Features

I will begin first discussing some of the features of the Playsport.
It is capable of 4 video modes, WVGA, 720p, 720p 60fps and 1080p. It is also capable of one still photo setting of 5mp.

I am sure the 1080p quality level of recording is a huge selling point, but I tend to use 720p for the most part. The size/quality ratio just seems to be better for 720p. I feel that if I use 1080p for most videos, it is basically overkill and will just fill my card much faster than necessary. The 720p 60fps mode uses the same storage space as a 1080p video, but when there is a lot of motion this mode is clearly the best. It is very smooth with little to no motion blur when recording at 60fps. It is great. Truely.

Unlike the Kodak Zi8, the Playsport does not have an external mic jack or a macro mode. But, the focusing distance on the Playsport is fairly short so the macro mode isn’t really a big deal. Also, like many other pocket video cameras the Playsport does not have an optical zoom, only digital. Digital zoom in my opinion is practically useless, but others might care to use it.

Build Quality

The best part about this pocket video camera is the build quality. As soon as I originally took it out of the box I knew it was built well. It has a nice weight to it and is very sturdy. It has a rubberized coating to make it very easy to grip. The rubber grip is needed for easy handling while the camera is wet, because after all the Playsport is completely waterproof up to 10ft.

Video/Photo quality

The video quality of the Playsport is great considering it’s price tag and general size. In low light, still photos and videos are fairly grainy, but I totally expected that to be honest. The video filesizes are fairly large, but once again, it’s expected when you are dealing with high resolution video files.

Below is one short sample video I recorded in daylight. This is not the best sample, because Flickr reencodes the videos, but it gives you a general idea of the clarity, and the EIS (electronic image stabilization). Also are 2 sample still photos. One was taken in sunlight, the other at night.

Sound Quality

The sound quality on the Playsport is average. It contains a built in mono condenser microphone. It picks up sound from a fairly decent distance, but if you are in any sort of wind forget about getting usable audio. Indoors it works fairly well because there shouldn’t be much wind, at least we hope so right?

Other Comments and Issues

Getting the files off of the Playsport on my iMac is fairly simple. All you do is connect the device via the included USB cable and it mounts just like an SD card reader would. There is one major bug though. When you remove the files from the device, it starts using the same filenames over again. This is a major problem if you want to put all of your videos and photos in the same folders, you might accidentally overwrite one of your older files. I hope a firmware update is released to fix this issue quickly.

Conclusion

Overall I am happy with my purchase of the Playsport. I also purchased an 8gb class 6 SDHC card to go with it. 8gb will get about 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours of recording time depending on the quality setting you are using. If you need more storage, it supports up to a 32gb SDHC card, but remember the battery will most likely die before you run out of storage if you have larger than an 8gb card. Fortunately, the battery is easily replaceable, so you can buy extra one for about $20 if you need more recording time.

Below are unboxing photos along with one sample photo taken by the Playsport itself. I will write a review on the product in a few days, but here are my initial impressions for now…

At first touch, I noticed the build quality of the Playsport is great. It feels very sturdy and actually weighs more than I thought it would. The initial turn on time is much shorter than I anticipated also. I am currently charging it because the battery was almost completely empty when I turned it on, but the initial boot up of the device was less than 4 seconds.

The menus are very simple to navigate. I was able to set the date and time with no problems, and like most people I didn’t bother looking at the book. Changing the video quality, or to still camera is very simple. You just press the left or right arrow buttons and it brings up a menu to select the quality or function.

Here are the unboxing photos I took with my iPhone. They are fairly low quality, but I will take higher quality shots when I write the full review. Also below is a sample photo. It is very overcast today, so this is the best I can do for now. Click the 6th image in the gallery for full size. (2.2mb)

Originally, it was scheduled to be released in April but today I received an email stating that Amazon would have them in stock much earlier.

Not only does it record 1080p (and 720p at 60fps) video, but it takes 5mp 16:9 digital photos.

Here is the promotional paragraph regarding the Playsport…

Heads up, adrenaline junkies. The Kodak Playsport has as much appetite for adventure as you do. And it’s not afraid to get wet. This audacious little camera can plunge up to 10 feet under water and capture the entire experience in full 1080p HD. And you don’t need to worry about blurry footage when things get a little shaky. With built-in image stabilization, the Kodak Playsport will stay steady as a rock. From the waves, to the slopes, to the mud-soaked trails, this baby was made for the extremes.

Not only does this camera have a much better build quality, but it is actually cheaper than the very popular Zi8. Many places sell the Zi8 for between $179.99 and $200. The Playsport HD retails for only $149.

For $149 you get “Everything you need to shoot, watch, and share 1080p HD video” which includes:

• KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera
• KODAK Li-Ion Rechargeable Digital Camera Battery KLIC-7004
• HDMI and AV cables
• Wrist strap
• User Guide
• ARCSOFT MEDIA IMPRESSION Software for Kodak (PC only)

As you can see, this is an amazing price for this type of camera and it’s accessories. These compact HD cameras are great quality for general use, just remember that these are really only made to have fun. Don’t expect broadcast quality HD at this price range, though the video quality is rather impressive.

