Reviews

we purchased security cameras but the didnt come with any signs so we had to buy them seperately. These were a great value and the sign is really nice, sturdy material.

Reviews

These are a good alternative to replacing the big name decals from you service provider. The original ones can be costly to replace and usually fade after a few years and if people (thieves) can't read them, the deterrent aspect of your security system is drastically reduced. You want those predators to go elsewhere as opposed to being surprised AFTER they break something trying to get in.

Big poster is thin and it is made out of cheap material. small signs are very small..Need to come up with a real product similar to that of ADT supplies.

If it weren't for the fact that I have a use for the sign indoors and not mounted anywhere, I would have returned this to the amazon vendor. The sign is flimsy and appears to have one giant sticker stuck to it rather than actually being printed directly on the sign. The free "decals" are actually stickers, and poor ones at that. The adhesive is on the rear side so for a criminal to be able to read the words, you would have to affix it to the OUTSIDE of a window. I have no idea if they truly will not fade, as I just bought them. But I intend to not find out and I will buy more of the blue colored Intermatic decals instead (which still have adhesive but at least it is on the correct side of the sticker) that Amazon just recently restocked. (Hopefully you won't beat me to them and buy them all out.) I already bought one pack of the blue Intermatic decals and (especially considering the low price) have been satisfied with those. I do not know if they will fade (as I just put those up), and they are really thin (so much so that if you rub the back of them too hard to smooth out bubbles, you'll actually wipe off the ink). The positives to the affordable Intermatic decals, however, is that the adhesive is on the correct side, and with a small logo on the bottom, it looks to me more legitimate than these red, generic, and poorly designed stickers.

I no longer have the "Big Black Dog". I live in a rural area which has experienced a rash of break-ins. I purchased these and placed them on the front and back door. I used one on a garage window. I did not use the Large sign. But, I installed a motion camera on the second story. Is it working all the time? I won't tell..... a red light appears when it detects motion. My hope is intruders will just move on.........................

Reviews

I am not sure exactly what others are going to be using this system for but for my small business it saved us literally the next day after setting the cameras/dvr up. I own a business near my house and use the four cameras to monitor the store via the internet when I am at home. I installed the system on Friday and on Saturday morning I noticed an employee sitting in the backroom talking on the phone. After that I noticed a line of customers growing at the door and not coming in. I figured out using this camera my employee literally locked the door and was using the phone in the back while customers waited outside. I raced to my business immediately and was able to let the same customers I saw on the camera in the store and SAVE THE SALE. I also had proof to fire the employee thereafter. For basic remote monitoring of a location this camera is a lifesaver. You may have to tweak a few security settings in Internet Explorer in order to use their Active X based software but the product definitely works and for the price is almost unbeatable. The system also works with very little light because the store is still visible after the lights go out when we are closed.

I will try to be fair and hit the highs and the lows of this product. Firstly, I already had a (4) camera system from Dedicated Micros (high end system) which has worked perfectly for (5) years, but I was looking for something cheap to fill in the gaps in my camera system. I did my research but went more on price than features, which in hindsight was probably a mistake. The system arrived and I had it up and running pretty quickly, the instructions were very good and installation is easy. Highs 1. Easy installation, easy instructions. 2. Pretty good video but needs some light to see in the dark, overall pleased with it. 3. DVR runs very quiet 4. Price..I actually paid $[...] and Amazon dropped it $[...] bucks..oh well. After 3 weeks, the DVR would not record. I then found out the hard disk got corrupted. I had a power strip and was not turning it on and off, hence this was a surprise. I reformatted the drive, tried every trick in the book and it simply gave out. As several other reviewers have noted, this apparently is an issue and is not as rare as I thought. Customer service via their email was quick and authorized a return. I had to pay shipping ($43 bucks Fedex) and now I am waiting for it to come back. I will try to update this review when/if I get the unit returned. Lows 1. no external disk for storing videos, must have it connected to network. 2. another reviewer noted the slow FF. I must agree, takes quite a bit of time to fast forward through saved videos. I'm guessing takes 15-20 minutes to look at 5 hours of video. 3. Cheaply made DVR unit. Obviously something that breaks after 3 weeks is cheap and the quality is subpar. My other system has run 24/7 for 5 years with no problems. If the the Hard Disk did not get corrupted, I would have given it 4/5 stars.

I chose this system for the price and internet monitoring capability. I installed it in a day. The installation is simple. Everything worked as expected the first time I turned it on. Instructions for configuring your particular router to connect the system to the internet are available in video form at [...]. These are not high resolution cameras but images are clear enough for home use purposes at close range. The night vision works fine in the area illuminated by my outdoor lighting. During the day I can see all the way to my driveway entrance 200 ft. from the camera. Make sure to place the DVR on a surface that allows air to get under it to avoid overheating, which is the number one cause of electronic device failures.

Hard drive stopped working after 3 months. Camera connections are sloppy and as a result the unit often loses the video signal. Likewise the ac input is sloppy and if bumped the unit loses power. The cameras work fine but the DVR function is apparently very cheaply made with an inferior hard drive. I do not advise buying and I would not buy again.

If you are the type of person who likes to save money by doing things yourself (instead of spending big bucks on pro installation), this cam system is for you. It's easy to install and setup. The only hard part for us was configuring the router to forward to the cam system. Fortunately, they have excellent tech support. Their tech guy walked us through and made sure we were all setup properly. The quality of the cams is good, not great, but it gives us what we need to view (over the Internet) what's going on at our place of business. We're glad we purchased this system. You get a lot of bang for your buck.

Reviews

I researched and researched before purchasing this monitor, and I thought the pros seemed to outweigh the cons with this one, but I was wrong. I really wanted a digital monitor to reduce interference (there are a lot of baby monitors in nearby houses and our old video monitor was pure static), and one that would auto-scan between multiple cameras as I have two small children. After charging the monitor, I was pleased with the picture and sound quality, and that there seemed to be no interference at all. However, when I actually used the monitor on my children, I experienced the MAJOR problem: the auto shut off feature for the sound. I was warned about this from other reviews, but I thought I could deal with not hearing the very small noises. The first time I used it was during my 3 month old daughter's nap. I placed the camera about four feet away from her and set it on the highest sensitivity. I heard her crying from across my 1800 sq foot house and the monitor did not pick it up. Later, I tried this monitor out on my two year old son. I entered his room after an hour to find him awake and playing with toys, and the monitor never once went out of auto shutoff mode! So not only does this monitor not pick up small sounds, it doesn't pick up much at all. Needless to say, I sent it back the next day. Still looking for the perfect monitor.

