transformer on the pole to get rid of them permanently, for free. Using a $100 digital voltmeter I could show the utility that the voltage dropped every day at 6PM when people cooked dinner below 100 volts Line-Neutral at the meter. This was outside of their specification and they were required by law to fix it.
For the price of the AVS2000 you can buy a comparable computer grade UPSAPC SUA1500RM2U 120V 1500VA USB and Serial RM 2U Smart UPS System with similar voltage regulation and it will prevent your stereo/TV from shutting off and back on 5 seconds later when the power goes out momentarily during a storm. The AVS 2000 can't do that. UPSs also have surge supression and some simple metering if you want those features. This one is rackmount and will go nicely in a stereo rack, and is less expensive than the AVS2000 while doing more. (the APC UPS can make power when there is none, the AVS2000 can not)
The AVS2000 is a niche item for people with older equipment that suffers from improper voltage. For most modern systems it is overkill and not needed. It has lots of impressive looking meters but lacks performance for its pricepoint.


Click Here to see more reviews about: Monster Cable MP AVS 2000 Home Theatre Automatic Voltage Stabilizer

AVS 2000 is designed to stabilize power line fluctuations and maintain constant voltage to your home theatre. Voltage sags (below the standard RMS value of 120 volts) are often caused by power-hungry appliances like clothes washers, air conditioners, and electric heaters, which draw more power (over 1500 watts) than your house was designed to support. This can have a direct effect on home theatre components, including amplifiers and two piece projection systems, which require a lot of power to operate at an optimum performance level. As a result, the picture can lose brightness and suddenly shrink in size.Amplifiers change gain structure which results in nasty distortions. They also won't deliver peak power, dropping from 100 watts to as low as 60 watts, for example. Your home theatre is very power hungry, too, often drawing twice as much power as a washer and air conditioner combined. This can cause even more voltage sags and ultimately, inferior home theatre performance. With AVS 2000, all your high power devices will maintain the stability needed to deliver peak power and performance. You'll enjoy the smoothest, most natural sound and the sharpest, brightest picture possible with vivid color.And, thanks to AVS 2000's sequential turn-on feature, your high power loads can operate at peak performance without causing unnecessary electrical stress that can often pop a circuit breaker or damage your components. "I highly recommend this component."Kevin Miller, Home Theater MagazineStereophile Guide to Home Theater Accessory of the Year Award 2001. Winner of a CES Innovation Award Audio Video International Video Grand Prix, and Audio Grand Prix Award.

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ADVC300 A/dlvideo Conv.-- Edu Review

ADVC300 A/dlvideo Conv.-- Edu
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Pros: The best Analog-to-Digital video converter I've used or heard about. "Locked Video/Audio Sync" feature. Many possible ways to adjust/customize input/output. Ability to monitor results LIVE in real time on a separate monitor. Can be used without a computer as a stand-alone video cleaning device. Does NOT require drivers to run on any modern computer with Firewire. The included Picture Controller software is easy to use and is entirely optional.
Cons: Expensive. Cooling fan is noisy. Has an "easily broken" feel to it. Not especially great manual/instructions.
Having used many Capture devices over the last few years, this is by far the best I've used or heard about. Especially good at improving old Analog video tapes, this can repair many common faults while avoiding the common Out-Of-Sync audio on longer captures.


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ADVC300 Bi-directional Analog / Digital Video Conversion - EDUCATION - External converter, S - Video, Composite and DV input/output w/component D1 output; 2D/3D Y/C seperation, digital 3D frame synchronizer, Digialt line time base corrector (LTBC), Digita

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Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog Flight Stick Review

Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog Flight Stick
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I received this kit from a contest about a month ago and it has performed flawlessly during that time with well over 20 hours of game time using it.
I wrote a review for my former TM Cougar HOTAS (http://www.amazon.com/review/R329NM8PE25CQJ/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm) and while I owned that particular piece of gear I thought it was the best that I had owned at the time...this piece of equipment simply blows all others I have owned out of the water. I have owned gear from CH, Saitek, Logitech, Gravis, Suncom (now out of business) and each time I continue to come back to Thrustmaster gear.
This Warthog has a superior feel to it with the ball joint on the stick portion and the split throttles allow some great customization of the controls and how you can work a single or multiple engine aircraft in games. The one problem I have is with the programming software and trying to understand it out of the box...well you have to download it directly from Thrustmaster but you should know that going into the purchase.
For connectivity I have tried this hardware on operating systems from Windows XP up to Windows 7 64bit and it is recognized immediately and operates as advertised by the manufacturer. I feel that I must let you know that there are some people reporting loss of the throttle response randomly and as a result the manufacturer has released an updated firmware that is reportedly fixing many of the "bricked/dead" throttle units. However a few are having to be sent back to the manufacturer and replaced with new parts to take care of the problem. [...]
If you want to spend the money then you will not be disappointed. Again this is the best flight simulation gaming gear that I have had the opportunity to use in my 20+ years of playing flight simulation games. [...]

