2 comments about Etymotic Research HF5 Portable In-Ear Earphones (Black).

1. I have a number of different earphones/headphones, including Etymotic ER-4P, Jays Q-Jays, Ultimate Ears 5 Pro and 4vi. The ER-4Ps sound the best to me (but lack in the design category -- they stick out too far when inserted in your ear and the cable feels somewhat flimsy). The ER-4Ps have a level of clarity and detail (and treble) that the others do not match.
   
   I bought these headphones thinking that I would now have the best of both worlds: the sound of the ER-4Ps with a better design. I was wrong. The design of the Hf5 headphone itself is better than the ER-4P, but the sound of the Hf5 does not match the ER-4P. To my ears, the ER-4P and Hf5 are very similar at the low end (neither is particularly strong in bass). However, at the mid-range and especially the high end, the ER-4Ps have more detail and clarity between different instruments and vocals. The Hf5 tends to sound more muddy IN COMPARISON to the ER-4Ps and the high end of the Hf5 has more roll off than the ER-4Ps (i.e., the highs on the Hf5 won't go as high as they do on the ER-4P). Vocals and mid-range on the ER-4P sound so much better than the Hf5 that I wonder whether I had a bad set of Hf5s.
   
   Looking at Amazon's prices, the ER-4Ps are only $20 more than the Hf5. If you are spending that much money on headphones, the ER-4Ps are a better deal.
   
   This is not to say that the Hf5s are a bad set of headphones. To the contrary, I found them to compare very favorably to the Q-Jays. The Q-Jays had better low end (bass) than the Hf5, but the Hf5 was better than the Q-Jays on the high end and the Hf5 seemed to have a better soundstage (more clarity and detail). The Q-Jays are smaller and fit better than the Hf5; HF5 are slightly better than the Q-Jays at blocking external noises.
   
   The Ultimate Ears 4vi are a good set of headphones. With respect to sound, I would give a slight edge to the UE 4vi over the Hf5 (the UE 4vis have better low end and maybe slightly better soundstage than the Hf5...though not by much). The Hf5 fit better than the UE4vi and block more external noise.
   
   The UE Super 5 Pros are muddy and pale in comparison to any of the other headphones.
   
   So, the Hf5s are a good set of headphones...but they do not match the great sound quality of the ER-4Ps.



2. I can unequivocally recommend these earphones. I have used a broad variety of earphones, including the Shure se530's Ultimate Ears triple-fi 10's and several Sennheisers. For this price, I've never heard sound so balanced, and with such clarity, coming out of an iPod. I feel like I'm in a sealed sound chamber when I listen with these, even when I'm on the bus. It's almost too isolating - sometimes I really lose touch with what's going on around me. I am a musician, and when I've done studio recordings, we listen for nuances in the instrumentation and music that you typically do not hear when playing back an MP3 file or CD. With the Etymotic hf5's, I'm getting the kind of clarity I get in the studio. And for just $150! There's no over-exaggerated bass, and I can hear every instrument and every voice. There's nothing like listening to an a capella group like Take 6 with the hf5. Or to an unplugged session where all kinds of things can happen in the tracks - if you can hear them. Oh, and the blue and red ones are cool-looking. Pretty much everyone replaces the earphones that come with your MP3 player, and you can spend a lot more on earphones than this, but I recommend $150 spent on these earphones as the biggest bang for your buck.

5 comments about JVC MDV60ME10P Mini DV Tape (10 Pack).

1. This is a great product for your digital camcorder and also at a great price.



2. At $20 for 10, it's the best deal I can find. It works fine with my panasonic camcorder.



3. These mini DV tapes are the best and cheapest I could find. I use them with my HD Canon camcorder and the quality is stunning! I get about 1 hour of HD footage per tape.



4. JVC MDV60ME10P Mini DV Tape (10 Pack)
   I like this product. They are high quality products at an affordable price. For the clarity they envy Sony and Panasonic products. I am a regular user of these tapes for over 4 years and I never had any problem with their color reproduction or quality. I highly recommend this to anyone.



5. My product arrived a little less timely than expected for my upcoming shoot, however, it appeared to be in great condition and exactly what I ordered. You can't beat the price per tape, for those of us still using tapes. My only advice is order well in advance of need. IT takes approximatley two weeks or more to arrive.