Ok, first the disclosure; I don't own this product yet. I'm just like you... researching and trying to decide which baby monitor is the best. I've come to a conclusion, and I'm posting this simply with the hope that you might not have to spend 5 hours of your life doing what I just did. In other words, hours ago I wish I could have read someone's "Summary of User Reviews". So, if it helps, great. If it doesn't, sorry... just trying to help. After reading dozens and dozens of reviews at various websites (including Amazon) I've decided that this Lorex baby monitor (model Lw2002 in either white or black; thus model Lw2002W or Lw2002B) is the best monitor out there for several reasons. However, as we'll see, it's not perfect. First, the good news. PROS: 1. Very clear daylight picture. 2. Clear sound. 3. Infrared "Night" vision or dark mode that is quite clear. 4. Motion and/or sound detection triggering an audible alarm/beep/video image at the monitor. 5. Security of signal frequency hopping digital transmission. (So the neighbor's baby monitor can't see or hear your baby.) 6. Because of the signal's digital frequency hopping (1000 times per second) the device is very unlikely to interfere with, or suffer from interference from, your wireless router, cordless phones, microwave oven, etc. 7. Support for up to 4 cameras; all can be viewed on the same handheld monitor. 8. Auto-switching mode, for switching between multiple cameras (if you have more than one) every few seconds. 9. Remotely controllable (from the handheld monitor) night-light. 10. Ability to output video to a TV or video recorder. (e.g. set it up as a picture-in-picture while you're watching your favorite TV program.) 11. Ease of setup. (Simply plug it into your house power outlet - or charge and use the batteries - and you're done.) 12. Reasonably low price. Now the bad news. Although the majority of users find the product usable, and many find it ideal, the following areas are the 4 most consistently repeated of the complaints voiced by users in the countless reviews I've read. If you can live with these few product deficiencies, then this very well may be the best baby monitor for you too. CONS: 1. Automute: By far, the number one complaint that people have is that they cannot set the sound to stay on all the time. The monitor will silence itself (mute sound and turn off the screen) if there isn't any "significant" audio or motion coming from the baby's room after a certain period of time (e.g. 10 seconds) but will of course turn on again if there is a "significant" sound or motion such as a baby talking, crying or moving. Again, this feature can't be disabled. However, to the manufacturer's credit this sensitivity is adjustable, and apparently, the device will still flash red lights (from one to several - depending on the intensity of the sound) as sounds are detected, even when the monitor is muted. The device designer's idea, as stated by them, is to allow the parents to sleep without the white noise "hiss" that would exist with constant reproduction of a "quiet" room's sound. But many people find the sensitivity adjustment to be insufficient and wish that they could set the monitor to relay sound or picture ALL the time. (At the very least sound.) In fact, many feel that the suddenness of the device turning on and relaying sounds is more alarming than the constant "hiss" and/or noise of the child would be. As a result, these people find this muting "feature" to be disturbing and would clearly prefer to hear every sound and rely on their own brain to detect abnormalities in the child's environment or breathing, etc. For some, they work around this by using another traditional sound only baby monitor to listen to the child, then, if they hear something unusual, they grab the Lorex monitor and turn it on to see what the child is up to. Not so elegant, but it works. It's worth noting that this issue, which many consider to be a key design flaw, would be an extremely easy fix for Lorex to implement; simply add a "sound always on" and "video always on" setting to the setup screen. Hey Lorex, how about a firmware update!? 2. Beeping Upon Button Use: The handheld monitor beeps "loudly" every time you press any button when using it. This annoys a number of people because it wakes their sleeping spouse next to them during the night when they are using the baby monitor to check on the child. This could be easily fixed by Lorex by implementing a mute, or volume setting in the monitor's setup screen. Hey Lorex, how about a firmware update!? 3. Bad Button Placement: The relative ease with which certain buttons (e.g. specifically the power on/off button) can be inadvertently pressed. Some people complain that the buttons are just placed poorly, and shouldn't be put where they're easily and accidently pressed when picking up the device. 4. Battery Life: Although both the camera, and the handheld monitor come with plug-in AC power adapters, many people feel that the device (particularly the handheld monitor) is short on battery life. They feel that the 2.5 to 3 hours of run time (approximately) is insufficient. Personally, I feel it's on par with such a power hungry video wireless device. Of course this isn't as easy of a fix as the first two issues (which would only require a firmware update), but of course this too could be remedied by the addition of a larger more powerful lithium ion rechargeable battery. (It should be noted that the use of batteries in the camera, particularly during the dark when the camera's infrared lights will automatically turn on, is also very short. But for some reason, people intuitively seem to understand that the camera needs to be plugged in, and so they don't complain about this. Not so for the handheld monitor; instead, people think the battery in the handheld monitor should last as long as the other handheld device they use daily... specifically, their cell phone's battery... and who knows, maybe they're right.) Conclusion: Ok, now I'm placing my order. I'll try to post a useful update if I find anything noteworthy to add.

I bought the Lorex LW2002W after doing a lot of research. Read many reviews. I thought I could tolerate all the minuses the other reviewers listed... I couldn't! All those design flows turned out to be major inconveniences/annoyances, making this otherwise technologically sound product unusable. I used it for a month, couldn't stand it anymore. Had to return. Pros: Digital "spread" signal : no interference with wireless internet, no security problems. CONS: -Signal is not strong enough for a basic 3 bedroom apartment on one floor in wooden house. The signal indicator is a gimmick: goes from full strength to low or no signal in a moment. -On-Off button: Horrible placement - no matter how careful I handled the receiver it shuts off. And when you turn it back on again it emits loud beeps (even if you previously mute the volume) The result is at night you end up waking up everybody. ( Also imagine: you hear the baby's noise, grab the receiver to see what's going on, and this thing just shuts off!) -Receiver's connection to the charging cradle is designed very poorly. You have to put down the receiver very carefully - otherwise it is not charging. And after a couple of weeks the wire contacts in the base got bent, so there was no charging at all. Those hair-wire contacts are very fragile. - The camera stand design is very bad. No matter how you twist it it is next to impossible to aim the camera at the proper angle. Also attaching the camera is a major hassle: The base is too thick to use any clips. Screwing it to the wall does not give good aiming in my case. Tried to attach it to a small piece of plywood... C'mon, this is nonsense for $150 hi tech product. -Both chargers have very short cords. This is a major problem for camera: Extension cord is too heavy and pulls the camera off-angle. -Battery saving mode is very poorly designed and cannot be override: The unit turns on when detecting movement, but then turns off again no matter if there is more "action". -when using the camera with AA batteries: the battery life is very poor and there is no warning of "low battery power". Also cannot be used in low light while battery powered. -Some smaller issues: -The light-on button is poorly placed-will accidently switch on-off all the time. -The receiver's center of gravity is too high, so one has to be very careful when standing the unit down - it flips very easily. -The color is a joke- the picture is mostly the same as black-and-white. So the bottom line : the Cons make this unit a pain-in-the-neck. I returned it and am getting ZOpid instead.-They seemed to just put in a new firmware, which takes care of most negative reviews issues. Hope it will be better.

After spending hundreds of dollars on various different baby video montitors and systems, I eventually landed on the Lorex. Right out of the box, it was very easy to set up and was much more solid in terms of build quality compared to the other plastic toy-like monitors out there that are horrible. I had it working in about 3 minutes after quickly glancing at the instructions (I also purchased a 2nd monitor system to go with). It works great, however is not perfect. I was impressed in that it's quiet and you really do not get any interference and I have not noticed any issues with losing internet connection, which I had on previous models. I've come to the realization that no company out there knows how to build a quality baby monitor without having it's issues.... this still remains my #1 ranking, however..... - Battery life is horrible and you will need to keep it int he cradle often. Just taking it downstairs to have dinner with my wife, I wondered if the battery would run out and don't believe they give you an option to put in AA's either - this should be improved in a future model for sure. - Navigation of the handheld unit is a bit weird and not the most user friendly, though it's not that complicated. It's annoying that every time you press a button to activate a camera or do anything the unit beeps with every press you make.... this is especially stupid considering I could not lie in bed next to my wife and check on the babies without waking her up with all the beeps of the unit - this is pretty stupid and my biggest issue with the product I think. Why on earth would they not give you the option to make it completely silent if you want to??? Night vision works great, decent sound quality (not the best), and does what it's supposed to do without frequency sounds, and buzzing, etc. I do recommend the unit, however realize none of these little things are perfect including this one.

We received this monitor from my sister-in-law as a gift. We had registered for a plain old audio monitor, but she said "You WANT this monitor!" She was right! It's great! Pros: -above all, the night vision is perfect. It's like you're looking at the baby in broad daylight (except it's in B&W) -the day vision is great too -the screen size is great, not too big, not too small -the monitor/receiver is a great size and weight. You can clip it on your belt or stand it up on a flat surface -the camera is nice- you can adjust it in many different directions, put batteries in it or even mount it. It seems like it would be unstable, but it stays up very well. -the night light feature doesn't seem like much, but when it's pitch dark in a room, it lights up quite a bit -it's nice that it turns the sound off so there's no "white noise hum" especially since we keep a white noise machine in his room -if you turn the volume all of the way down, you still have the meter on the top that lights up if there's noise Cons: -the controls are anything but intuitive, but once you figure it out, it's ok -there is no battery meter telling you how much battery is left- annoying -the monitor makes this loud beep when you turn it on- also annoying and you have to make sure you're well out of earshot of the little one before you turn it on -if you leave the monitor on, it only lasts about 3 hours which I guess is ok You can also hook it up to your TV, but we haven't done that yet. We really like this monitor overall. It's great to watch and listen to your baby and easy to carry around the house- not much bigger than a portable phone. We love it so much we're buying one for my best friend for her baby.

