Samsung SC-DX103 DVD Camcorder Review

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(More customer reviews)I got the Samsung DigitalCam SC-DX103 from retail for $277 (without tax) to record my brother play the piano @ the Manchester Music School. There was a $680 Sony HandyCam with the Dolby 5.1 surround sound and really high quality video recording, but I didn't want to pay $400 extra & I doubted if the sound quality (my DigitalCam has Dolby Stereo sound) would be significantly better on the Sony Handycam because most of the costs would go to the video quality & not audio. So, for my purpose of recording a concert, I thought that this should suffice.
It did - there was a bit of booming in the sound quality when I recorded myself playing piano but it wouldn't matter. At first, I thought that the camcorder might actually be terrible buy - because after I made several test tries I played the videos from the camcorder & the sound was awful. Actually, the camcorder's speakers are mediocre & they sound terrible when they play the piano recording, but the actual recording's audio is not bad --> if you play the recording from a computer or a tv it should be fine.
The video quality was okay. In fact, the camcorder's software would make the recording really crisp & clear, but the only thing that made the whole thing "ok" was the smaller resolution of the recording--> doesn't look necessarily crisp on a tv. the video was fine in all circumstances except in really dark environments. then everything would turn unpleasantly gray. there's a c. nite function - which i haven't used but i looked up & i think it's a special mode for dark situations.
the lcd has backlight function which, according to wikipedia, increases readability in low light conditions.
it also has wind cut function if you want to cancel out of noises caused by heavy winds.
its zoom is - 34x optical & up to 1200 x digital. i tried the optical zoom @ 34 x, but i realized that my hand shaked too much (i.e. heartbeat) --> made me wonder if the 34x was just a hype & it was actually completely useless. then in the menu i found the anti-shake function that did reduce the shaking significantly (but there still was some shaking) at maximum zoom. the shake is almost unnoticeable in normal zoom.
something that amused me was the digital effect function. it has different modes including black & white, negative, art, emboss, mosaic, etc. the emboss & mosaic modes were really artistic & interesting - the camera shows a modified version of my recording (as i am recording) & it looks like some sort of art painting done by picasso.
if you compare this to a similarly priced camcorder - lets say "Sony Handycam DCR-HC30" @ 279.99 (see CNET review),
the samsung camcorder has larger resolution 720 x 480 @ widescreen (vs. 640 x 480), the same low light mode & image stabilization, better video format (mpeg-2 for dvd rather than mpeg-1 for vcd)
the sony contestant has a touchscreen lcd display that samsung camcorder doesn't but CNET says the response on the sony's touchscreen is terrible & I really like the feel & the response of the small joystick on samsung's display, so I'd think that the touchscreen on the sony handycam is a waste of money & samsung made a smart decision in putting a regular display with joystick control while putting that extra money into video quality
both have easy mode (enlarge menus, etc.), the sony lacks the 34x optical zoom (it has 10x)
both weigh .9 Ibs.
so in fact, after writing this review & doing all the research, i actually feel even better with my purchase. i give 4/5 stars (sony would get 3/5 stars)
ah, forgot to mention that if you use smart card for this camcorder, you can take pictures --> you can use it as a camera too.


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Samsung DVD Camcorder w/680K Pixel CCD and Swivel Grip

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Pentax Optio S4 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom Review

