Philips DVDR 3400 - DVD recorder with TV tuner

Average customer rating:

Good Picture Quality, But Lots of Other Problems

50/50 Results

Total Box of JUNK.

Philips DVDR 3400 DVD player/recorder

Very Good recorder but has some issues!

Philips DVDR 3400 - DVD recorder with TV tuner

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

All | DVD Players & Recorders | Audio & Video | Categories | Electronics
ASIN: B000G133YS

Product Description

Dreaming of a player that plays practically any disc format and at the same time enjoy flawless, true-to-life picture quality? Now you can! With Philips DVD players, staying home has never been better as the promised movies and music entertainment experience will be delivered right to you.PRODUCT FEATURES:Superior audio and video quality;HDMI out for digital high-definition video and digital audio;SmartAlgo for quality compatible recordings;Progressive Scan for razor-sharp and flicker free images;Record, transfer or archive conveniently;Copy or play photos and music directly from USB flash drives;Record up to 12 hours on a double-sided disc;i.LINK enables perfect digital camcorder copies;DualMedia records on DVD+R/RW, DVD+R DL and DVD-R/RW discs;Plays CD, (S)VCD, DVD, DVD+R/RW, DVD-R/RW;Plays MP3, WMA, JPEG, DivX 3.11/4.x/5.x/6;Simplicity in recording and playback;VCR Plus+ uses a single code to program the timer;Easy to use graphic user interface.

Customer Reviews:

Good Picture Quality, But Lots of Other Problems.......2007-12-21

I've had this recorder for a little over a year now and can say that I am ready to move on.

The picture quality is fine. I haven't experienced any of the artifacts others have described.

My issues are with the functioning of the recorder:

First, it has always taken an extremely long time to start up--so long that we actually avoid watching anything on DVD because we know it will take a good five minutes before the machine is fully ready.

Second, the remote is horrible. The buttons don't always register when you press them and you have to aim it just right.

Third, the interface for changing the names of DVDs is very slow and doesn't have characters like apostrophes, which are useful in naming shows. It also is very limited in the number of characters you can enter for a name.

Finally, and the reason why we're going to move on, the machine has started to freeze during finalization of DVDs. It's happened to me twice now--gets to 74% and then just doesn't go any farther. I know it can take a while, so I've waited about 10 minutes before just giving up and unplugging the machine. Of course then it thinks the disc is finalized, so I can't finalize it again, but it won't play on any other machine.

Overall, this has been a very disappointing purchase.

50/50 Results.......2007-12-16

Received two of these free in a special product promotion from a local store. One of them was used once and then it never worked again. When you turn it on it displays the message 'Startup' and never gets beyond that. The other unit has worked well for a year now but has never been used for recording so I don't know what the results of that would be. The TV tuner feature has also never been used. The DVD picture quality, connected via HDMI to a 1080p TV, seems fine.

Total Box of JUNK........2007-12-07

I've been using all kinds of electronics since the very first IBM PC. This is my 10th (or so) DVD player and my 2nd DVD recorder. So I know my way around the world of electronic gear.

This is the worst piece of gear I have ever bought. I have a long list of gripes, but I'll just mention a couple for brevity's sake. The remote works great- if you're standing directly in front of the unit, about 6ft away. Otherwise, it's just a paperweight. It can also control your TV, if it's a Philips TV.

The machine is laughably slow to boot up, and to load a disc of any kind. It's slow to jump chapters or audio tracks, and when it's in the middle of one of these slow tasks, it won't respond to ANYTHING except being unplugged. So if you're using the remote and wondering if it's working, you have to push a button, then wait a few seconds to see if anything happens, push it again & wait, etc. This is MADDENING. Edison's wax cylinder recorder worked better than this.

I tried to program the 'timer' function to record a TV show for me every week. It did it ONCE out of six tries. During those six weeks, the 'TIMER' light was always on, and it was another maddening chore to just play a DVD. It would always load the disc (30sec) and say "Please insert blank disc for recording", even if the recording was set to occur three days away! i had to unplug the unit for several minutes to disable the timer function (after trying to do it with the remote, of course).

I could go on a lot more, but you're probably already bored. I hate this thing. I bought it to do its exact designed task, and it failed miserably.

Spend your money on a DVDR that actually works. If you really want one of these, you can have mine. For free. Seriously.