Reviews

I have a Mac network, with an Airport, so I was a little worried about setting up the camera. Turns out it was a 3 minute job. The instructions provided by Robert Hoare (earlier review) are mostly correct, except for one important detail: if the camera gets it's initial IP address from your router (via DHCP), it could get any available IP address. Robert said it would default to xxx.xxx.xxx.253. Mine was issued 192.168.0.91. So in my case, the URL for setup was as follows: [...] Just type that into your browser and you are up and running. But the trick is finding the correct IP address. On a different network, the camera will probably get a different IP address. With the Airport, you can go to the setup and get the list of connected devices -- I think most routers have a similar feature. Worst case, it would just take a few minutes to run through every possibility, 2-255. Once you connect to the web server that's built into the camera, and set the username/password, you can set a static IP address and whatever else you want to set up. It has a whole bunch of other features. No worries. Another important detail: I was setting up the BL-C210A, but I suspect they are all similar in this respect.

Pretty dang good quality for $85.00. You can afford to buy multiple cameras later down the road at this price. Unfortunately, the DVR software that comes with the camera will not export a compressed MPEG video unless you purchase it for $350.00. All recordings will remain locally on your hard drive.

Was able to set up the camera locally in no time at all. Turns out AT&T Uverse is a pain in the backside. I finally had to call into Panasonic support and they were great. Took about 15 minutes for them to walk me through a new setup. I had already spent 2 nights trying to configure the firewall on my own but they pointed out I had to change the setup in the camera as well. To make this work you need to go to setup tab choose static connection mode change port number to 5000 for mine IP Address 192.168.1.253 subnet mask 255.255.255.0 default gateway 192.168.1.254 DNS server 1 192.168.1.254 DNS server 2 4.2.2.1 You will then need to go to the firewall of your router and setup an egress rule for the device using port 5000. This worked for me and I can now access the camera from anywhere. I further setup up limited user access. For this you need to go to "administer" and choose "Do not permit access from guest users" Then you go to "general user" tab and create the user account that you want to allow to access the camera. I set mine up to only allow "guests" to access the camera M-F 8a-6p. That was pretty easy to figure out as well. Finally, if you want to buffer the images you can set that up on the "trigger" tab. I chose to just have it store the images in the camera at 1 per minute and get just over 4 hours that I can replay. I am playing with trying to get it to email tonight. If you have AT&T then I hope these settings work for you. If not (or if you have any other problems) I highly advise you call Panasonic support before you give up. They are great and did not take too much time. Update - 1-27-10 I struggled with the email settings for a while running multiple tests. Only after some time on the internet did I find an article detailing how to set up webcams to email. I found an excellent link[...] However, if you are using [...], Yahoo you are probably out of luck b/c the camera does not support SSL login. My ISP is ATT and that defaults over to [...] so I am out of luck on both my accounts. Will poke around to see if I can find another way.

I have 2 of these cameras, and the installation of just one camera is fairly straightforward if moderately complex. Adding a second camera was more challenging, but this is just about as easy as it can possibly be. The best part so far is the technical support available via the 800-number at 800-211-7262. I have used the phone support 3 times and spoke with 3 different representatives. Each one was professional, patient, courteous, and very familiar with the product. If you're wondering whether you can set up this camera, you can do it. (and if you can't, the support representatives will get you the help you need.) Picture quality is better than i expected, and the video isn't as choppy as i thought it might be. Ability to view your pet via cell phone is this product's best feature, in my opinion. Highly recommend!

The camera is a good camera for the money, and I own three of these, and a couple Axis cameras ( see Axis 0199024 206 Surveillance Cameras Bundle) which are way better, but three times the price. The Panasonic is good bang for the buck, especially if the lighting is decent. However, of the 3 cameras I own, two of the first ones I bought have already had their PQLV206 power supplies die. :-( Although to be fair: I've had power supply failures with the Axis cameras too; although Axis had great support and replaced them all with an upgraded version for free even after the cameras were out of warranty.

Reviews

It wouldn't be fair to write a review on an Item that I never was able to see. I wasn't able to install this item.

I have never recieved the item and after several emails to the company, no one has bothered to reply to my emails, I think it is a bogus company and Amazon is fronting for them, Amazon has not helped me either. I have no trust in either. I am in the process of legal action and or criminal actions against both. My review 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000 across the board

I had tried to get this to work, setting it up with my Mac. I was able to get it to speak with each other minimally, but it never went through the full setup. I tried calling customer service numerous times, no one would pick up. I finally got someone who told me that someone would call me back, and I never heard from them. They're most often closed when I call, or it goes to a message. It's sitting back in the box, useless. Don't buy this.

We are contantly resetting and as the light goes down so does the picture quality. Sometimes just dots you have to guess. Someone else in the family has two of these and is not having the problem, only reset once a week and has it on a timer. So there must be something wrong with our camera and we will see what Amazon will do to make this right.

I bought this camera for the pan/tilt feature, but I found out that it does not work with well with Vista. I also thought the video would be as good as the TV-IP110W fixed wireless camera, but it is not. I am an IT guy and I have used several cameras and this is one of the worst I have ever used. I do wish Trendnet would get their act together and make a pan/tilt wireless with a high quality video sensor. Their other products are much better than this one. Buyer BEWARE....

Reviews

It wouldn't be fair to write a review on an Item that I never was able to see. I wasn't able to install this item.

I have never recieved the item and after several emails to the company, no one has bothered to reply to my emails, I think it is a bogus company and Amazon is fronting for them, Amazon has not helped me either. I have no trust in either. I am in the process of legal action and or criminal actions against both. My review 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000 across the board

I had tried to get this to work, setting it up with my Mac. I was able to get it to speak with each other minimally, but it never went through the full setup. I tried calling customer service numerous times, no one would pick up. I finally got someone who told me that someone would call me back, and I never heard from them. They're most often closed when I call, or it goes to a message. It's sitting back in the box, useless. Don't buy this.

We are contantly resetting and as the light goes down so does the picture quality. Sometimes just dots you have to guess. Someone else in the family has two of these and is not having the problem, only reset once a week and has it on a timer. So there must be something wrong with our camera and we will see what Amazon will do to make this right.

I bought this camera for the pan/tilt feature, but I found out that it does not work with well with Vista. I also thought the video would be as good as the TV-IP110W fixed wireless camera, but it is not. I am an IT guy and I have used several cameras and this is one of the worst I have ever used. I do wish Trendnet would get their act together and make a pan/tilt wireless with a high quality video sensor. Their other products are much better than this one. Buyer BEWARE....

Reviews

The RoadWired wraps are simply amazing. I've been using them for almost two years now. They make it easy to turn any backpack or messenger bag into a stealthy camera bag. I wrap up my cameras, lenses, microphones, hard drives, and PDA's before stashing them in a bag. Avoid the black wraps- the brighter colored wraps make it easier to find your stuff in dim light in the bottom of a bag.

I purchased the large R.A.P.S. for my 13.3 widescreen laptop, and it's a pretty good fit. I'm guessing with anything larger, it would be a tight fit, or too small. I've seen a lot of reviews for the R.A.P.S. in photography forums, but I'm using it, as I've seen a few others do, as a laptop sleeve. Basically, nothing I searched for was just right, or the right proportions, for my laptop's size. This has the advantage that it doesn't have to be the exact specifications of the laptop -- a little spare material just adds to the protection. Basically, the outside of the R.A.P.S. is a quilted, felt-like material. The inside is a slick-metallic, anti-corrosion material designed to protect from humidity, etc. On each of the four corners is a small velcro triangle, so you can bundle your item however you want -- envelope style, more of a wraparound, etc. You should not consider this a replacement for an actual protective bag -- there's no padding to speak of. But it protects against contact and scratches with other items in my bag, and it's quick as anything to put on or remove. I also purchased the 12 inch R.A.P.S. for my power cord -- and that's a surprisingly tighter fit than I was expecting. It may just be that unfortunately, Sony does not go svelte with it's power adapters, and they're slightly larger than most, but the edges barely meet -- I'd buy a 14 (medium) R.A.P.S. if I were to do it again. Final note: the exterior material picks up cat hair like anything. So be warned, if you buy a black R.A.P.S. and own a white cat... the world will know it.

Reviews

Works great to protect my SLR, camera lens or flash unit in my handbag, backpack or suitcase.

I've fallen in love with my various RoadWired wraps- I routinely wrap up my cameras, PDA's and portable hard drives. The bright colors make it easy to find in a crowded backpack. While the RoadWired wraps are no substitute for a properly-padded camera bag, let alone a Pelican Case, they do offer just enough protection for a quick, inconspicuous photo shoot. I can wrap up a $2,000 DSLR and stuff it in my messenger bag without advertising to everyone that I'm a professional photographer on assignment.