5 comments about Griffin PowerJolt Car Charger for iPod and iPhone (Black).

1. As I mentioned at product review at AMAZON, I got an OLD product than pictured (advertised) at Amazon.
   The advertised model is 2008 model and I got 2007 model, the difference between the 2008 model much shorter plug than the 2007 and easy to see the charging indication LED.
   The old model comes with 2 different codes, the one is for iPod/iPhone and the other one is for USB mini connector, that can be used any equipped product with mini USB interface.
   
   If you are OK to buy the old one, like 2007 then do not need to pay 19.99us$ , I did see the price like less than 15 us$ even at AMAZON !!!
   
   Not sure how I can get the 2008 model from AMAZON yet...
   
   Rgds,
   T.Aoki



2. This charger is built to last. It has a replaceable fuse in the body to prevent damage to your expensive iPhone.



3. I've had many Griffin accessories for my iPod and iPhone. But I have to admit that this is the worst!
   
   The cable stopped working for no specific reason after 1 week and the charger collapsed after another week!
   
   This is poorly made, I'm really disappointed!



4. It completely broke after just 1 week of use! Completely broke apart! Don't buy



5. I have a brand new iPhone 3G. This charger seems to work but it worries me that it makes my iPhone get very hot to the touch. The AC power charger that shipped with my iPhone does not do this. For this reason, I'm going to look for a better car charger.

5 comments about Contour Design Showcase Case for 160 GB iPod classic (Black).

1. Looked for a nice, protective case for my new iPod. Found this one after reading reviews. It's perfect. In fact, my husband wants one of his own to replace his case which he recently purchased!



2. I dont want to make an overly wordy review, but the case is great. Very sturdy, clean design that doesnt detract from the look of the ipod. I've had just about every type of case imaginable for my ipods and this one tops them all.
   The downside is that the clear plastic is very susceptible to scratches and the belt clip is a bit difficult to use.



3. I've used Contour Showcases on my iPods since they became available. I've tried many others, but I keep coming back to this one.
   
   Pros: Easy to remove iPod from case - a definite plus if you dock your iPod frequently or connect it to various accessories. Sharp appearance. Removable belt clip.
   
   Cons: Scratches easily, but better than having a scratched iPod. Not much cushioning in case iPod gets dropped. Click wheel remains uncovered/unprotected. Using belt clip results in iPod aligning horizontally instead of vertically.
   
   Overall, this is a decent case that's easy to put on and remove, protects most of the iPod from scratches, and will confer a slight degree of extra protection in case of drops.
   
   NOTE: This 160GB iPod Classic will also fit in the Showcase for the 80GB iPod with Video, which is slightly cheaper.



4. I have bough several cases for my I pods and this is by far the best so far. The screen is clear and easy to see. Access to the connection ports are easy to plug in. One thing that it does not have is a cover at the bottom so it is possible that this location may get dirty, but this is not the end of the world. I take my I-pod in and out of the case often, so the easy and speed that this cover allows is great. Two locking mechanisms and the case hinges in 2. In and out in 5 seconds



5. This is exactly what I needed to protect my investment. Its hard. Its clear where it needs be and doesn't constrict or deny access to any ports. The latch is very secure. Rubberized edges do very well at protecting the edges. The case fits my 160 classic like a glove. Only one small complaint: its difficult to see through the screen with polarized sunglasses... this particular kind of high-density plastic shows a hazy rainbow with my sunglasses. Definately glad I made this purchase. A very small cost to protect not just my ipod, but also the huge amount of time I have invested in it.

5 comments about Apple Only V470 White.

1. This blue tooth mouse is perfect for your mac. It syncs quickly and is nearly flawless. It also looks great!



2. This mouse is wonderful. Perfect for traveling or desktop. The feel of the mouse is great, with nice smooth plastic, good weight, and a smooth but responsive scroll wheel. The battery lasts for ever.
   
   I bought this mouse to use with my two laptops (a white iBook and a VAIO PCG-TR2A), along with the Kensington K-33348 bluetooth adapter and the K-64366 slim keyboard. The combo all matches perfectly and makes me very happy. The mouse even comes with a nice travel sack that I can keep it in with the bluetooth adapter when I'm on the road.