Philips DVDR 3400 DVD player/recorder.......2007-06-03

This machine is an outstanding value in the $130-$150 price range, and mine has worked flawlessly. Providing a tuner, an HDMI output, and the capability of playing and recording numerous DVD formats, it just keeps on delivering in my household. One can even plug a flash drive into it through its USB port enabling the playing or recording of material like JPEG images, MPG files, and more. If you want an inexpensive but capable machine to carry the load during the ongoing HD-DVD war, this is a great candidate.

Very Good recorder but has some issues!.......2007-01-30

My unit has the sound out of sync, froze up on chapters, had disc errors, etc!To fix these problems you need to go to the Philips website, download the latest firmware upgrade to a cd-r or cd-rw and follow the instructions from philips, after this upgrade it did fix all the problems! it did work fine after this upgrade. This unit does have great picture and sound quality through the HDMI output and RGB outputs. If you are not technical inclined then i suggest returning the unit!

Product Description

Single line proprietary hotel set

Average customer rating:

Defective Unit, but Easy Return

Nice, but not the best

Just won't Turn ON!

Good pick!

Very pleased!

Navman N40i NavPix GPS Navigator

Manufacturer: Navman USA , Inc.
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

Vehicle GPS | GPS & Navigation | Categories | Electronics | In-Dash Vehicle GPS (Installed) | Motorcycle GPS | On-Dash GPS
Accessories:

Garmin MetroGuide CD ROM North America v6

DriveSync GPS Tracking System

3-Year Extended Service Plan - Covers Electronic Items $201-$500 - Repair

Product Features:

The world’s only car navigation system that lets you navigate to pictures that you can create yourself

You can download NavPix or share your own in the NavPix Library

Fuel and Park buttons to help you quickly find somewhere to park or fill up

The rechargeable Li-ion battery lasts up to 4-5 hours depending on use

Dimensions: 4.65 x 3.19 x .89 inches (W x H x D) ; Weight: 7 ounces

ASIN: B000ILDS50

Product Description

The N40i includes an integrated digital camera for taking NavPix to create an unmistakable reminder of your chosen destination. So you can find your way there - no matter how far away it is - whenever you want. The NavPix itself combines exact geographical information with an image, so whether it's the Arc de Triumphe, Trajan's Arch or the Cinquantenaire Arch, you'll easily find your way back.The slim N40i brings together advanced software with ease of use and a finger-friendly, 3.5" touch screen. What's more, that ease of use is carried over into the intuitive display and GPS navigation features. So you can choose whether to use a NavPix or an address, including postcodes, to find your way to a destination reliably and accurately every time.To minimize any surprises during your exploration further afield, the safety camera data was preinstalled and maps added. This makes the N40i great value-for-money GPS navigation. What's more, there are nearest Fuel and Park buttons to help you find somewhere to park or fill up - as well as compatibility with the optional T1 Traffic Pack for real-time traffic updates where available.

Amazon.com Product Description

The Navman N40i portable GPS unit includes an integrated digital camera for taking NavPix to create an unmistakable reminder of your chosen destination. The NavPix itself combines exact geographical information with an image, so whether you're visiting the Arc de Triomphe, Trajan's Arch or the Cinquantenaire Arch, you'll easily find your way back.

The Navman N40i portable GPS unit guides you where you need to go, finds the closest points of interest, and stores your pictures. See a product demonstration (requires Flash).

The integrated digital camera lets you take pictures and associate them with GPS locations. Just click the shutter button on top of the device (shown here).

Getting lost is never a problem with the N40i's Back-on-Track feature.

The N40i is the world's only car navigation system that lets you navigate to pictures. With its built-in 1.3 megapixel camera, you can shoot and build your own "Destinations Album" and navigate back to your favorite places simply by tapping the photo on the screen. You can continue to create your own points of interest with the embedded digital camera, or you can upload points of interest and pictures via the Premium Navix Photos website.

The N40i was created with convenience, portability, and style in mind. Despite the small, camera-sized unit, you'll find the 3.5-inch color touch screen easy to see and use, and there's even "Nearest Parking" and "Nearest Gas Station" buttons built right into the front of the N40i. Other design features include an optional infrared remote control for easy operation while driving, and with the included Drive-Away platform, you'll be able to use the N40i straight out of the box.