I have used the medium and the large size wraps for several years now when going on trips and must say that this is one of the best products I have ever seen. While I love cases to protect my valuable electronics such as MP3 player, PDA, digital camera etc. they have the downside of not always fitting well. The wrap to the rescue! Whatever product I want to carry & protect, there is a wrap that works. One simply puts the product in the center of the unfolded wrap, and then folds over the corners envelope-style (see my uploaded images). Each corner has velcro that attaches securely to the outside of the wrap. That's it. It works like a padded blanket with added features such as protection from the elements. So - instead of buying a custom case for everything I own, I use wraps to carry my stuff securely. Cannot recommend this product highly enough!

Reviews

Buena imagen de video , pero no tiene audio y es una lastima. la imagen que esta en la web no corresponde con el producto

Camera is B&W, not color, but the big problem is that the picture rolls. My guess is that it's outputting a PAL signal(whereas it advertises NTSC). If you've got a PAL compatible system, and are willing to gamble, this might do the trick.

Just got this today. Hooked it up straight to my tv to test it. There was no color, and the picture was very jumpy, like a vcr will do when the tracking needs adjusting...only, as far as I can tell, there's no way to adjust it!. It came in an original, unopened package, but no instructions/troubleshooting guide was included. So I looked it up. Apparently this product used to be good, but the quality has since been downgraded drastically. It's supposably got night vision, but what used to be infrared sensors are now just fake pieces of plastic. Apparently the microphone has been removed also. Now I have a camera that is basically useless. Always read up on a product before you buy!

It would be a great little camera for the price, but ... The power cord is too short (an extension cord is a simple solution) HOWEVER the Power Adapter (the 2 prong end you plug into the wall outlet) is very large, heavy and irregularly long and narrow and pulls down on the camera so easily and with so much force it not only makes positioning the camera difficult, it actually pulls the cord out of the camera itself. So far, I've been able to kind of push the cord back up and get the camera to work again, but I think it is close to coming out completely, making the camera totally unusable. Needs lots of light, just like all digital imaging. The more light, the better the picture quality. Too much bright daylight causes total 'white out' of the image.

bought to spy on my self while I sleep. the wife said I was doing some crazy stuff in my sleep. so wanted a cheap way to watch my self sleep. a real camcorder is expensive. didnt need sound. picture reselution is ok. not high quality and a little grainy. but is a security cam so this is normal. very small and compact. could hide it well. doesnt do well in low light though. just hook up to vcr and have fun with it.

Reviews

Sadly, this is a compendium of other peoples work. There are better sources for this information.

This book is the most well written and thorough book I have read on the subject. These guys know what hey are talking about!

This is one of the silliest books I have ever read. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME!!!

Having some experience in counter-terrorism, as I read through the updated introduction to the latest edition of "Surveillance Countermeasures" I was struck by how applicable this instruction is to the emergent new-age threat we face. It is an unfortunate reality, but the realists among us understand that we have entered a dangerous stage in our society wherein we are not far from a relatively chaotic time to include a wide proliferation of suicide vest and vehicle bombing attacks in the streets of the US, Canada, and Europe. Based on terrorist doctrine and the post-event examination of terrorist operations, we know that two of the primary stages in the terrorist operational process are "Intelligence and Surveillance" and "Pre-attack Surveillance and Planning". Target surveillance activity is arguably the most important portion of the terrorist attack cycle. This also represents the periods during which terrorist operatives are exposed and at their greatest risk of detection. Regardless of the internet research resources and technical stand-off surveillance capabilities, actual "eyes-on" surveillance remains a critical aspect of pre-operational planning, and places terrorist operatives in their most vulnerable positions. Therefore, the identification of terrorist surveillance efforts prior to final mission execution is the most effective means of threat detection and neutralization. Terrorist operatives and other such bad actors who conduct physical surveillance to facilitate their activities, however, operate under the hope and assumption that they are operating against unwitting, unaware, and non-surveillance conscious targets. Therefore, an awareness of the threat and the ability to perform surveillance detection and anti-surveillance are critical to countering these adversarial efforts. This book demonstrates the techniques to effectively counter the most sophisticated physical surveillance methods employed by traditional adversaries. Interestingly, the most notorious terrorist training manual that is widely available over the internet has a chapter that deals largely with the methods of physical surveillance that are a regurgitation of the time-proven techniques that are common to the world's most sophisticated practitioners of surveillance. Coincidentally, "Surveillance Countermeasures" details exacting and effective methods to counter each of the specific methods endorsed in this and other known terrorist training resources. I do not want to be misleading by implying that this book is written specifically to address the terrorist threat. However, it is widely applicable to the terrorist threat and the myriad criminal enterprises that endeavor to develop the information necessary to effectively execute violent attacks and assassinations as a means to achieve their operational objectives. And of course, it remains an unparalleled resource for investigators and counter-espionage professionals, as well as those responsible for VIP or critical asset protection.

The title to this book says it all literally. I was skeptical at first and I thought the title was just hype to sell the book but after reading half of it in one setting, I was totally wrong. For the average guy with basic knowledge on the subject, this book is sure to build on that. What I love most about this book is when you read about countermeasures and all that stuff you also learn about the measures taken by operators. It's all how you read the book. This book is very detailed and amusing at the same time. The things people plan against you are very well thought out. The countermeasures are also genius. Once again, the title holds great justice to the material inside. Furthermore, the tactics in this book are still being used today if this helps you when debating on purchasing this book.

Reviews

Secrets of Computer Espionage: by Joel McNamara is a must for any PC user.This book is worth reading, it stresses the vulnerabilities and threats that so many people overlook it also explains the evolution of spy tactics, network eavesdropping and provide some countermeasures as well. I don't know how I survive in the computer world for so long without this book, it is one of my favourites,I take it with me almost everywhere I go. This book is very thought-provoking, as a computer technician and Law enforcement officer this book is very valuable to me, it helps you to getinto the minds of identity thieves. I highly recommend this book, it is worth buying.

Secrets of Computer Espionage: by Joel McNamara is a must for any PC user. Staffed with so many examples (with a conversational funny tone) the book does a really good job. The book stresses the vulnerabilities and threats, explains in details the evolution of spy tactics, network eavesdropping and provide countermeasures as well. It's good to know what's around us and be in the know! Recommend **** Guzman, Dror

Judging from the title, Secrets of Computer Espionage: Tactics and Countermeasures would appear to be geared to governments, security agencies, or high-level corporations. In fact, as the author makes clear, anyone with an Internet connection is a potential target of online espionage-even by such "mundane" means as viruses, worms, and phishing attacks-and this book is addressed to that huge audience. Just who is spying on whom? The author explains that the typical person might be a target of bosses, friends, family members, hackers, and many others. Even people with nothing confidential or of value on their computers risk getting caught up in espionage and other cyber capers. For instance, hackers can use their computers as vehicles for staging attacks or as a location for storing illicit files, such as child pornography. And as more cell phones and PDAs connect to the Internet, the risks multiply. What may be disturbing to some readers is that every computer device and peripheral provides at least one avenue of attack. The author explains many of these schemes, such as keystroke loggers and cleartext file transfers via file transfer protocol (FTP). In addition, operating-system and application-level vulnerabilities constitute even more ways that systems can be compromised. Despite the grim picture painted by the author, the book isn't intended to make readers paranoid, but rather to acquaint them with the many risks posed by the Internet. This excellent book shows that someone quite possibly is out to get you, but it provides the tools to protect yourself.

The "Secrets of Computer Espionage" by Joel McNamara unveils what every PC user should know before they hop on to the internet Bandwagon. If you can read this review, then you need to purchase this book. Cyber Crime is the number one precursor to identity theft and the simple thruth is -- Internet Security is YOUR responsibility. Joel McNamara makes you walk a mile in the bad guys shoes, forcing you to see both sides of the story. You will learn the real threats behind internet worms (such as Sasser) and trojan horses (like MyDoom). Discover why Windows(tm) isn't safe and learn who's after your PII (Personally Identifiable Information). View the world through the eyes of an internet private eye and see that everything really is an open book, it just depends on where you look. Let Joel be your guide. Buy the ticket, take the ride... then go to www.pcpitbull.com and see what's really inside.

