RCA

With Kodak and RCA putting out so-called HD versions of their YouTube-friendly mini camcorders, we knew it was only a matter of time before Pure Digital Technologies, the maker of Flip Video mini camcorders, put out an HD model of its own.

Calling it the "world's smallest HD camcorder," the $229 Flip Mino HD looks identical to the standard-definition Flip Mino. It weighs just over 3 ounces, boasts 720p resolution, and has 4GB of memory that allows for 60 minutes of recording time. The release also says that the Flip Mino HD features "all-new built-in FlipShare … Read more

Got a look at RCA's new EZ300HD Thursday and at first touch it appears to be a significant step up from the other budget camcorders in the company's Small Wonder line.

The highlights here are a 720p (1280x720) HD shooting mode, a 2.4-inch LCD with "improved viewing in bright sunlight," and a swiveling lens that gives you more flexibility when shooting. The 2GB of built-in memory gives you one hour of recording time in HD mode or six hours of recording time in the lower-resolution YouTube capture mode. The EZ300HD is powered by a rechargeable … Read more

We recently christened the Logitech Squeezebox Boom as our favorite Wi-Fi radio, but that's not to say there's no room for more products in that burgeoning category.

Take the new RCA Infinite Radio RIR200 from Acoustic Research. In addition to its ability to pull in thousands of Internet radio stations from across the globe, this squat little networked clock radio can also access the Slacker music service (free with ads, or paid without) as well as good old-fashioned over-the-air AM and FM radio. It's also got weather forecasts (courtesy of WeatherBug) and will even interrupt what you'… Read more

The latest iteration of RCA's Small Wonder video cameras is now available. Along with Creative's just-released $99 Vado, the new trio of Small Wonders is competing with Flip Video's popular budget cams, which--by some estimates--have snagged up to one-eighth of the overall camcorder market.

We liked how previous Small Wonder models had a flip-out LCD, and we're happy to report that two of the new models sport this feature. It's also worth noting that all the models have some form of removable memory, which means you can always carry around an extra card with you to store more videos. Alas, RCA hasn't gone with a rechargeable battery--but the new models are pretty affordable. Two come in at less than $100, while the splash-resistant Traveler model comes in at $149.99.

There was some talk at CES about the EZ300HD, a Small Wonder that would allegedly shoot at "HD" resolution (1,280 x 720). However, that model hasn't materialized yet.

Here's the lineup: … Read more

I posted the general outline of my problems with a DirecTV upgrade a few days ago. Now for some of the details.

When DirecTV called me in February to talk me into upgrading my hardware, I had three pieces of equipment in operation: a dish antenna configured to receive signals from DirecTV's three older satellites, an RCA DTC100 HD receiver in my bedroom, and a Hughes HR10-250 HD TiVo DVR (digital video recorder) in my living room.

DirecTV made a simple offer: if I simply said "yes," they'd send out a professional installer with a new … Read more

DirecTV is in the middle of a long-planned upgrade to new satellite broadcast technology. The company has launched new satellites that use MPEG-4 video compression to carry an ever-increasing number of HDTV stations, both local and national.

I've been a DirecTV subscriber for many years. In fact, I signed up in 2000 because I wanted to take a look at the then-new RCA DTC100 HD receiver. I didn't even have an HDTV, but I did have a high-quality 21" CRT computer monitor that the DTC100 could drive. It wasn't good for large audiences, but for one … Read more

They're all born with the best of intentions, but only the strong survive.

Formats come and go. Some are barely noticed, and some die a slow, painful death. So now we can all breathe a sigh of relief that the format war between Blu-ray and HD DVD was comparatively brief--unless you're on the losing side, stuck with a slowpoke player and a collection of HD DVD discs. I've already heard from some angry HD DVD supporters. War is tough.

If you're over 35, you probably remember the Betamax vs. VHS wars, which raged from 1975 to … Read more

RCA is updating the Small Wonder line with four new YouTube-ready digital camcorders. All of the cameras ship with easy-to-use software that allows users to edit, upload, and share their clips via Box.net or YouTube. Aimed at those consumers who want a tapeless, hassle-free way to capture video on the fly, RCA is offering four different models including one top-of-the-line camcorder that shoots in 720p. All Small Wonder camcorders allow for memory expansion--some via SD, others through a microSD slot. As you can see from the picture, the EZ205 has a flip-out screen, but the press material we were … Read more

We've had an influx of inexpensive RCA MP3 players lately. Jasmine posted her reviews of the RCA Jet and the RCA Pearl last week. Now we've got the RCA Opal, which is probably the most unique player RCA has released. It has a great list of features, including support for DRM WMA and Audible formats. I thought the user interface was a little confusing--not helped by the fact that the control pad is a little slanted.

The claim to fame here is that the Opal supports photo and video playback for under $70. If you're interested, click … Read more