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THRUSTMASTER 2960720 Hotas Warthog USB dual-throttle Joystick

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Analog/digitalvideo Conversion Review

Analog/digitalvideo Conversion
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This is a very straightforward device, though the settings of the dipswitches recall the bad old days of modems and other long-forgotten peripheral tediums. For anyone with less than perfect eyesight, or large fingers, determining whether and where the switches have been moved can be quite challenging. But with a little trial and error, the result is satisfying.
The Canopus ADVC 300 is a greate overall product for converting video from digital to analog or the other way around. The provision of 3 different connector types takes the guess work out the way. That means 3 possible options to connect your device with; component, composit, or FireWire.

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HARDWARE ADVC 300 A/D CONVERTER

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LaCie Rugged All-Terrain 200 GB FireWire 800/FireWire 400/USB 2.0 7200RPM Portable External Hard Drive 301310 Review

LaCie Rugged All-Terrain 200 GB FireWire 800/FireWire 400/USB 2.0 7200RPM Portable External Hard Drive 301310
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I've used LaCie drives for years and they seem to fail far less often than other drives I've used (WD, Seagate, Maxtor.) Perhaps one of the reasons that my hard drives fail often is that I tend to be a little rough on them. I edit video, often on location, so I drag my drives all over the place. I'm hoping with it's rubberized shell, this LaCie will go the distance. I love that it is self-powered so I don't have to lug a power adapter with me. It's one of the few portable drives that is fast enough for video editing. I purchased the case LaCie Cozy 3.5-Inch Hard Drive Carrying Case 130903 (Grey) for it as well to further protect it. I'll update this review if it dies.
Update: I've used this drive for a year and it's still going strong. I'm going to upgrade to a larger capacity model soon.
PS - It always makes my day to know that people find these reviews helpful. So, please vote (the "Was this review helpful to you: Yes or No" buttons) and leave a comment if you'd like, even if it's just to say, "Hi!" I respond to all comments so feel free to ask a question about the product. Also, when you leave a comment, I will go to your reviews and pay you the same courtesy.

Click Here to see more reviews about: LaCie Rugged All-Terrain 200 GB FireWire 800/FireWire 400/USB 2.0 7200RPM Portable External Hard Drive 301310

The LaCie Rugged All-Terrain 301310 200 GB USB 2.0/FireWire400/FireWire800 Portable Hard Drive, Design by Neil Poulton, is built to survive the harsh elements of the real world. This durable, portable storage drive offers 200 GB of storage along with a universal high-speed USB 2.0 connection and FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 interfaces. This high-performance drive is built with a rugged, drop-resistant aluminum alloy shell and a shock-resistant rubber bumper, making it the ultimate solution for your on-the-go data needs. With FireWire 800, FireWire 400, and USB, the Rugged All-Terrain has near-universal compatibility. View larger. Ultra-Portable Data Shuttle If you travel a lot with your data, the Rugged All-Terrain is the drive is for you. Perfect for users who need backup, storage and large-volume exchange for office files, photos, music and even video clips, the Rugged All-Terrain is powered by the FireWire or USB connection, which means that it uses the power of the connected computer to operate and doesn't require an additional AC adapter or power cord.The Rugged All-Terrain offers the triple-interface convenience of high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity (which is USB 1.1 backward compatible) along with both FireWire 400 and FireWire 800 interfaces. With this triple-interface functionality, along with the drive's driver-free and plug-and-play features, exchanging data between Macs and PCs is as easy as it gets. The Rugged All-Terrain even comes with a USB power-sharing cable for low powered USB hubs/computers. (The Rugged All-Terrain requires no extra drivers for Windows XP/2000/Vista and Mac OS X operating systems.) This high-performance drive features a spin speed of 5400 RPM, an 8 MB cache, and a transfer rate of up to 800 Mbits per second via the FireWire 800 connection. Measuring a mere 3.5 x 1 x 5.7 inches (WxHxD) and weighing less than nine ounces, the Rugged All-Terrain is designed to travel and will fit easily in your briefcase or backpack. Take it with you on business trips and vacations, or use it for transferring files from one desktop computer to another.Included with the drive are LaCie software bundles to enhance its performance and functionality, including LaCie's 1-Click Backup Software (for Mac and PC) and SilverKeeper Backup Software (Mac).Mobile, All-Terrain Protection Designed exclusively for LaCie by world-renowned designer Neil Poulton, the Rugged All-Terrain is built like an off-road vehicle, ready to withstand the bumps and bruises of your travels. Its unique, scratch-protected aluminum shell and shock-resistant rubber bumper make it especially resistant to harsh elements. In fact, the drive is designed to withstand vertical drops of up to 35 inches while in non-operating mode. (Dropping the drive while it's in operation, however, could cause damage, so be careful!)For additional styling points, the Rugged All-Terrain can be outfitted with additional colorful bumpers that will keep your drive protected. Easy-to-change and durable once on, they are made of the same quality rubber as the original bright orange Rugged sleeve. The optional set, which is sold separately, includes green-grey, blue-grey, and black bumpers.
Free One-Year Unlimited Backup Service With the purchase of this LaCie Hard Disk, you will also receive a full year of LaCie's Online Backup service. With this service, the data that you store on your computer will be encrypted twice and uploaded to the offsite data center where they will remain encrypted, maintaining your privacy. When you sign up for the service, software is added to your computer that looks for new and changed files to update. The service is completely automated and only backs up new and modified files when your computer is idle, so you don't have to do a thing, and your computer's performance will never be affected.This service lets you upload an unlimited amount of photos, music, video, and documents for a full year. After that you can continue with the service for a low monthly fee. This is LaCie's way of ensuring that should anything happen to your Hard Disk -- should it get stolen or damaged, for instance -- your invaluable data will remain completely protected and accessible.The LaCie Rugged All-Terrain Portable Hard Drive is backed by a 3-year limited warranty.
About LaCie Established in France in 1989, LaCie is a leading manufacturer of computer peripherals for Windows, Apple and Linux users. With offices and plants in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong, LaCie develops and manufactures external storage solutions and color monitors that help professionals and everyday people easily manage their digital lives. LaCie has differentiated its products through original designs and leading-edge technology.
What's in the Box Rugged All-Terrain drive, FireWire 800 cable, FireWire 400 cable, USB 2.0 cable, USB power-sharing cable, and quick start guide.