3. I've owned this mouse now for several weeks. Not long enough to comment on battery life, so far, but I can say that for a mouse its performance is decent. This is, by definition, a portable mouse so it's somewhat small. I have large hands and I was worried that this would be an issue, but it turns out that it's not too bad at all.
   
   With that being said, I'm not certain whether all bluetooth mice seem to be jumpy, or if I've just been having lousy luck. After leaving the mouse still for about 10 seconds (or any amount of time longer) when you first move it it'll jump a bit. You'll have to do that "Ok, where's the cursor" thing for a second or two, but then you find it and it works fairly well. It does not perform well at all with the native Mac mouse driver, but once you install the Logitech software and play with the settings a bit, it tracks and scrolls much better and with an accuracy as good or better than any other bluetooth mouse I've used. I try to avoid installing unnecessary software but the Logitech Control Center makes a big difference here.
   
   As for physical design, Logitech did a great job. It feels solid and well-built. The buttons and scroll wheel button give a nice satisfying click, with just the right amount of resistance. Of course, all the buttons are programmable. I honestly feel like I could throw it across the room and it'd come back for more - which is good since as a portable device it's intended to travel. Like I said before: the mouse is a bit small, but it's got a nice steep curve to it so it's easy to grip and I don't get cramps in my hand from trying to use it. You can tell that they definitely paid attention to ergonomics while trying to maintain portability.
   
   Despite being all plastic, the silvery colored parts are intended to match the anodized aluminum of modern macs and their keyboards. This mouse matches my aluminum wireless keyboard perfectly. Plus, despite what the product pics show, the little light on top lights up blue - not green - to indicate a successful pairing or connection.
   
   The only difference between this mouse and it's PC cousin is the color of the plastic, and this mouse works just fine on Windows.
   
   This mouse may not be perfect, but I believe it's flaws are more from Bluetooth than from this mouse. I'm glad I bought it, and I'd do so again.



4. Agree with the other review, that it's a bit jumpy. Almost as if it falls asleep until you move it, then it catches up. If you keep moving, it's almost good, but still a little amiss. At this point, I'd say I'm on the fence as to whether I should go back to my wired mouse and lick my wounds or mess around with the settings and see if I can get it to work properly. Up till now though, the adjustments only seem to make it sluggish more quickly, if that makes sense...



5. I bought this one to replace my broken Apple Mighty Mouse. This mouse is lighter and comfortable to use. It does not have the Expose etc functions that Apple's has, but its right click button is a plus. The problem I had is that it does not work well with batteries besides Duracell supplied with the mouse. I tried three different rechargeable batteries and none of them works with this mouse. I had a problem with left click button also. It does not work right (have to push real hard to get it work). I returned it to Amazon and get an exchange. The replaced one works fine.

5 comments about Disc Skin - Bulk Pack 100 Skin.

1. They work very well, last quite a while and are easy to put on the games and cd's. A very good price for them too.



2. I'm not very good at taking care of my DVDs - I keep them in a binder instead of their cases, and sometimes they sit around on tables, bookcases, etc, for awhile before making it back to the binder. I hoped that the DSkins would protect my movies so that I didn't have to worry about replacing them due to my negligence. I'd rather spend a few cents per disk to keep them protected than have to shell out the money to buy a new copy.
   
   I was initially worried using the DSkins because I have a MacBook slot-loading DVD drive and I was afraid the DVD might get stuck inside my computer. However, I underestimated my drive's performance and so far I haven't had a problem. I cleaned each of the DVDs before putting on the DSkin in order to avoid any debris getting trapped between the disk surface and the skin. My only issue is that there were a few small tears in the plastic around the center hole of several skins, but the tears aren't long enough to reach the data surface of the disk.
   
   I have a lot of movies and only recently finished covering them, so obviously I haven't had a chance to test out each disc. However, if the performance I've seen so far remains consistent, I'll be well satisfied! I recommend these to anyone who doesn't always treat their CDs and DVDs with the care they deserve ;-p



3. I would never purchase this product again. They did not work on cd's. And I used them on a new dvd in our van and when I went to eject the movie it was stuck. I had to have my dvd player replaced because of it.