In case of an emergency you'll never have to worry about being stranded; just one touch displays your exact location so you can quickly advise roadside assistance or emergency services. And there's even a built-in automatic re-routing protocol with the included Back-on-Track feature, a technology that gives line-by-line directions to find your way even if you deviate from previous directions.

The N40i was meant to be your vehicular companion no matter where you are--from driving around your neighborhood, to traveling abroad. The N40i comes preloaded with Tele Atlas map data for all of North America, and major European roads are available for purchase on CD. There's even an optional T1 Traffic Pack feature that provides real-time, subscription-free traffic updates in the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands. No matter where you are, you can rely on the N40i for Reliable, accurate GPS navigation.

What's in the Box
The N40i comes packaged with a Vehicle mounting bracket, a vehicle power adapter, an AC power adapter, a USB cable, and a deluxe padded carrying case.

Customer Reviews:

Defective Unit, but Easy Return.......2007-07-23

Can't really rate the product, since it never worked, but I must applaud Amazon.com for the ease of the return.

Nice, but not the best.......2007-07-11

I recieved this as a gift and have been using it for the past 2 weeks. I have an Honda Odyssey with Nav built in, so perhaps I'm expecting more than I should from this little system, or perhaps I would want more for $300+.

Pros: provides accurate directions, re-calculates pretty quick after missing a turn, screen can be easily seen in bright light (notice I didn't say read), automatically zooms out when you reach higher speeds, has some neat features like MPH, ETA, portable, battery lasts a few hours, the unit is easy to use/setup, attains GPS within 1 minute (from power on, not power cycle - there is 1 on|off for the unit and another on|off to disconnect the battery entirely. Complete reboot takes 3-4 minutes)

Cons: Screen is too small for fat fingers, street names/driections take too long to focus on|find b/c they are small, street names can clutter screen so it can be hard to read|see upcoming turns, camera is only 1.3M - so don't count on getting any quality pictures other than the 1" on the screen, volume is low - don't plan on listening to directions and having the window down, radio on or kids in the back (it does have an audio out jack), the software that comes with the unit is worthless unless you need to add a map to the system which are already pre-loaded on the unit. It would be nice if you could edit addresses or setup POI via a map software and download it to the unit.

The camera on the system didn't work when i first used it for some reason. Just a black picture on the LCD. I had to power cycle it (cut off the battery via separate on|off switch) to get it to work (perhaps b/c it says 'windows ce core' on the back :)

There has to be something better out there for 300. On a side note, the built in Nav on the Honda/Acura line ups are awesome. Well worth the extra $ IMO.

Just won't Turn ON! .......2007-05-11

***Update - This Problem is even recognized by the manufacturer

I was impressed at the NavPix technology on reading the description so wanted to give this unit a try even though there is not much review around. When I got the unit everything looked fine and it got the GPS Fix in about 2-3 minutes and even properly located my house. Then tried few POIs and other setting and even drove to an address and it did what it should. Just when I thought this is good buy, problems started.

The next day it just won't Turn On using the Power Switch. Had to every time Switch off the battery and turn on the battery, then it will go through all the initial set up taking 10-20 minutes to Load the maps, get the GPS Fix etc etc. Immediately I asked for a replacement and it came and that Unit was even WORSE, it won't Turn ON AT ALL, even using the Battery Switch. I don't know if it is something with me alone or it happens in most of the units. Customer support won't even answer the phone!I had to return the second unit and get the Money Back!! Planning to with the Nuvi.

I would suggest not to plan on purchasing one and steer way clear of this. But have to agree it was good when it worked, but that is something which did not happen for me all the time!

Good pick!.......2007-04-03

I've used it for a couple days now and couldn't be more please. I base my review against my previous GPS, TomTom Navigator 6 for PDA. Compared to It, the navman is much better. The interface is very simple to use (really, if you can't figure this out, you have issues). The maps show great detail and accuracy such as adjacent street names and house/street name of where you're currently driving by. So far, POI are accurate in the WashDC/Arlington/Fairfax area. Calculates/recalculates in a few seconds. Also acquires sat signal in 5 or less seconds of powering on.

It does not have text to speech but it does read out streets that have numbers such as "Route one twenty three" and "exit seventy one ahead". which is great for major streets and highways (tomtom just says exit right in 70yrds).