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(More customer reviews)pentax had heads turning when they introduced the optio s because that camera could fit into an altoids tin. well, pentax has upped the ante. they've managed to a full megapixel of resolution without increasing the size of this amazing camera. the result is the optio s4.
pros:
- yes, it still fits in an altoid tin! the main selling point of this camera is its small size: 3.3 x 2.0 x 0.8 in, weighing in at 3.5oz.
- relatively high "wow" factor.
- average four megapixel resolution.
- good reliable metering.
- low image noise at low ISO settings.
- fast autofocus in well lit situations.
- very good macro performance for an ultra-compact.
- wide range of focus options including manual focus!
- histogram display in live view and play modes.
- allows decent manual control for what is billed as a point-and-shoot ultra-compact.
- no color cast from flash.
- fast startup time.
- solid build quality - stylish aluminum case.
- bright LCD monitor with anti-reflective coating.
- shooting priority during play mode.
- doubles as a voice recorder.
cons:
- some chromatic aberrations.
- some vignetting visible.
- moderate barrel distortion at full wide angle.
- average photo quality with soft edges.
- images noisier than competition.
- the right most button at the top of the camera is the power button. right beside it to the left is the shutter release button. for me, the more logical button placement would be to have the shutter release button on the far right.
- no AF assist light.
- some redeye occurrence.
- poor shot to shot times - very disappointing.
- metal body scratches easily.
- RAW and TIFF formats not supported.
- longest shutter setting is 4 seconds.
- only 11MB of built-in memory provided so add $$ to your budget to buy external memory.
- below average battery life and the battery is proprietary so add more bucks for a spare.
like its predecessor, the optio S, the S4 is an amazing camera, providing a wide feature set in an ultra-compact package. it is simply the smallest camera with its feature set available today (10/2003). it is very similar to the slightly bigger casio ex-z4. so why only four stars? opportunites for improvement would be: better shot to shot times, a longer shutter setting (max right now is 4 seconds), and an AF assist lamp.
i hope this helps you with your buying decision. peace.

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Raising the stakes from its predecessor--the groundbreaking Optio S--the Pentax Optio S4 adds more megapixel resolution without adding any size to the camera's sleekly designed, tough aluminum-alloy body. It features a unique 3x zoom sliding lens system body that allows the lens to move up, away, and lie fully flush within the camera frame to protect the lens and allow for the camera's tiny dimensions.
Optics and Resolution With the high-level imaging power of 4.0 effective megapixels (2304 x 1728 pixels), the Optio S4 captures everything from macro shots to distant scenery with exceptional sharpness and accuracy. Other resolution modes include 1600 x 1200, 1024 x 768, and 640 x 480.
Equivalent to a 35–105mm lens in 35mm format, the 3x optical zoom allows a full range of shooting from expansive scenery to telephoto shots. All elements are crafted entirely from glass and two of the lenses are aspherical on each side. Combined with 4x digital zoom, the Optio S4 offers 12x combined zoom capability.
Movie Mode In addition to taking still photos, the Optio S4 can also record movie clips of up to 60 seconds with audio at 12 frames per second. The limited resolution of your movies guarantees that this feature won't replace your camcorder, but it's perfect for when you just want to capture a quick movie and e-mail it to a friend or relative.
The time-lapse movie function allows a sequential set of shots to be run as a short film. This can be used for impressive effects, such as scenes of clouds rushing across the sky, for example, and offers a selection of recording speeds--X2, X5, X10, X20, X50, and X100.
More Features With a shutter release time lag of just 0.01 seconds, the Optio S4 allows switching from viewing to shooting with a single touch of the shutter or playback button at any time.
The built-in flash on the Optio S4 can be set to fire automatically when shooting in low-light conditions. For greater control, the camera also features flash-on, flash-off, and red-eye reduction modes, and there's also the option of slow shutter sync when shooting in "night scene" mode.
The Optio S4 offers a choice of two kinds of autofocus. 7-point autofocus helps you achieve sharp focus even when subjects are off-center. Spot AF, on the other hand, lets you place the center of focus on one point out of a choice of 49 in the frame, marking that point in the viewfinder for easier use.
Macro mode allows shots from as close as 7.08 inches from the subject, while selection of super macro shooting allows you to compose from as close as just 2.36 inches.
The OptioS has been specially designed with audio recording capability rivaling the abilities of standalone audio recording devices. This can be exceptionally handy for recording important information in meetings. An index can be added during recording for easy playback.
Other features include:
1.6-inch color TFT LCD screen with histogram display
Macro mode: 7.08 inches
Shooting modes: program, picture mode, night scene, movie, panorama assist, 3-D image, digital filter, user
Picture modes: landscape, flower, portrait, self-portrait, surf and snow, autumn color, sunset
White balance control: TTL auto, preset, custom white balance
Storage and Transfer Images can be stored in the internal 11 MB memory or on optional Secure Digital (SD) or MultiMediaCards (MMC). Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via USB 1.1, which means the camera can be connected to any USB-based Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software.
Power and Size The camera is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (D-L18, included). It measures 3.3 by 2.0 by 0.8 inches and weighs 4.1 ounces (with battery).
What's In The Box This package includes the Optio S4 digital camera, battery and battery charger, USB and AV cables, hand strap, and CD-ROM with image software (the latest version of ACDSee 5.0 software designed exclusively for Pentax Optio digital cameras) and USB drivers for Windows and Mac.