You and your computer face a dizzying array of security threats, writes tech consultant Joel McNamara. Competitors, cops, crooks and even disgruntled kin would love a peek at your hard drive. But don't hyperventilate just yet. If you calmly analyze the desirability and vulnerability of your secrets, you can figure out how to protect yourself. McNamara's prose is surprisingly clear given the degree of difficulty of his topic, and he offers a number of useful sidebars, charts and examples from inside the tech business to juice up his instructional tome. We suggest this practical book to managers charged with protecting corporate data, and to people who are unsure just how safe their computers are.

Reviews

Combining historical fact, a history of a part of the "bugging" industry, this work brings the reader a true story (and a bit of a rant against the FBI, though well justified)of a man and the developments he pioneered in what we today call the covert surveillance industry -- better known in conversations around the water fountain as "bugging." Even if you know nothing about technology, this one-man's creative inventions and his lengthy and expensive fight against the FBI's attempt to damage him after he gave true and accurate testimony to Congress about his dealings with the FBI make for a truly excellent read!

Mr. Kaiser walks it like he talks it, and he doesn't write any stuff that he can't back up in this book. I've read this book over six times and each time I get more out of. Mr. Kaiser gives us a glimpse of the operations of the "beltway bandits". Small electronic manufacturers that exist almost solely to and are vital to fulfill our government's special needs. Also you get a view of the import export dance. The who gets what this week. If you google some of the names you meet in this book you'll see some nasty characters, some famous and infamous. This book is way better than a spy fiction book because it is real. An interesting portion of this tome deals with Mr. Kaiser's battle with the government and privacy. The cold war, spook stuff is more interesting, but it's all good. There's stuff in here you won't find written about anywhere else. The people who gave this book a bad review didn't read it and or had a bone to pick with Mr. Kaiser. Succinctly put, this book rocks!

Wow, this Book is awesome and highly recommended to all TSCM. As a private detective and certified TSCM I found this book very informative, educational and profoundly interesting. Well written and documented with all the methodologies of the cover-ops of the Agencies. The book is also detailed with awesome technical knowledge of Eavesdroppers and Countermeasure applications. The present state of affairs in obtaining business intelligence has become a routine by companies in order to intercept competitors data and this book discloses all the clandestine methods and applications!

After reading just a few chapters, it's apparent that Marty is one of those arrogant people who believe they are never the problem, it's always everybody else! Being familiar with some mentioned in Marty's 'story', it's imperative that readers know that this tale is NOT an accurate portrayl of events! The only constant in this book is that everyone is always doubting him, his wife, his attorney's, the government, his friends, and when Marty could hold no ground with his petty counter-suit against the agents, HIS OWN representation settled! Against "his wishes" of course. Nobody has doubted Marty's technical ability, it's his character that's always and will always, be in question.

Not everyone get into legal problems with the government. Some people who do get into a battle with the government have their own distinctive ideas of what is right and what is wrong, regardless of what the law actually says. Mr. Kaiser strikes me as being in this group. He's capitalized on it with a book that was optioned for a movie. Pity is that the story is a tad unbelievable, very focused on Mr. Kaiser and distinctly one-sided. Yes, Kaiser claims to have done a lot of work with the FBI and CIA. Needless to say they're the bad guys and he's the one with the white hat. Actually it seems that neither side was without guilt and the truth would have made this a more compelling book. In short, all of this is a bit Andy Warhohlish . . . Mr. Kaiser is getting his 15 minutes of fame. The last chapter ("The Future of Privacy in America -- Or What's Left of It") is a joke. Here's a guy who has made his living ferreting out information and now he claims "[p]rivacy in America these days is an illusion." Well, Mr. Kaiser, "privacy" has always been an illusion. As long as someone else knows something about you, it is not private. Most of this chapter is an ill-informed attack on law enforcement and a pandering to paranoia. The business, financial, educational, credit and health information on every US citizen is, for better or worse, an open book to those with the knowledge to access the information. To some extent, it has always been this way as anyone who has ever lived in a small town knows. The information age has made it easier, but in reality little has changed. Overall, this is a mildly entertaining book about one man's troubles that contains a dollop of interesting tech information. Not the worst; not the best. Jerry

Reviews

Not really a very good picture, Too much contrast. Too HIGH a price for what you get . I have a camera I bought for 45.00 that gives much better resolution

I bought this system specifically to have a wireless monitor to watch the front of the house from inside the car before opening the garage door. In my case the fact the cameras are wireless wasn't important because I could draw wires to the camera location. The system is reasonably good but has some flaws. One thing is that it suffers a lot from interference with 2,4GHz cordless phones. Even if the phone is on the base it keeps sending signals will create white lines or pulses that completly mar the image, you really can't see a thing. If you keep the base more than 30 ft away or change the cordless phone to something with a different frequency than it solves the issue. I did not have interference with my Linksys Internet Router though. Second thing is that you need to remove the batteries to plug the power supply to the display. This is a pretty stupid design as you cannot leave it plugged on AC power and simply disconnect to take it with you. The receiver even comes with a wall support but if you want mobility, consider purchasing two kits with displays or another kit with camera + receiver with RCA outputs (cheaper). The IR LEDs will illuminate about 10-15 ft. radius, so an IR illuminator is something to consider. The range is reasonable and the image quality is reasonable. I have some doubts it is really weatherproof, probably will seal some silicone RTV just in case. Also the power jack to the camera isn't sealed for water. Bottom line: It works, but has some flaws. I think the price is reasonable for what you get.

I purchased the SVAT GX5203 Wireless Portable Video Security System and an extra camera to use for home security. As it happens after a month of trying, I'm convinced that this is a toy and not a very good toy at that. It isn't meant to be used in the real world. If the cameras are in a direct line to the receiver and about 15 feet away, the picture seen is acceptable. As soon as the cameras go outside where they will be used, the image deteriorates to a point that it isn't useful. I tried a dozen different configurations and still have a ton of interference. I don't have land-line based telephones and couldn't figure the source of interference. As it happens after a week of trial and error, it turns out it's my Belkin N1 wireless router. Turning on the cameras results in enough cross interference the laptop signal from the router is interrupted. Cameras on, computer off. Computer on, cameras off. Even then the image rolls, tosses and turns. The power cord on the back of the receiver plugs in to the battery compartment. If you want to use AC power, remove all the batteries. Most inconvenient and an engineering marvel...why, why, why would any engineer see this as acceptable? To power the cameras outside one must use standard extensions. SVAT makes a slender power extension for their indoor cameras but not for the outdoor. Go figure that one out? There is no "skinny" power supply available for the cameras that need it most. Instructions and compatibility data are unclear at best. Customer service is very responsive and quick to reply to your email request. It's too bad the answer is always, "We can't help you with that." but at least they're fast. The poor image, lack of usefulness due to interference and overall poor design ensure this system will end up in the junk drawer as another error in shopping. My bad.

Might be okay if it was used as a baby monitor, but as far as a security camera, I wouldn't recomend it. For one the receiver feels undurable. Cheap plastic. Has the feel of a fake cell phone toy. The camera takes a decent image, but like other reviewers commented, the night vision is disappointing. If your looking for a security camera don't waste your money. spend it on a real security system.

I purchased this product after I read reviews here. The camera and monitor work well with AC adopters rather than batteries. I put front of entrance and inside of my house to see outside of my front yard. Last year neighbors had three thieves I decided to put three cameras. I am thinking another one to outside of garage. Yesterday I tested with 9v batteries for cameras and AAA batteries for monitor. It was working for a few hours but it lost views. I adjusted contrast and color but it did not change. I replaced batteries to AC adopters and all got views again. I am using extension cords to cameras. Night visions are really good to see outside and people's faces. I recommended this camera with monitor at my private blog, because it is so easy to set up , foreigners can do this.

Reviews

I bought this item because I wanted an action cam to film some dog-sledding. However, I ended up using more for my snowboarding. I like the durablility of it & the ease of use. The only drawbacks were that buttons were difficult to depress. I often had to remove my gloves just to start filming & stop filming and even then it was difficult. Also, the sound quality was lacking. It picked up mostly ambient sound but not my voice. However, I am still learning how to use it. Overall, the video quality is good. Many people liked the video quality once I put on the PC.

