Panasonic BL-C140A Outdoor MPEG-4 Network Camera (Silver) Review

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(More customer reviews)This review is going to be somewhat technical and I'll mention some other choices. I've installed more than 10 Panasonic network cameras across the product line; so how does this one compare? The whole series is rock solid reliable. As far as the practical use as an outdoor cam, the BL-C140A is a middle of the road compromise. As other reviewers have discovered, the night time image quality is not very good. The BL-C140A has a 1/4" CMOS sensor which produces a little bit better daytime image than the 1/6" CMOS on the popular BL-C111A and BL-C131A models. If you're looking for a cam to mount in an outdoor location that is protected from direct moisture (like hanging under a sheltered roof eave) then I'd recommend the Panasonic BB-HCM511A instead. The BB-HCM511A uses a CCD sensor (vs. CMOS) that produces a richer dynamic range of colors during the day, and has much better low light sensitivity. It can still show the scene under moonlight, whereas the BL-C140A would show a pitch black view. If you truly need an "outdoor" camera because it's going to be exposed to the rain, then the BB-HCM531A is an excellent outdoor model. The only difference between the BB-HCM511A and BB-HCM531A is that the BB-HCM531A comes with an extra plastic cover for the connectors in the back. Panasonic charges more than $200 for this piece of plastic, so it you're crafty you can make your own weatherproof cover for the BB-HCM511A cable connectors and save some money (hint: silicone sealant works). Note that if you don't already have a POE enabled switch, the BB-HCM series doesn't come with a POE injector so you need to order that separately. Coming back to this BL-C140A model, the other thing I didn't like is that the POE (Power Over Ethernet) is proprietary instead of using the industry 802.3af standard. So if you have a POE switch then it won't be able to use all the neat power management features. The BB-HCM series however does support the 802.3af POE standard. If your budget is just enough for this cam, the BL-C140A still a wonderful unit. If you can afford to pay just a little bit more then check out the other models I mentioned and you'll get a superior night time view. Here's another tip, if you want to have the camera view on your desktop all the time in Vista or Windows 7, go to the Microsoft Windows Live Gallery and search for Panasonic to download the CoconutView Sidebar Gadget. Then you won't even need to open the browser windows to get a peek at what the camera is seeing.

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Panasonic Outdoor MPEG-4 Network Camera

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TRENDnet 8-Port Unmanaged Gigabit GREENnet Standard Switch (8 x 10/100/1000Mbps Auto-Negotiation, Auto-MDIX Gigabit Ethernet Ports) TEG-S80G (Black Metal) Review

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(More customer reviews)Recently we have installed network storage devices, and started to run backups and multi-media services on our home LAN (local area network). As a result the load on our network increased substantially. We decided to upgrade from fast ethernet to gigabit. Due to the arrangement of devices, we have several 8 port switches connected to a larger 24 bit switch which I guess is the backbone of our LAN.
When shopping for gigabit switches, the Trendnet 8 port gigabit greennet switch came up as not only a low cost, but also a low power switch. We purchased several and have been using them for almost half a year.
These switches are silent (there is no fan), and very low power (on my Killowatt meter they always show 0 watts), and very fast. They have limited support for jumbo packets (I forget the exact number, but its around a jumbo packet size of 7-9K).
This is a good solution as a low power, silent, gigabit switch that runs cool and is low cost. The switch is unmanaged, but does have status indicator lights. You will see if you are getting fast ethernet or gigabit speeds on each port. We have had no trouble with these switches.

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The compact 8-Port Gigabit GREENnet Switch provides high bandwidth performance, ease of use and reliability, all while reducing power consumption by up to 70%. GREENnet technology automatically adjusts power voltage as needed, resulting in substantial energy savings. Boost your office efficiency and eliminate network congestion with Gigabit speeds and total switching capacity of 10Gbps with Full-Duplex Mode. Plug and Play this sturdy metal switch for reliable high-speed network connectivity.

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LG LHB975 1100-Watt Blu-ray Home Theater System, Gloss Black Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this system in May of 2010. When it worked, it worked great and I really enjoyed the quality of the blu-ray player and sound.
About a week ago the wireless subwoofer stopped working. It has power but will not link up with the wireless receiver. I tried everything I could possibly do and couldn't get it to "remate" (connect) again. I then called LG and they were unable to fix it.
LG offered to repair the system but they wants me to spend $70.00 for them to look at it and this does not include shipping. From what the customer service representative told me, the 1 year warranty means that regardless of the cost to repair, my cost is capped at $70.00. I'm not sure how that qualifies as a warranty but according to LG it does.
What is troubling about this issue is that this problem does not appear to be an isolated incident. I searched the internet for reviews from people who owned the system. There are a number of people who are having this exact same problem after using the system for about 6 months. Mine started in just 5 months. It's starting to look like this product has a defect.
I own an LG cell phone, washer and dryer, and this blu-ray theater system. I've never had a problem with any LG product before. I'm surprised that LG would put out a product that seems to have a systematic defect. I'm even more surprised that the LG customer service would be so bad and not customer friendly. This experience has really questioned my brand loyalty towards LG. At this point, they must know this product has a problem. Rather than do the right thing - which is to correct the problem and send a new unit to everyone who is having this problem free of charge - LG is instead forcing the consumer to pay for service, pay for shipping, and hope that the repair is a long term fix. I'm afraid I'll spend the money to get the system "repaired" only to have it break again in another 5 months.
Rather than deal with the nonsense I'm going through, anyone who looks at this home theater system should just avoid it.


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LG's NetCast Interface lets you easily access a vast array of internet content. This model comes with two tower speakers.

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