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ASUS Sound Card Xonar DG Review

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(More customer reviews)For only Thirty one dollars I spent here on Amazon which included shipping for this Xonar DG I must say that I am am happy that ASUS decided to make a cheap card with a headphone amp. I owned a Xonar D2X and Xonar DX. Also owned creative sound cards and I will never buy another create crap. They don't even update their drivers for their older cards.
After hearing the Xonar D2X and DX I could safely say this Xonar DG sounds near identical. I honestly cannot tell the difference between any of them.
I currently run this card with a Sennheiser HD555 and Denon D2000 headphones and it does power the Denons better than the much more expensive Xonar d2x etc.
It is definitely powerful I have it set on 64 ohms aka pro gaming as they call it.
Its definitely light years improvement from onboard sound. Especially if you use good quality headphones the difference really will be night and day.
If you are using powered studio monitors like the M-Audio and stuff then you want this. Because the quality of audiophile headphones and speakers are so great they reveal the distortion in onboard. You won't notice it until you hear these, when you hear it through this sound card you will wonder how did you listen to onboard all these years.
EDIT UPDATE:
I have decided to give some feedback on the music experience some more. After some burn in and letting my ears become adjusted to it, I have noticed this card sounds warm. It has a warm and lively upfront presentation of music I guess you can also say its bright. I believe the Xonar DX and D2X was a but more laid back, with that said this thing rocks with rock music.
I am listening to the AC/DC albums in FLAC loseless audio and my god are these babies great. I wish it had some form of bass boost option though.
But over the years I had trained my ears to listen to music with a flat EQ. Before I hated it and liked over exaggerated muddy bass. But now that my ears are trained to proper music the way the artist intended me to hear it I can safely say these babies rock.
If you are a great fan of maybe music by Celine Dion and stuff I guess you could buy the Xonar DX. Those sound a little better for that type of music in my opinion. As for the SNR difference between them all I can't tell to be honest they sound the same. (Note the DX has Solid Capacitors which has a much longer lifespan than this DG and DS. Under serious heat the DX lifespan will be greatly increased compared to the DG and DS but if you have proper cooling you need not worry I have a Cooler Master HAF case)
I must also add that this card comes with the Dolby Headphone Licenses which are great for games and movies. The Xonar DS does not have this. And its more expensive so I highly recommend this card. This card is also 96khz and not 192 like the DS and DX. But I can't tell the difference. I heard the Xonar ST essence by a friend of mine and his tend to sound a little better but nothing very noticeable. And certainly not worth the asking price compared to this DG.
In closing you will not regret this card. Do not let the price fool you, this thing is Audiophile product but ASUS will never tell you this because they also want their Xonar ST to sell.

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M-Audio Studiophile AV 40 Powered Speakers Review