I read the reviews. I read the available information and I thought for the price it seems reasonable. Let me list the things you cannot find out online even from Oregon Scientific. NO view screen so you cannot see what you are aiming at or if it is even in the picture. No adjustment for screen size. NO image stabilization so it shakes so badly not one of the videos I tried can be watched without agony. There is no light adjustment if it is too light you get washed out. faded out nothing. If it is a just a bit dark it flickers like an old movie. The computer connections are archaic and the soft ware is not compatible with XP or any higher than 10 year old software. It may be waterproof I will never know. It may be other things that are totally useless because if you can not see a picture who cares. And lastly if you do mistake and buy one it is puzzle box to get it out of the box. I had to cut some parts and they won't take it back. It goes back to Oregon not to Amazon which an entirely different set of rules. I will not buy from either company again.

Works as advertised, and an improvement over earlier models. I particularly liked the new on and off buttons, much easier to use. Batteries are easier to change, and I really like the added threaded connector used on cameras and tripods, makes it much more useful. As with the previous versions, the video quality is excellent. The web cam function is great, just wish it could record at the same time.

I purchased one of these to take with me on a motorcycle trip thru Peru. The camera stopped working half way thru the trip. the problem is that the memory card reader does not make good contact with the memory card. any little vibration will make the unit turn off. DO NOT BUY ONE OF THESE. GO AHEAD AND SPEND THE EXTRA CHEESE ON A HERO CAM.

It works like review's product, but has 2 problems in my opinion (test only in Mountain Bike sections): 1- Sound must be turned off, because the wind noise during the ride; 2- To use attached over helmet, this one must be very tightened in your head otherwise the helmet will shake a lot (and the video too); But it was a good purchase.

Reviews

I purchased this camera to round out the four slots on my DVR... I have 2 LTS cameras and an Alphasonic, I would say the night vision capability of the Q see is the same as the comparable Alphasonic ( both are inferior to the LTS ) The Q see did go up in less than 1/2 the time of the LTS though. That being said, my only real gripe with the Q SEE is that about once a week the darn thing goes scrambled... I cant really describe it in words but basically you loose signal and need to interrupt the power ( I just unplug then replug it) I wish it would actually cause a surge or something so that it would set off the alarm on my DVR so I could get it fixed in a timely manner.

I can see the road from my house (400 feet) in daylight. At night I can see the lights of cars passing by. I park my car next to my door. I can see it perspicaciously, even on a dark night. I will purchase another.

I was excited to see the improvement in image quality over my other cameras, boy was I disappointed. The daytime image quality on my SVAT camera that only cost $75 are better. And the nightvision is about the same. Save yourself some money...don't buy this.

I've had two of these cameras for 14 months now. Camera #1 is not working 1/3 of each day, sometimes the image is black or almost black other times it has no signal. Camera #2 is still working but 1/2 of the night vision leds are out. Both cameras o-rings have developed gaps between the o-ring and the cover glass, the result is that the night vision led light leaks into the camera and causes a light ring at night. I have two other Q-see models, one has the same problem as Camera #1, and the other has the led/o-ring issue. So of the 4 Q-see cameras I have, none are working as they did when first installed, after only 14 months. The PC card and software are working fine.

I bought this Q-see camera to replace an old B&W Radio Shack camera that I've had by the front door for the past 10 years. Based on reviews here I got this model over the less expensive Q-see. I went to a color DVR card (Geovision GV-800) so I wanted to upgrade to a color camera with night vision since my front lamp goes off randomly at around 1 AM. I do like the extruded aluminum housing and the sturdiness of the bracket arm but I do wish they would have made a way to protect and conceal the wire. To me, if I were "casing a joint" I think it would be easy to approach the camera from the side and just yank the wire out of it with a coat hanger or something. Maybe I'm just paranoid but a cable tucked away or in a conduit would be less prone to cutting. So my main disappointment is the picture resolution. The field-of-view is a little tight, also. My old Radio Shack would encompass a much wider view. This lens is just a bit too narrow for my use. Night vision is OK for what it is, didn't expext too much there as any IR illumination is going to be grainy and ghosted. Wish it had audio, too. I bought a mike for about five bucks and tucked it under the visor! Q-see could have added one for cheep! How bizzare, though... the IR LEDs give off a faint red-orange glow that I've never seen on any of my other IR devices. Can you see the light from your TV remote? So if you are looking for an inconspicuous camera at night, this is not it. I'll keep it for now but look for something better. Some of the used color CCTV cameras I picked up on that auction site have a fantastic resolution compared to this Q-see but I'd have to house them in a big enclosure. Th

Reviews

As you can see from my photos i uploaded I need not write alot, i only would like to say; If you get a defect then call Q-See they will send out a call tag and send a new product right back. dont knock a good product if you dont contact tech support! See photos here http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/B000B85AGU/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_all

I got this camera to help observe a blind spot in my backyard, particularly for when the nephews come over. Not only does it have a pretty good image but also has audio! And I hadn't planned on using the night vision but I'm capable of seeing the entire area in nearly pitch black. I'm very satisfied with the quality and features of this camera and it's very accessible price. Highly recommend.

I have resived my camera and it is really small then you see in the picture and it is pertty heavy but good video\picture. the night vision is awesome you can see in complete darkness. the packaging was good.. very happy with this product

I just purchased this Q-See nightvision camera as a replacement for a Swann unit that stopped working. I thought I'd try the competition and see how they work. Right out of the box it had a red tint over half of the screen. I thought I could live with that as long as the image was fairly clear but by dusk I noticed something wrong. I could barely see anything compared to my other three Swann cameras that still had a bright, clear image. By nightfall I only had a black screen. I sent my daughter outside to shine a flashlight at the camera to make sure it was still working and sure enough, I could see a small white dot and nothing else. I tried calling Q-See's customer service and their automated customer service disconnected me after three fifteen minute waits. I finally got a human through the switchboard and was told they would put me right through to returns. Then I got a voicemail. I'll just return this camera to the trash can where it belongs and get another Swann.

I purchased this camera for the front of my house to work with two others. Small and solid, pretty good picture during the day and at night it has a very clear (NOT GRAINY) black and white night vision. So far this is the best camera I have purchased. No complains for the price paid. I was really amazed at the clear night vision, my other two cameras are very grainy at night. This camera was mounted on one corner of the house and watches the cars parked in front on the street, I can see 3-4 cars parked end to end, another looks down on the front door, and the last one is on the opposite corner of the house looking at the drive way. The further back that you can mount these cameras lets you have a wider field of view.

Reviews

The camera I received was a cheap knockoff copy. After many emails and frustration and help from Amazon I able to resolve this complaint. Do buy this camera from this vendor, EverSecure!

The camera was ordered shipped recieved in less than 5 days regular ground shipping. Camera provides clear sharp image day or night. Very good value for the price, 480 tvl res with manual zoom and focus, adjustable on external of camera (4mm - 9mm). This and other products purchased from Blue Computer, to date, excellent quality and value.

Very sharp picture day and night that smoked the two other $220 cameras I bought. I exchanged those for two more of these. Great camera.

I am a mid-20's tech-geek, that happens to work in private security. I do a lot of camera work, so my expectations are always high. Our neighborhood has had a lot of break ins, so this system has a purpose...to make sure I put the guy behind bars. This camera was very easy to install, and the brackets went on very secure. I also purchased an Aposonic DVR card for a dedicated PC with 500gb's of storage, so keep in mind that when I refer to video quality it is describing the video after being converted to digital. So far I have been recording 4 shots, at 640x480 @ 100% quality and in a week have only used 4% of my storage capacity. The housing design is very slick, and is by no means an "eye sore." The IR lights are powerful enough to view the immediate area of the camera, but the quality deteriorates at about 30 ft. The iris adjusts very quickly if any light sources enter the shot (ie: headlights). I purchased 5 of these cameras, all for outdoor use (however I only used 4...I ruined one, which I will explain later). This camera does capture a wide angle, so I probably could have covered my entire house/yard using 2-3. Pros -Crisp, clear shot during the day. Adequate shots in the night. -Very solid, great quality -Great design, which is also very functional -Great Autofocus, Iris, and Color. Cons -The factory cable is built in, and cannot be replaced if ruined (that's how I ruined a camera) -Wires are accessible when camera is positioned at certain angles. -Very fast movement (such as wind blowing) makes the camera appear very pixelated. Overall recommendation: A+ This product is great for home security, or to cover large areas. If this is to catch shoplifters, you may want to go with something that gets you a closer shot. Side Note: This camera does not include a power supply, so make sure you purchase one. Also, be careful when loosening the enclosure as I stripped the security screw....and I had to drill it out.