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ASUS VG236HE 23-Inch LCD Monitor Review

ASUS VG236HE 23-Inch LCD Monitor
Average Reviews:

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I bought this monitor to replace my aging 20" Viewsonic VX2025WM. I had many great years with my old Viewsonic but I decided it was time to upgrade and sold it to a friend of mine. This monitor was actually my 2nd choice. I had actually been looking at this monitor and the LG W2363D-PF. The specs are almost identical but the LG has a anti-glare screen and the Asus is glossy. When the LG was sold out, I ordered the Asus monitor instead. At first I was hesitant because of the glossy screen I had read about in other reviews. In a bright room, it reflects a great deal more than my old Viewsonic did. In reality, it's not that big of a deal. When I have all my lights turned off and the room is dark, I can't notice any reflections at all. The screen is bright enough that even when I do have some lights on, it's still not that noticeable.
My one and only gripe over this monitor is it came with one pixel that is either dead or stuck on black. To make matters worse, it's pretty much in the center of the screen just a little to the left. I've been using flat panel LCD's for a few years now and I've never once gotten a product with a stuck or dead pixel. This is my first taste of that horror. Now back to reality: even though it's kind of annoying to have a stuck / dead pixel, I've noticed it's not that big of a deal either. Yes it is a dead / stuck pixel but I find that for 99% of what I use this monitor for, I can't notice it unless I actually start looking for it within the picture while either surfing the web, watching movies, or playing video games. With only one stuck / dead pixel, it doesn't qualify for warranty replacement.
Other than that, this is by far the best monitor I've ever owned. It's a HUGE upgrade from my old 20" Viewsonic. The screen is huge and in your face. If I had the money, I would buy 2 more and have a multi-monitor setup! My eyes lit up and couldn't stop smiling when I first popped in Avatar bluray. I don't use the 3d portion yet because I have an ATI graphics card at the moment but the 120hz looks amazing. It blows my old Toshiba 32" which is set up on the wall above it right out of the water. This monitor is my pride and joy and I love it. I'd recommend this to any and all my friends looking to buy new or upgrade. I don't regret this purchase at all. With Amazon.com Prime [...] overnight shipping, I can't be happier! Hope this helps you guys with your decision. Cheers!

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VG236HE LCD – 23" 1920x1080 - 120Hz Panel 3D Ready - Excellent visuals with Color Shine Technology and 2ms Response Time - Height, Swivel, Tilt Adjustable

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Apple MacBook Pro 2.33 Ghz 15" Computer Review

Apple MacBook Pro 2.33 Ghz 15 Computer
Average Reviews:

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The 2.33 GHz Macbook Pros that have Intel Core 2 Duo processors will be able to run MAC OS 10.7 (Lion) when it comes out. These computers are not as fast as the new quad core Macbook Pro models, but they continue to hold up to heavy use. I suggest maxing out the RAM to 4 GB before installing 10.7 this summer. These computers can actually only use 3.3 GB of the 4, but having matched pairs makes the RAM more efficient in these models. 2 GB seems to be fine for 10.6, but 10.7 will be a more intensive OS. People who do a lot of intensive movie editing may also want the additional RAM. I use my 2 GB computer with iLife '11 & on the Internet with no problems, but I don't know about the larger editing software such as Final Cut Pro.

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Apple MacOS X 10.4 5.5 lbs Lithium polymer battery 5 hour(s) 14.1 x 9.6 x 1 The Intel Core Duo chip inside MacBook Pro gives you the power of two processors wherever you go. Now its a b

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