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(More customer reviews)My old Logitech Z-560 developed a short in it creating nasty crackling noises over one channel. The Z560 was a rare beast, a $140 400 watt 4.1 monster that Logitech built to really high standards to create a strong foot forward into the PC speaker market. Sadly, their quality has declined since then, and their current offerings are cheaply made, sound far worse with music than the 560s, and have even fuzzier and more overwhelming bass than the 560 did (the systems one flaw). I decided to try 2.0 systems to see if I could get good PC sound without the added failure risk of a high powered sub and the muddiness that all that extra bass and clumsy frequency transitions between sats and sub causes...
My findings, from worst to best:
Logitech Z-10: 30 watts. Looks good, costs a lot, $150, list. Sounds dreadful. Despite having a largish 3" woofer, and a 1" tweeter, the Z-10 seems to be doing a lot of signal processing of music and the soundstage sounds compressed and artificial. Changing bass and treble makes things worse, and your music will sound different (and worse) on these speakers than it would normally. The touch controls and LCD screen are useless pricy gimmicks that increase chance of failure and add weight and cost to the system. Who in the world needs to see the name of the track playing on the bottom of the speaker? Anyway, these are a disappointment, with the worst sound and tied for the highest price. The speakers are heavy and well made, very stylish, though easily smudged with the reflective black surface on the front of the speaker. Logitech needs to redo these, silly gadgets and useless feature are tolerable, bad sound however is always a deal-breaker. Two stars, for style and build quality.
Klipsch ProMedia 2.0: Also 30 watts. Nice sound, good price, $100 list. Dual 2.5" woofers and a 1" tweeter with a Klipsch high-freq horn in it. These sound pretty good, but they are unexpectedly bulky and poorly made. The oddly formed speaker housing means these take up a lot of space and the volume and bass control knobs look like they come from a $10 CyberAcoutsics set. The cheapie knobs, bulk, and ugliness make these fit for corporate presentations where good loud sound matters and where style is largely irrelevant. For the home user, the cheap knobs may well break over time, which was the Achiles heel for my 560s; quality system, cheap volume pot. Three stars, good though not excellent sound, reasonable price, loses points for ugliness and some shoddy cost cutting in build quality. The bulk is sort of a neutral issue, as the larger box size probably helps the sound and bass extension of the units, but for some users the footprint and added portability difficulties may be an issue.
Creative Gigaworks T20: 28 watts (though the box says 22 watts!) $100 list. Creative obscures most specs on these, probably fearing the single 2.5" driver versus the bigger Logitech and the double same size drivers of the Klipsch may convince buyers that the T20 lacks in comparison to its rivals. Truth is the build and design of the T20s makes them sound much better than either the Z10s or the Promedias. These little speakers can put out an awesome amount of clear accurate sound, and they look great and feel very sturdy. Treble in particular is excellent, and the alleged Bass Xport technology must have something to it, as bass is more than adequate. The separate bass and treble knobs may or may not appeal; to some, they offer more control, to others the added circuitry distorts the signal and gives an added area of complexity in the design that may fail. The portability is excellent. The only real problem is that Creative is so secretive about the wattage and driver size, out of unnecessary concern that buyers may avoid getting these because of a few watts or a half inch. These sound great, look good, and the size to sound ratio is impressive. Four stars.
M-Audio AV40s: 40 watts, $200 list. My personal choice, these speakers are much bigger than the other contenders, but the amazing sound and plentiful bass will convince you that you don't need to even think about a sub system. These wooden cabinets are very attractive and sturdy, but are not exactly portable weighing 14 lbs and being quite bulky. (More so than the Klipsch, but they also look nicer and are built better.) Besides the size and weight, the other issue is cost and maybe availability as few vendors sell M-Audio, and the price for the AV40s even with discount will be $50-$65 more than the cost of the other units I looked at. To me the sound and accuracy (no distortion at high volume, lots of accuracy at low volume) of the M-Audios, at both low and high volume, offsets all the problems. Four stars, loses a star because of higher cost and weight. (Note though these are still theoretically portable, far more so than any 2.1 system or even the average boombox...)
Do You Need More Power, a Subwoofer, or More Speakers? Probably not. If you sit at your desk with the speakers a few feet away from you, you do not need much more than 30 or 40 watts for great powerful sound. A subwoofer (unless it costs a lot!) will just screw up crossover freqs, create too much bass, and encourage the mfgr to give you cheapie satellites on the theory that the loud prominent sub will wow the casual listener who will not care that the sats have 1" uni-drivers and are made of cheap light plastic. Unless you need to entertain parties with your PC, you don't need more power or a sub.
As far as surround sound, unless you watch movies on your PC or play a lot of FPS shooters that need positional audio, the added wires and difficulty of positioning the rear and surround sats in the listening environment are too much of a pain for most folks. Plus a decent PC surround sound system is at least $250, meaning a much higher cost than any of these 2.0 systems.
Buying Recommendations: Don't mind big and bulky? Get the M-Audio AV40s. (Note the company has a smaller less powerful variant, the Av20s, but I did not hear these and they do not seem to be widely available so I cannot comment.) Want small and portable, get the Creative T20. The Logitechs unfortunately have no comparative strengths, and the Klipschs are adequate but offer no real advantage over the Creative. If you can find the Promedias significantly discounted, they may be viable.


