Monthly Archives: November 2009

Which Pocket Video Camera is better? Kodak Zi8 vs Flip UltraHD

Posted by on November 30, 2009 No comments

kodak-zi8-pocket-hd-camcorderThis is a question I’ve been asking myself and now a friend of mine is asking. Now is the time to share some thoughts, so I posted a great link on the differences between the two. Personally, I added the Kodak Zi8 to my wishlist and here’s my short list of reasons why:

1. True 1080p recording

2. 5 Mega-pixel still photos (Flip does not take still photos)

3. HDMI port to show videos on my HDTV

4. Facebook and YouTube upload management included

5. Larger LCD screen on the back and image stabilization

Hands down, the Kodak Zi8 is a much better camera for the money! Download this article by Hiawatha Bray from Boston.com (PDF Link –>) Pocket Camera Comparison

Happy Holidays from Heathaplex Vision

Reposted: 60Hz vs. 120Hz vs. 240Hz – LCD Response Rate

Posted by on November 30, 2009 No comments

Click this link for information on Response Rate for HDTVs:  60Hz vs. 120Hz vs. 240Hz – LCD Response Rate.

This is a great article I ran across from lcdtvbuyingguide.com. I’ve been talking with a number of people over the past few days about buying televisions and this question always comes up when looking at LCD HDTVs.

Enjoy!

Heathaplex Vision

Have You Noticed All the AVATAR Buzz Lately?

Posted by on November 23, 2009 No comments

Have you noticed all the buzz surrounding the new movie AVATAR? Written and directed by James Cameron, this 4-year project just might set the new standard in digital effects, mixing human and digital actors, and the proper application of 3-D effects for theater viewing.

In the past few weeks, I’ve seen High Definition extended trailers shown on Fox, trailers at the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium “Jerryland” or as one friend of mine referred to it as the “Death Star.” Last week I received my latest copy of Wired Magazine and there is a 12-page article about the movie and the effects process. Playboy had an exclusive interview about James Cameron and how this movie has been taking up all his time. Tonight, on 60 Minutes there was an interview with James Cameron, similar to the Playboy interview, in which he describes the 4-year journey and what his movie attempts to bring to moviegoers.

For James Cameron, it is extremely hard to top the the success of his last film, “Titatic.” This movie made well over a billion dollars and still remains the most profitable movie of all time. AVATAR, which cost roughly $400 million to make, is gonna take some time to make money above and beyond production costs, but I have a feeling….this movie could start making money in roughly two weeks.

Along with the movie, James Cameron worked exclusively on Avatar, the video game, which should hit stores on December 1st. This Ubisoft produced game (same folks that brought you Halo) takes you on a first-person adventure two-years prior to the time the movie takes place. I’ve seen the game trailers and it looks spectacular! I can’t wait to see it on my HDTV.

If you wondering when the movie will hit….mark your calendars for Dec 18th. I am curious to hear your thoughts and predictions on the success of this movie. I am already predicting Oscars for Best Visual Effects, Sound Mixing & Editing, Cinematography, and Art Direction. We’ll see how I do when March rolls around.

Heathaplex Vision

What Does the Droid Have to Offer?

Posted by on November 22, 2009 No comments

I’ve been asked several questions about the Droid so I think its time to post what I know about the device. I have yet to get my hands on the Droid and plan on visiting Verizon this week, so I’ll add more detail if I find something significant to post.

Like many of you, I am on the Verison network and do not have a cool smartphone yet. I’ve been very patiently watching how the iPhone has slowly been taking over the market. Being a big Mac fan, it may be a surprise to some of you that I do not have an iPhone. Well….until Verizon starts carrying the iPone, I will go on being patient, but my contract is due in May 2010, so I am shopping around right now.

There are many rumors about the iPhone coming to Verizon next year, but nothing is concrete as of yet. Regardless, it would be on a different network (hardware speaking) than AT&T and would require some changes internally, so why not look at an Android, which claims to be better. Well….let’s look at some of the features.

First, the Good Stuff: Andorid Operating System – Key to the device. This open source software is very fast and efficient. In tests against the iPhone it handles pretty much the same and developers are making applications for the Droid daily, but one report I read said this fad will wear out due to the overwhelming market share the iPhone currently has. Developers go where the money is and the Droid is just not there yet. It has a 5 Megapixel camera….very cool and better than the iPhone’s 3 MP camera. It has Google Navigation, which is free! This is one of the coolest features on the phone. Real time mapping, traffic, and SATELLITE IMAGERY…just like Google Maps on your computer. The Street view could come in very handy down the road. It has a slide-out keyboard and a touch keyboard (landscape and portrait), larger display, removable battery, and SD card slot.  These are all pluses in my book.