4. These things are great... The only negative I have with these is that you must install them correctly. People who complain about them getting stuck in their dvd player or skipping usually have one of the following issues:
   
   1. They are not installed correctly, the sides are very thin and if you don't have the lip around the whole CD, it can wobble or be unreadable.
   
   2. They will not magically repair a dirty or scratched CD, and in a bad mechanism can be scratched themselves. Make sure your CD is clean and reliable BEFORE you put the skin on.
   
   3. The skin is dirty. Handling the CD skin has the same repercussions as handling a cd. If you drop it, sneeze on it, have oatmeal on your hands, the skin will get dirty..
   
   A GREAT invention... Everything I own has one of these on it. I can't afford to buy another copy of Shrek for my kids.



5. great product, it has saved the lives of several of my game discs.
   would recommend to anyone

5 comments about Insignia Eligible Converter Box.

1. Initially, I wanted the Zenith DTT901 because when I helped my neighbor install hers, it was so easy all I did was remove the wrapper off the battery. When I received my coupon, I couldn't find the Zenith anywhere locally. I settled for the Digital Stream DTX8850 at Radio Shake. I'm glad I only got one box because although the picture is great I'm still not fully satisfied with it. The remote control does not recognize the TV and the DS fanfare is annoying. Most of all, it does not retrieve signals on the second floor where I need most.
   
   There are many good reviews on the Insignia and my research found that it's similar to Zenith. When I was looking for it at Best Buy, the sales associates lead me to a stack of Apex Converters. The reviews are bad for Apex. I followed him to the back show case, where there were five Insignia available. It helps to do your homework.
   
   I took the box upstairs and was watching TV in a pop. I was able to program the remote control to recognize the TV. Now I am pleased



2. This is a good "CECB" (Coupon Eligible Converter Box) for the average user and tech savy person as well. Set-up was a breeze and it draws in signals as well as anything else out there, no matter how expensive.
   
   Pros:
   * One touch signal meter. Perfect for aiming antenna.
   * It tells you what's on next. Grandma's TV never did that before!
   * Menus and on-screen displays are very easy to read and follow.
   * Great manual tuning feature. It displays the signal level as you are scrolling through the channels. Perfect for looking for weak signals and then aiming your antenna to pick them up.
   
   Cons:
   * Remote is on the small side.
   * Box may fail if it gets too warm, so watch where you put it. I fried one this way.
   * The program guide could be better.
   * Some may find the LED on front (blue when on, red when off) annoying.



3. I couldn't be happier. My tv looks like digital quality and gets a few more channels. My converter box has neat menus and you can see a tv guide for each of the channels to find out what's on for the next few shows.
   
   There were two issues that I had, but they were minor. The first issue was that the install instructions were incorrect. My instructions: (tv on, converter box on, battery in remote, tv hooked to converter box, antenna hooked up to converter box... that part is correct in the instructions...) Go to channel 3 using the controls for your television (NOT the converter box.) After that, hit the menu button on your remote control. Choose the first options from therein and it should automatically set up your channels.
   
   The second issue was the converter box requires a remote control. What if your battery runs out right before your favorite show? Also, the battery is included.
   
   The setup was easy and I am very happy with mine. I tried to use a regular antenna to improve the signal and it seems to work okay. I read other Amazon reviews that say you don't necessarily need a HD antenna. However, I am thinking of purchasing another antenna because my reception isn't stellar and it wasn't that great before I switched to digital TV. With digital you seem to either get an extremely clear picture or you get scrambled eggs: there is very little median between clear signal and trash.
   
   I am very pleased with my switch to digital, and I am happy with the converter box that I chose. Don't wait. Buy it as soon as you can.



4. Easy setup and comfortable easy-to-use remote with decent sized buttons. Tuner is too weak for anyone living a moderate distant from the tv station's transmitter. I am 30 miles away from Green Bay and this box needed a powered antenna to bring in one VHF station (the Fox affiliate) and two UHF stations (one of which is the NBC affiliate). Without the powered antenna the NBC station didn't come in at all and the picture from Fox was all broken up. There is a constant buzzing that is worse when the box's volume control is used to adjust rather than the tv's volume.
   
   I purchased two of Radio Shack's DTX9950 after setting up my Mom's. It was a super easy setup and there are no reception or buzzing problems.