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The compact Studiophile AV 40 powered speakers deliver the same proven M-Audio technology favored by top producers, recording engineers and musicians around the world. The combination of 4-inch polypropylene-coated drivers and 3/4-inch ferrofluid-cooled silk dome tweeters provides punchy lows, crisp highs and a balanced, uncolored response. Custom cabinets with dense wood construction deliver more accurate bass response than you could ever get from plastic multimedia speakers. And for the highest possible fidelity, the Studiophile AV 40 speakers also feature OptImage III wave-guide technology and a 20 watt-per-channel internal amplifier that utilizes Class A/B architecture. The Studiophile AV 40 reference monitors are the perfect solution for traveling musicians or anyone who wants top-notch sound from their desktop multimedia system.


Studiophile AV 40 Compact Desktop Speaker System
Professional Components--Professional Results The Studiophile AV 40 monitors are designed with the same quality materials and internal electronics that are used in M-Audio's acclaimed professional monitors. You'll find features like audiophile-grade Class A/B amplifier architecture and balanced 1/4-inch TRS inputs in addition to RCAs. It all adds up to a big sound that belies the speakers' small size. With the Studiophile AV 40s, you don't have to give up professional-grade fidelity to enjoy the ease and mobility of a compact speaker system.
Extended Low End If you require extra bass response, the Studiophile AV 40 speakers have you covered. MDF wooden cabinets, bass reflex design and an integrated bass boost switch let the Studiophile AV 40s crank out plenty of low end--perfect for urban/dance music, DVDs and more.
OptImage III Technology M-Audio's proprietary OptImage III wave guide improves overall detail and clarity while minimizing sound issues that can plague other compact monitors. The system works by improving the overall efficiency of the tweeter as well as time-aligning the drivers. This ensures that the audio from each driver reaches the listener at the same time, guaranteeing precise stereo imaging and accurate response.
Magnetically Shielded for Desktop Use Unchecked, all speakers emit electromagnetic waves that can wreak havoc with your computer's video monitor or a nearby TV. The Studiophile AV 40 speakers are magnetically shielded so that all of your electronic equipment can coexist on your desktop without interference.

AV 40 Specs
Type: Two-way desktop reference monitor
Low-frequency Driver: 4" diameter, magnetically shielded and curved cone with high-temperature voice coil
High-frequency Driver: 1" diameter, magnetically shielded silk dome tweeter
Frequency Response: 85Hz - 20kHz
Crossover Frequency: 2.7kHz
RMS SPL: 101.5dB @ 1 meter
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: > 90dB (typical, A-weighted)
Input Connectors: Left and right RCA line input, left and right 1/4" TRS input and 1/8" aux input
Polarity: Positive signal at "+" input produces outward low-frequency cone displacement
Dynamic Power: 20 watts continuous, per channel into 4 Ω
Input Impedance: 10 k Ω unbalanced, 20 k Ω balanced
Input Sensitivity: 100 mV pink noise input produces 90dBA output SPL at 1 meter with volume control at maximum
Protection: RF interference, output current limiting, over temperature, turn on/off transient, subsonic filter
Indicator: Blue power LED ring around volume knob on front panel
Power Requirements: 100-120V/~50/60Hz, 220-240V/~50/60Hz; powered via detachable 2-conductor line cord
Cabinet: Vinyl-laminated MDF
Dimensions: 8.75" (H) x 6" (W) x 7.25" (D)
Weight: 14 lbs./6.34 kg

What's in the Box Pair of AV 40 Monitors, Two Power Cables, 1/8-Inch Mini-to-RCA cable, 1/8-Inch Auxiliary Cable, Bare Wire Cable for Speaker Connection, Two Traction Pads, User's Manual.

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