Reviews

Dear Mr. von Donnersmarck, I have just finished watching "The Lives of Others" while listening to your director's commentary. I must thank you not only for the beautiful, rich experience that your film imparts but also for the generosity with which you share your own feelings and thoughts. The first time I watched the film, I was taken by the thriller aspects -- the depth of futility with which the East German people had to live was (as you show) literally life-threatening in its oppressive persistence. When the mere act of imagining becomes labeled "subversive" by the government, what life can a person truly have? But what I wanted to write here was to you, Mr. von Donnersmarck, to thank you for your kindness. You are such a generous, intelligent and kind soul. Your film moved me, but your commentary had me in tears. The sheer magnitude of the things you dealt with in the construction of this artwork is mind-boggling and your ability to attend to such detail is nothing short of genius. The warmth that you share with your audience in how you adore the actors and crew, your willingness to be open and honest, your sense of humor, the warmth and the love you feel and communicate -- all these things give me such deep respect for you, and let me know that you have earned, in advance, every accolade you receive, now and in the future. What a breadth of knowledge you have! To go from recommending Brecht as a good reason to learn German to putting a "Visitors Welcome" sign on Stasi headquarters! To speak of the Leitmotif and how you used it in the music, but also show us the Pieta. You show us a lonely man, yet you filled the world around him with love. You talk of persistence, yet you admit your mistakes (when you talk about the color palette and say that there is no red, as if on queue, the councilman's brakelights go on. I thought you'd laugh at that...). You are a man like whom I would most earnestly want to be. I envy those who have the honor of calling you friend. Chris

A police spy is assigned to monitor a renowned author and playwright suspected of spreading heretical pamphlets objecting to the limitations on rights and freedoms in partitioned Eastern Germany. In the process of monitoring the author's conversations and visits, the spy is increasingly troubled by the integrity, nobility, and humanity of the person he is assigned to convict. The Lives of Others illustrates the pull of a guileless, hopeful idealism on a simple civil servant and gives us a touching and bittersweet definition of what it means to be human. In the midst of intense injustice, misery and grief of partitioned Eastern Germany, it is a story of humanity, trust, and gratitude.

'The Lives of Others' is an interesting recent German film set in the old Communist DDR, depicting a relationship between watcher and watched. The watched is Georg Dreyman, a playwright known for his ideological plays, and the only living East German playwright who is read in the West (the film being set in 1984). His plays express the possibility that people are capable of change - much to the contempt of the Minister for Culture, who doesn't believe they are. The corrupt Minister, who has designs on Dreyman's actress girlfriend, orders the Stasi (state security) to investigate him. Enter the watcher: Stasi officer Gerd Wiesler. Wiesler leads a lonely, fairly meaningless existence, mirroring the feeling of East Berlin itself (as portrayed in the film). But Wiesler also has an idealist streak, in contrast to his more Machiavellian colleagues. This idealism doens't quite mesh with the corrupt system - and perhaps he has sensed this subconsciously for some time. The things he overhears when listening in on Dreyman finally convince him that the system is not what it claims to be, nor what he originally thought it was. 'The Lives of Others' is certainly worth watching for the evocative historical atmosphere it creates. Worth noting, too, is the ending, set two years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Dreyman attends a new version of one of his old plays in Berlin, and comes face to face with his old enemy the Culture Minister. The latter expresses his contempt for the new Germany, saying it gives people "nothing to believe in, nothing to rebel against". There is a phenomenon in Germany called 'Ostalgie' (nostaglia for the old East), and this may be the most eloquent critique of the new Germany - that an old Commie finds it so insipid as to be "not even worth rebelling against!" But one thing the film DOESN'T show is how many ex-Stasi rats are still loose in the corridors of Berlin. The German Financial Time claims that around 17,000 ex-Stasi members are now civil servants. And that means the ex-Minister is wrong - the current German regime IS worth rebelling against.

"The Lives of Others" follows the quietly exploits of an unlikely hero. Georg Dreyman is a brilliant writer, and intelligent enough to think for himself in a regime that prizes the appearance of such qualities, but moves to suppress it nonetheless. But Dreyman is not the hero of this tale. Hauptman Gerd Weisler is both an enforcer for the GDR's notorious secret police - "The Stasi" - and a dedicated believer in the state. Luckily for Dreyman, Weisler proves to be one of the few true believers left alive in the GDR. A genius in the art of interrogation, Weisler is fixed for a career above those relegated (virtually imprisoned) in a cellar steam-opening envelopes. When Weisler receives orders to surveille the author, he finds little of concern - the brilliant Dreyman proves no threat to the sanctity of the regime. Instead, Weisler learns that his superiors' interests in the playright stem from less-than purely socialist motives. Walking a tightrope, Weisler his own venal bosses to protect the playright without revealing his role. "Others" is such a brilliant and understated film for several reasons. Weisler becomes a hero, while preserving his outward appearance as an arm of the dreaded Stasi. Even late in the film, in a scene where he interrogates Dreyman's actress lover, you never lose sense of the unimaginable pressure and terror he exerts on his "victims". Most stories reserve the glory for the beautiful, the epic and the undeniably valorous - but "Others" reveals the heroic role that even the ugly, the hated and the craven must thanklessly play in the battle for freedom.

This movie will either get you involved and interested or not. If it doesn't work for you, then it will be long (very long), boring, and probably pointless. That said, this movie got me big time and this appeal is more on a gut level than on an intellectual level. My gut level response is surprising, because this is not a flashy movie with lots eye candy and exciting twists. In fact, the whole movie is subdued (on purpose) in color and tone. Like the Stasi portrayed in the movie, Lives of Others plods along at its own pace. But with the plodding plot, there is an underlying tension that never lets up. We start watching the movie from a naive point of view, not understanding the hidden power and ruthlessness of the Stasi. But we learn fast. As the movie progressions, we realize how mindless and dangerous the Stasi obsession with control and surveillance can be. Lives of Others is a tense melodrama with most of the dramatic emphasis on the characters. There are gregarious and stoic Stasi bureaucrats doing their jobs with no regard to the people they crush. There are also victims and there are heroes. It was the unlikely hero that riveted me to the screen. How does one change a lifetime of beliefs and practice to make a change? What price does one pay for this? This was the message I got from the movie, and its impact stayed with me for many days after watching the movie.

Reviews

Dear Mr. von Donnersmarck, I have just finished watching "The Lives of Others" while listening to your director's commentary. I must thank you not only for the beautiful, rich experience that your film imparts but also for the generosity with which you share your own feelings and thoughts. The first time I watched the film, I was taken by the thriller aspects -- the depth of futility with which the East German people had to live was (as you show) literally life-threatening in its oppressive persistence. When the mere act of imagining becomes labeled "subversive" by the government, what life can a person truly have? But what I wanted to write here was to you, Mr. von Donnersmarck, to thank you for your kindness. You are such a generous, intelligent and kind soul. Your film moved me, but your commentary had me in tears. The sheer magnitude of the things you dealt with in the construction of this artwork is mind-boggling and your ability to attend to such detail is nothing short of genius. The warmth that you share with your audience in how you adore the actors and crew, your willingness to be open and honest, your sense of humor, the warmth and the love you feel and communicate -- all these things give me such deep respect for you, and let me know that you have earned, in advance, every accolade you receive, now and in the future. What a breadth of knowledge you have! To go from recommending Brecht as a good reason to learn German to putting a "Visitors Welcome" sign on Stasi headquarters! To speak of the Leitmotif and how you used it in the music, but also show us the Pieta. You show us a lonely man, yet you filled the world around him with love. You talk of persistence, yet you admit your mistakes (when you talk about the color palette and say that there is no red, as if on queue, the councilman's brakelights go on. I thought you'd laugh at that...). You are a man like whom I would most earnestly want to be. I envy those who have the honor of calling you friend. Chris

A police spy is assigned to monitor a renowned author and playwright suspected of spreading heretical pamphlets objecting to the limitations on rights and freedoms in partitioned Eastern Germany. In the process of monitoring the author's conversations and visits, the spy is increasingly troubled by the integrity, nobility, and humanity of the person he is assigned to convict. The Lives of Others illustrates the pull of a guileless, hopeful idealism on a simple civil servant and gives us a touching and bittersweet definition of what it means to be human. In the midst of intense injustice, misery and grief of partitioned Eastern Germany, it is a story of humanity, trust, and gratitude.