5. If you read the warranty, it says that parts are guaranteed for 1 year from date of purchase. I would consider the remote control a "part" of the unit because it is necessary to set the unit up as well as reinstall the unit after being disconnected. Customer service has arbitrarily (without mention in the warranty in the "does not apply to" section) classified the remote control as an accessory and excluded the remote from the warranty for the converter box itself. In response to my warranty claim they stated that they would basically do customers a favor and provide "warranty coverage" for the remote for only 90 days. It seems to me they may know something may be wrong with these remotes and are limiting coverage of them.

5 comments about Manfrotto BOGEN 3157N Quick Release Connect Plate RC2.

1. The screw handle on the bottom broke off the very first time I put it on my camera.



2. I own a bunch of these for my Nikon bodies and lenses, and they're terrific. I use them on the Bogen-Manfrotto 322RC2 Grip and I've got no concerns about quickly changing bodies mounted on the grip. If you're still screwing and unscrewing stuff on your tripod get a quick-release setup and you'll never look back!



3. I can't figure out why people complain about these mount plates when they are all similar in design. C'mon...complaining about lining it up on the tripod? About the screw being too tight?
   
   The reason for the tight tolerances is to ensure you have a snug fit for your camera and lens on the tripod. Would you trust your several-thousand dollar investment to a looser fit? Think about it.



4. The one that came with my tripod head ended up permanently attached to my long lens, since said lens is really too heavy to use without a tripod or monopod. I bought a couple of extra plates to use with other cameras/lenses.
   
   I agree with the person who said this plate can be hard to line up correctly. I'm a mechanical engineer, and usually pretty good with spatial relationships, but sometimes it takes me awhile to get the thing on. If you look really closely, there's an arrow on the plate to help you, but I suspect a lot of people don't notice it.
   
   I finally took some nail polish and painted a little dot on the edge of the plate and on the edge of tripod head while they were connected correctly. Now it's much easier to orient the plate and fit it in right. I just line up the dots.



5. I'm fairly new to videography, and I really resent so many of the ridiculously overpriced accessories one needs to buy. This quick release plate is not too overpriced, solidily made .... and worth the money.
   
   I'd recommend it.

5 comments about Car + Home Wall Charger for Sandisk Sansa Clip 1GB, 2GB.

1. I bought these chargers for my daughter's 1 GB Sansa Clip. Neither will charge it. Plus, the car charger broke (wire came out of plug-in) after a few attempted uses. Not even worth one star.



2. I bought this hoping it would charge my Sansa Clip. It doesn't work at all. I even went as far as to try different outlets and it doesn't charge.



3. I got this bundle thinking "I got a great deal" right? WRONG! The chargers don't work with my Sansa Clip 2GB. The light comes on and the charging screen pops up and everything but once you unplug you notice that there is no charge, even if left over night charging on the wall charger. And the car charger I just don't know some times it charges and other times it does not. So if you are thinking of buying it you might want to think again...



4. Didn't work. Shows connected but doesn't charge. BargainCell is misrepresenting the product big time. JUNK.



5. This charger absolutely does not work -- it is worthless. I've attempted multiple configurations and times and it actually drains the charge already on the MP3 unit. Don't even try it. It is hard to believe something so simple is so severely flawed.

5 comments about In Car MP3 FM Transmitter for SD USB Pen Drive w/Remote.

1. Got this product before 4 july , so I have used it over holiday travel. Only one good things
   1. Works with songs in folder, outside folder even when the usb have other files
   
   Lots of shortcomings:
   Additional to other reviews, biggest short coming(They all are true and quite frustating, when we actually use the product)
   It does not transmit in stereo, so playback quality is much like playing a 1950's radio at best.
   I have VR3 one earlier, that was much better.



2. Used this product in my car and it works well. But the instructions does not say that you have to set your FM radio to a station that has no music or any other broadcasting there. Other wise you will get a lot of static through the speakers of your car.



3. It's a good one , but the display is very small and some times is very hard read the words or numbers.
   The remote control is very direcctional, only in one direct position it works OK.



4. I really like the read out screen on these, we have one for each of our trucks. mine works with the remote, what a nice feature.



5. Got it in 3 days, came with extra fuses, plugged it in and it worked.
   Sound quality is good enough, what do you expect for 12 bucks?