Once I receive the camera I will write a full review. I can’t wait to try it out.

If you recall, in a recent chat with Verizon Tech support, I was told that the issues with my HD boxes weren’t truely issues, but not to my preference. As we all know, that was completely untrue. And this firmware update proves it. The 7xxx series boxes now have the 4:3 guide once again. The current show information and the guide itself is no longer stretched.

I wish there was a way to talk to “Anthony” again directly. I don’t appreciate being lied to by support staff.

Maybe in the future, companies and employees will admit to doing something wrong. In the long run, it will hurt the company less. Customers are not stupid and I don’t appreciate my intelligence being questioned. If you take a look back at my prior blog post regarding the issues I faced, you will see why Verizon and their staff have lost some of my respect.

I contacted support because the 1.7 firmware was finally rolled out to Pittsburgh.

It is fairly common knowledge that the 1.7 firmware totally screws up the guide to a point that it is actually a pain to use. It looks horrendous and is not right at all on the 7xxx series boxes. But, it displays correctly on the older 6400 series ones.

Here is my chat with tech support regarding the issues I have. He was by far one of the worst representatives I have come across while talking to Verizon support.

Anthony(18:55:31): Thank you. One moment while I pull up your account. I am sorry for your problems, but I will help you. Please be patient.
Anthony(18:55:51): Are you havign a HDMI issue since the 1.7 firmware update to the boxes?
StevoFC(18:56:09): no I’m having guide issues on the 7100 series boxes
StevoFC(18:56:14): it looks horrible
Anthony(18:56:30): unrelated…
StevoFC(18:56:36): no it’s not
Anthony(18:56:41): you don’t like it
StevoFC(18:56:53): it’s a proven fact that the guide is stretched only on the 7xxx series boxes
StevoFC(18:57:09): it shows correctly on my older 6400 series dvr
StevoFC(18:57:31): I am unhappy with the service since this update
Anthony(18:57:36): I am sorrty
Anthony(18:57:41): sorry
Anthony(18:57:57): It can’t be changed but I have notated your tech support notes
StevoFC(18:58:04): it can be changed
Anthony(18:58:15): how?
StevoFC(18:58:16): i would like my box replaced with a model that doesn’t have the problem
Anthony(18:58:51): I can’t replace the boxes because you don’t like the way the guide is displayed
Anthony(18:59:06): The 7000 boxes are HD
StevoFC(18:59:13): so are the others
Anthony(18:59:18): the 6416 is HD & standard
StevoFC(18:59:31): i have the 6416 dvr
Anthony(18:59:36): I see that
StevoFC(18:59:46): and it displays correctly
Anthony(18:59:56): the 7000 are correct also
StevoFC(19:00:02): no it is not
Anthony(19:00:22): all 3 display the same way correct?
StevoFC(19:00:49): all 3 what? 7100?
Anthony(19:00:55): yes
StevoFC(19:01:16): yes, but they dont look like they used to, and they dont look like the 6400 does
Anthony(19:01:41): I am sorry they don’t look the same
Anthony(19:01:46): but they are correct
StevoFC(19:01:50): can you roll my firmware back?
Anthony(19:01:55): no
StevoFC(19:02:17): how much is the verizon cancellation fee?
Anthony(19:03:07): I am tech support
Anthony(19:03:13): 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966), available Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
Anthony(19:03:18): give them a call and they will work with you
StevoFC(19:03:35): if you are unwilling to help I will most likely cancel my service
StevoFC(19:03:46): because this update is not acceptable
Anthony(19:03:57): I can’t roll your firmware back
Anthony(19:04:03): I am sorry
StevoFC(19:04:16): you would if the update didn’t install correctly on my end
Anthony(19:04:41): it installed correctly
StevoFC(19:04:58): so you are saying verizon purposely screwed up the guide?
Anthony(19:05:08): no
Anthony(19:05:23): Unfortunately you don’t like the way it loks
Anthony(19:05:28): looks
Anthony(19:05:28): I am sorry
StevoFC(19:06:18): then like i said, I will have to call the number you gave me and possibly cancel my service
Anthony(19:06:28): I am sorry to hear that.
Anthony(19:06:39): Thanks for using Verizon Click to Chat. For more information visit http://help.verizon.net . You can also download the Verizon In Home Agent at http://verizon.com/inhomeagent to help with any future issues with your service. You may receive a survey regarding this chat. I hope you can rate us a 10 based on your experience with me today. Thank you for choosing Verizon.
Your session is now closed.
Thank you,have a nice day.

Yes, I was rude…I normally try to be nice but the guy was treating me like an idiot. Sorry Anthony, but don’t assume people who contact you are dumb and maybe you would be treated nicer.

To make things even better, They include an email link at the bottom of the chat when you are done so that you can email the log to your account. I click the link to email the transcript to myself and I got this…

I started to laugh when this happened…Why, you ask?

The FiOS email addresses are .net not .com, so I couldn’t even email the transcript to myself.

Thanks Verizon, you seem to be getting better each day.