'The Lives of Others' is an interesting recent German film set in the old Communist DDR, depicting a relationship between watcher and watched. The watched is Georg Dreyman, a playwright known for his ideological plays, and the only living East German playwright who is read in the West (the film being set in 1984). His plays express the possibility that people are capable of change - much to the contempt of the Minister for Culture, who doesn't believe they are. The corrupt Minister, who has designs on Dreyman's actress girlfriend, orders the Stasi (state security) to investigate him. Enter the watcher: Stasi officer Gerd Wiesler. Wiesler leads a lonely, fairly meaningless existence, mirroring the feeling of East Berlin itself (as portrayed in the film). But Wiesler also has an idealist streak, in contrast to his more Machiavellian colleagues. This idealism doens't quite mesh with the corrupt system - and perhaps he has sensed this subconsciously for some time. The things he overhears when listening in on Dreyman finally convince him that the system is not what it claims to be, nor what he originally thought it was. 'The Lives of Others' is certainly worth watching for the evocative historical atmosphere it creates. Worth noting, too, is the ending, set two years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Dreyman attends a new version of one of his old plays in Berlin, and comes face to face with his old enemy the Culture Minister. The latter expresses his contempt for the new Germany, saying it gives people "nothing to believe in, nothing to rebel against". There is a phenomenon in Germany called 'Ostalgie' (nostaglia for the old East), and this may be the most eloquent critique of the new Germany - that an old Commie finds it so insipid as to be "not even worth rebelling against!" But one thing the film DOESN'T show is how many ex-Stasi rats are still loose in the corridors of Berlin. The German Financial Time claims that around 17,000 ex-Stasi members are now civil servants. And that means the ex-Minister is wrong - the current German regime IS worth rebelling against.

"The Lives of Others" follows the quietly exploits of an unlikely hero. Georg Dreyman is a brilliant writer, and intelligent enough to think for himself in a regime that prizes the appearance of such qualities, but moves to suppress it nonetheless. But Dreyman is not the hero of this tale. Hauptman Gerd Weisler is both an enforcer for the GDR's notorious secret police - "The Stasi" - and a dedicated believer in the state. Luckily for Dreyman, Weisler proves to be one of the few true believers left alive in the GDR. A genius in the art of interrogation, Weisler is fixed for a career above those relegated (virtually imprisoned) in a cellar steam-opening envelopes. When Weisler receives orders to surveille the author, he finds little of concern - the brilliant Dreyman proves no threat to the sanctity of the regime. Instead, Weisler learns that his superiors' interests in the playright stem from less-than purely socialist motives. Walking a tightrope, Weisler his own venal bosses to protect the playright without revealing his role. "Others" is such a brilliant and understated film for several reasons. Weisler becomes a hero, while preserving his outward appearance as an arm of the dreaded Stasi. Even late in the film, in a scene where he interrogates Dreyman's actress lover, you never lose sense of the unimaginable pressure and terror he exerts on his "victims". Most stories reserve the glory for the beautiful, the epic and the undeniably valorous - but "Others" reveals the heroic role that even the ugly, the hated and the craven must thanklessly play in the battle for freedom.

This movie will either get you involved and interested or not. If it doesn't work for you, then it will be long (very long), boring, and probably pointless. That said, this movie got me big time and this appeal is more on a gut level than on an intellectual level. My gut level response is surprising, because this is not a flashy movie with lots eye candy and exciting twists. In fact, the whole movie is subdued (on purpose) in color and tone. Like the Stasi portrayed in the movie, Lives of Others plods along at its own pace. But with the plodding plot, there is an underlying tension that never lets up. We start watching the movie from a naive point of view, not understanding the hidden power and ruthlessness of the Stasi. But we learn fast. As the movie progressions, we realize how mindless and dangerous the Stasi obsession with control and surveillance can be. Lives of Others is a tense melodrama with most of the dramatic emphasis on the characters. There are gregarious and stoic Stasi bureaucrats doing their jobs with no regard to the people they crush. There are also victims and there are heroes. It was the unlikely hero that riveted me to the screen. How does one change a lifetime of beliefs and practice to make a change? What price does one pay for this? This was the message I got from the movie, and its impact stayed with me for many days after watching the movie.

Reviews

Fantastic movie, keeps you interested and glued throughout. Great acting by cast, more movies like these are needed

Escalating events begin when African-born U.N. translator Silvia Broome alleges that she has overheard a death threat against an African head of state, spoken in a rare dialect few people other than Silvia can understand. With the words "The Teacher will never leave this room alive," in an instant, Silvia's life is turned upside down as she becomes a hunted target of the killers. This is an extremely fearful movie, with a mood, tone and cascade of plot twists. A solid entertainment.

To be fair, the script has possibilities, but it would take the pacing of Hitchcock's direction and the narrative expressiveness of Jimmy Stewart's acting to save it from becoming perhaps the new millennium's slowest film to date. Unfortunate, because in a sense all of us are "interpreters" of the actions of others, frequently tempted, moreover, to "over-interpret" by taking the law into our own hands, countering terrorism with vengeful personal righteousness that merely contributes to a terrorist mentality on an ever-widening scale. The political message is sound; the entertainment value conducive to a sound sleep.

This movie is great. I really appreciated the fact that it is serious and thoughtful- not the overblown nonsense that I think the advertisements and whatnot made it out to be. There are several films that, while not direct comparisons in all ways, illuminate what I mean-- compare this film to "Shooter" or "The Siege". Those other movies are Hollywood nonsense all the way-- over-the-top, unrealistic, and cheesy. This movie, while also dealing with political intrigue, is completely realistic, at least in the way it treats the characters and their motivations. Perhaps some might argue that the individual "suspense" elements of plot are not very realistic, but the fine acting, script, and serious presentation give those elements more credibility than they might have if just considered on their own merits. The film is measured, without a lot of dramatic music and flashy editing. It also treats the fictional political conflict, which could easily stand in for any number of real-world situations such as Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, or the Congo, very seriously and does a good job connecting human emotions with a type of conflict that most of us probably don't relate to very well here in the US. The best thing about the movie is the acting by Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn. They are both utter professionals who clearly embraced their roles. Ms. Kidman is icy and enigmatic, but somehow still allows the viewer to feel her barely submerged pain and suffering. Mr. Penn is completely convincing as a consumate professional torn up by some inner demons. Perhaps some viewers may not find this movie particularly "entertaining." It lacks the sensationalism and flash that audiences might expect. It also features some pretty miserable characters-- I don't think there's a single laugh in the whole film. The politics it deals with is the type most Americans would rather pretend don't exist- the continued suffering and strife of impoverished post-colonial African nations. It is however, a masterfully acted, technically accomplished, and thought-provoking movie, and a really tense thriller, as well.

love this movie! saw it on television and decided to purchase it, so I could watch it again. very believeable plot and terrific acting by Penn and Kidman. if you like intrigue and suspence, this is the movie for you!

Reviews

We bought this as the 4th and final piece in the TMNT streetscene. Is it the sturdiest toy we own? No, but the little gimmics work like they are supposed to (the zip-line connects to another of the 4 hideouts which all connect together). Most importantly, my son loves this; it inspires his imagination and he has spent countless hours creating stories in these hideouts with his Turtles. In my book that is a good toy!

What a hunk of junk...the first time we opened the box and put the pieces together, it was apparent I had wasted my money. The "manhole cover" button that is supposed to launch Don on his scooter doesn't work, the "falling sidewalk" on the upper portion doesn't stay flat (you could put a speck of dust on it and it would fall), the doors don't open properly, there is nothing to connect the end of the zipline to...shall I go on? Suffice to say, don't waste your money. If you're looking for a cool, durable, fun-to-play-with-for-hours-on-end playset, get the Imaginext Batcave. Now THAT'S a good playset!!