Now for the down side: No iTunes compatibility!!! If you have most of your worldly possessions wrapped up in iTunes, this may not be the phone for you! Applications are few compared to the thousands that can be found on the iPhone. It is a bit faster and internet seems to run smoother on the iPhone, but it really depends on the network and wi-fi you happen to be using. The biggest downside to the Droid….it’ll never catch up to the popularity and proliferation of the iPone. It seems many smartphone developers are just going to be playing catch-up. The Droid will cost you more in the end: First….you pay for a minutes plan, then you shell out $30 for data, if you want Microsoft Exchange support it will cost you another $15 a month, tethering will cost you an additional $60 a month and has a 5Gb limit. It seems you keep paying and paying to have a Droid. Why can’t there just be one fee for having a smartphone like Blackberry!

So, if you can live without iTune syncing (you can always add your music through the Droid’s native syncing) and don’t mind shelling out a bit more over the life of the phone, you may want to check out the Droid. It is a beautiful device and I do like the open source Operating System, but I’m willing to be patient and see how if Verizon starts carrying the iPhone. I have the time to wait, so why not let the newness of the Droid wear out a bit and see how this battle unfolds.

Heathaplex Vision

"Heathaplex Vision" is Ready to Serve Your Technology Needs

Posted by on November 19, 2009 6 comments

For many many years I’ve been in to all things TECH!!! It all started with my passion for a nice sound system at the age of 12. When I turned 12 years I bought my first Kenwood receiver and a set of generic bookshelf speakers. I truly felt like a HiFi aristocrat. A year later, with money I received from selling my snowmobile I bought a Kenwood Double Tape Deck with Dolby B and C Noise Reduction. This was a top of the line piece of equipment for it’s time. Shortly thereafter, I purchased a Kenwood CD player with money I received from confirmation. This was a big decision for me since CDs were very new at the time. I debated the lack of being able to record, the initial investment, and the longevity of CD technology and based on my research made the plunge. Look at what CD technology has led to now?

Over the next few years I would add a television and a VCR and eventually take the entire system to college. My system gained a nameskae that would forever be known as the “Heathaplex.” People would ask to come by and watch a movie at the Heathaplex. I certainly had no problem showing off my system, the sound quality and the surround sound system. Over the years, the Heathaplex would grow and upgrade. I started to sell of pieces of equipment to purchase new ones. The Heathaplex would come with me to Air Force Pilot Training in Del Rio, TX to my first assignment at Farichild AFB in Spokane, WA. This is where I purchased my first projection screen televison. The Heathaplex moved with me to Charleston AFB, SC during my time as an airlift pilot and eventually to my current home in Leavenworth, KS. It was during the move that my projection television was damaged beyond repair as well as a DVD player and a VCR. Once I received replacement value for the damaged items I purchased a Plasma television and a Blu Ray player. The Heathaplex is in full effect with 7.1 THX Surround Sound and 1080p vision. In short, the Heathaplex is off the Hizzle!!!

Now you see where my passion stemmed from, but it certainly doesn’t stop there. I’ve been exposed to computers since the first grade and never passed up the opportunity to crash a computer or physically take it apart to fix them. I’ve expanded my knowledge of the various sound processing formats along with all the new media available for Home Theater and Media Centers. It seems as if my dreams of having a computer in the living room are finally coming true with the ability of my PlayStation3, TiVo, and Sony Blu Ray player all being able to stream music off my network, access the internet, stream and rent movies from Amazon and NetFlix, and provide some incredible additional content to compliment my Blu Ray discs. In short, I spend a lot of time keep up with the Tech Joneses in an effort to share this knowledge with you.

Heathaplex Vision has a simple mission: to provide you with quality home and personal technology advice. Over the years I’ve helped design home theater setups, provided computer tech support, offered ways to setup computer networks, given guided tours of the Heathaplex and the options people have in Home Theater means. There is no length I won’t go to in order to give you the best advice possible. Even if you don’t know what you are looking for….let me know your ideas and I can introduce you to what is out there. I’ve had people give me a vision and a budget and made it a reality for the best price I can find. I want this to be a simple and fun endeavor. Let me help with your technology needs.

I hope you understand my passion and why I am starting up this outlet for my interests. You can follow me here at heathaplexvision.com or on my Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Heathaplex-Vision/179754316645. I also have a Twitter page at Heathaplexvsn.

Let me know what you think and please let me know what I can do to help

Enjoy!

J. Scot Heathman

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