I contacted support via chat and told them about the problem. They told me they could “initialize” my box because it was possible there was some sort of programming error after the last firmware update. I said no problem and they told me to contact them again if the problem persisted because a replacement DVR would need to be sent. That same evening I contacted them again and told them the problem was still there and without any problems I was told a new one would be sent via UPS.

Since I contacted them on a Friday evening, the box wasn’t going to be delivered until Tuesday. I had no problem with that since the box worked for the most part. The signal was just lost occasionally. Tuesday came along and I got the box via UPS like they said.

My original DVR was a 7216, and I was happy to see that the replacement they sent me was a 6416-2. Even though the 6416-2 is older than the 7216, it seems to have many less problems. First off, I can actually use the HDMI connection now with my Samsung LCD. It did not wok correctly with the original DVR. Secondly, it makes much less noise. I would think the newer one would have been quieter, but that’s not the case.

I have not had a single problem at all with this replacement box. The entire experience is much better now. There were many more problems with my original box than I even thought. There was a lot more lag in menus and in general overall usage. I am quite happy of the replacement and support couldn’t have made it any easier. All I had to do was put the faulty DVR in the box the new one was shipped in and take two labels to the UPS store and drop it off.

Self activation was very simple. The whole process didn’t even take me 30 minutes and I had the new DVR up and running with all of the guide data. They give you a code and you have the option of calling a telephone number or entering it online. I did it through the page online. It honestly couldn’t have been any simpler than it was.

What I thought was the most impressive part of this whole situation was how willing the support staff was to believe that my problem was actually with the FiOS equipment. Not once did they ever try to blame it on my television. Back when I had Comcast, any time I had a problem the first thing they tried to do was blame the issue on something I owned. Verizon never once even questioned me.

Once again, I am very happy with the service I am receiving from Verizon.

As I said before, some problems started to occur even with the component cables about a month ago. It didn’t happen very often at all, maybe a few times a day to start. The screen would go black for a split section because the signal to my tv would be lost. The tv would then immediately display the information in the upper left of that screen that a 1080i input was connected. Like I said, it didn’t happen very often, until recently…

Last week it started to get very bad. It would happen very often. Sometimes the signal would be lost and a second or 2 later it would happen again. I am fairly knowledgeable about these types of things in general, and I was confident that I could figure out the problem on my own without wasting my time explaining what was happening to Verizon support.

I thought about it for a day or 2 and I basically narrowed it down to 2 things. The box was either overheating or the component cables they gave me were going bad. The first thing I did was change the output of the box to 720p instead of 1080i. I figured if the cable was going bad, there is a chance it could handle the lower resolutions still. I figured if it didn’t cut out while on 720p, or cut out less, the cables were most likely the problem.

I set the box to output at 720p for almost 2 full days and the signal never dropped. About 10 minutes after changing it back to 1080i the usual happened and it lost the signal for a second. At that point I decided I would just order new component cables because they are very cheap now online.  I went with this set from Cables To Go on Amazon. They cost about $9. I have bought other cables from them before, so I figured they would work fine.

They arrived a few days ago and I connected them right away. I watched some things that I had viewed the day before on my DVR that caused signal loss. I was happy to see that the problem seemed to have gone away.

For about 2 days now the signal has not dropped out at all. With the original cables that were given to me by Verizon, the signal would have dropped at least 15 or 20 times by now.

I figured I would post this incase others were having similar issues. It was much easier for me to just buy the cables myself rather than going through to hassle of support. Hopefully the cables turn out to be the only problem.

The most recent hardware update to the Mini makes it much better suited as a HTPC (home theater PC) than the previous models. The updated integrated video card and slightly better processor should be more than enough to push 1080p content to my Samsung LCD.

I have read online about other people using the Mini for this purpose. It is low powered, and very quiet. That is something that is definitely important to me for this type of use.

Currently I use PS3 Media Server on my iMac to stream all of my media to my PS3. By using that program, I can play practically anything on my PS3 by transcoding the media files on the fly. This works fine but requires me to always have my iMac and PS3 running when I want to view that type of content. If i purchase a Mac Mini that would not be necessary. I’m just not sure that I will utilize it enough to spend over $600 on another computer that will basically only serve the purpose of media playback.

Obviously, I am still on the fence about it. I’m curious what others think about using the Mini for this purpose…

Any suggestions of software for the media library would be great. I have read about a few, but some suggestions of what others have used would be appreciated.

Here is the proposed channel lineup:

MTV HD 710
VH 1 HD 717
CMT HD 721
Nick HD 752
Spike HD 554
Comedy Central HD 690

The first of these channels should be live starting on June 24 (subject to change), with the rest to be added over the following week.

This is in no way official, but it has been spreading over the internet today. Let’s hope that it’s true. I have been waiting for Spike HD. Now that it has been added I basically have every HD channel that I need. All is good…

Here is a deal week to get excited about! Have you thought about upgrading your home theater to High Definition or do you just want to add some Blu-Ray movies to your collection? From June 8 – 12, the Gold Box will be featuring great deals on a variety of High Definition items in all of the Deal of the Days and Lightning Deals. Don’t miss it.

The Gold Box Team

I’m sure there will be some really good deals over the next week. Like always, I will probably end up buying things I really don’t need because they are priced so low.  

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