I like to give props to the Picture feature. Its more useful then what most reviews think. Its not just "a cool addition". For example, Have a traffic accident or on the road and see suspicious vehicle or incidents, just start hitting the camera button and it takes pictures very quickly continuously. Great for police and insurance purposes. Beats most cellphone cameras and is much quicker to use and inconspicuous) Who's gonna argue a pic with GPS coordinates on it! Resolution is good and clear in day and dawn, lens adjusts pretty well at night and to different light types (light bulbs etc).

You can also take a picture to tag the location of your regular digital camera pictures, then use services like Flickr, Mappr etc to have a cool map albums.

Also, navigating by selecting a picture is much easier then selecting it out of your favorites list. Bottom line, the camera is a nifty idea! I could careless to have an MP3 player on it (you prob already own an iPod or player of some sort), dictionary and all the other galore of useless half working features that others have and jack the price up over 500.00. Its a car navigation GPS, not a UMPC!

My only gripe is that the desktop software is currently not "FULLY" compatible with vista. I got it to work after trial/error. You need to uninstall Active Sync (Vista has its own version of this preinstalled). You need it to push updates (check navman site).

Navma, for future - VIDEO! why not? let us pop in a high capacity SD card and film away some nice 640x480 video clips! Cellphones can, you too!

This GPS does the job car navigation wise. Gets you places or out of places in your car, if thats what you need, get this one! If you walk, hike a lot, you're looking at an apple instead of an orange.

Navigate away!

Very pleased!.......2006-12-31

Attractive looking, feature-laden GPS at almost half the price of my Nuvi 360. No Bluetooth, but has a built-in camera for saving favorite locations.
The interface is not as user-friendly as the Nuvi but contains more detail. You can set up multi-stop trips and it shows house numbers while driving down the street.
Also considered the Magellan 2000 (no Canada maps) and TomTom One (pricier, somewhat outdated maps and POIs).

Highly recommended!

Product Description

Walker Loud Ringer W/ Visual - Extra loud telephone ringer- Adjustable ring volume and tone- Bright red visual ringer light- Portable- Slide volume control- Volume goes up to 95dB- No batteries required- Connects easily to telephone- White Walker Loud Ringer W/ Visual - Extra loud telephone ringer - Adjustable ring volume and tone - Bright red visual ringer light - Portable - Slide volume control - Volume goes up to 95dB - No batteries required - Connects easily to telephone - White

Product Description

You can't turn up the luminosity on nebulas, but you can crank up the contrast between them and the sky to reveal more of their wondrous detail. Our Oxygen-III filter provides extremely selective filtration to bring out elusive detail in diffuse and planetary nebulas. It does so by transmitting close to 90% of the light corresponding to the two oxygen-III spectral lines at 496nm and 501nm while completely blocking virtually all other wavelengths. The results are remarkable. You'll see more detail than you ever could before in nebular gems such as the Swan, Ring, Dumbbell, Helix, and Eagle, to name a few. The O-III provides an even greater contrast boost on some objects than the UltraBlock narrowband filter. And for nebulas, every little bit helps! Try the O-III with a low-power 2" eyepiece and take in the whole Veil Nebula. Wow!

Average customer rating:
3COM Corp U.S. ROBOTICS 10/100 PCI NIC 5PK ( USR79005 )

Manufacturer: 3Com
ProductGroup: CE
Binding: Electronics

PCI Network Cards | Desktop Adapters | Wired Networks | Networking & Online Communication | Computer Add-Ons | Computers & Add-Ons | Categories | Electronics
Product Features:

Add a U

Wake on LAN (WoL) for remote management- Remotely power up, or down, your computer to perform routin

Access the PCs on your network to retrieve data files, compete in multi- player games, share music,

Pl

ASIN: B00008XOJP

Product Description

Make the most of the PCs in your home or office and the broadband Internet access connecting you to the world with the U.S. Robotics 10/100 Mbps Network Card. Access the PCs on your network to retrieve data files, compete in multi-player games, share music, and utilize printers and other network devices. With Wake on LAN (WoL) functionality, you can even remotely power up, or down, your computer to perform routine maintenance functions from a centralized location. And by adding the U.S. Robotics Broadband Router, you can share your existing cable, DSL, or satellite broadband Internet access with all of the PCs on your network. As with all U.S. Robotics products, the 10/100 Mbps Network Card is designed for easy installation and use and to work with the widest range of hardware and operating systems, including Windows, UNIX, and NetWare.

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