Picking Up The Best Satellite TV Deals From The Right Retailers: A Checklist For Satellite TV Shoppers

Once considered a luxury for the rich and famous, satellite television has become a competitive industry, making it an affordable option for just about everyone. Nowadays, with more than 20 millions subscribers in total, satellite TV broadcasting had become one of the fastest growing home products in United States.

The fact is for recent years, the expansion rate of satellite TV had beaten cable TV greatly.. Recent polls show some common reasons being superior picture quality, larger selection of channels and programs, increased availability, good customer service and the continuing drop in price.

However, with any hot product come the scammers. Thousands of "Free Satellite TV" websites have popped up; claming to offer the best satellite TV deals and promotions. Most of these scams offer a fake promise on their deals. Extremely low monthly subscription rates, next-day installation, and unlimited number of free satellite systems are some of the common promotion terms. However, once a customer signs up they find hidden activation fees, high delivery costs for free extras, installation dates continuously missed or pushed back, as well as shocking cancellation fees.

What will happen when I order my satellite TV via online retailers?

You place an order with an online satellite TV system retailer. You will then choose the number of satellite system you wished to receive. Standard online satellite TV deals will offer you up to 4 free satellite systems along with certain incentive gifts like DVD player or home theater systems.

At the time of ordering you will schedule a time that a local professional installer can come to your home and install the system. You do not need to choose your programming packages at the time of order. For example when you are ordering the Dish Network deals, you can always order your Dish Network systems first and decide your programming package later. Instructions for ordering your Dish Network programming will be sent with your systems. You will need to call Dish Network's toll-free number (24/7 all year long) after your installation is completed. A customer service representative will help you activate all the programming you would like.

The satellite system will either be shipped to your home before the installation date or the installer will bring it with them. In normal case, shipping cost and standard installation fees are free of charge.

Why order satellite TV deals online?

Ordering your satellite TV deals online is instant and easy. All you need to do is just a few clicks on your PC and stay at home at the scheduled installation time. The retailers that have been around a few years have this process streamlined for efficiency.

The start up cost for online satellite TV dealers is much lower than the brick and mortal dealers. Thus, online satellite TV dealers offer the best bargains in satellite TV services. In order to win the market share, some online dealers even offer incentive gifts to their customers. Home theater systems, DVD players, digital cameras are given free to win more customers.

How about the Internet scams?

Unfortunately, with any hot product on Internet come the scammers.

Online ordering satellite TV deals sounds great. However, consumers should also aware that there are risks hidden when ordering your satellite TV deals online: Fraudulent websites.

There are hundreds or even thousands of scammers in the satellite TV online business, claiming to offer the best satellite dish deals and promotions. Their websites might look professional to lure unsuspecting customers. Most of these scams offer a fake promise on their deals. Extremely low monthly subscription rates, next-day installation, and unlimited number of free satellite systems are some of the common promotion terms. But once a customer signs up they find hidden activation fees, high shipping costs for free extras, installation dates continuously missed or pushed back, as well as outrageous cancellation fees.

Hundreds of "Satellite TV" websites have popped up, Buyers should always beware of all these scammers and do not fall into their traps. Satellite TV deals can be a huge bargains or a scary nightmare and it all depends on the satellite TV retailers that you pick.

Picking up the right satellite TV retailers

Both Dish Network and DirecTV had several reputable online retailers assigned and you are always recommended to order your satellite systems from them.

To get a dependable online dealer, we suggest checklist below as the minimum requirements. If you would like to view the list of satellite TV dealers that we recommend, we suggest this reference page: http://www.dishnetworkissue.com/DishNetowrk_retailers.html

Requirements on good online satellite TV dealer:

·In satellite TV business for more than 1 year.
·Websites must provide secure order page and certified website.
·Must be authorized by Dish Network or DirecTV officials.
·No "hidden" fees- cost charged on credit card is shown clearly.
·Customer service available via phone, live chats or email.
·100% guaranteed. (Full refund if installation fails).
·Testimonial, users review, as well as other authority sites recommendation would be a plus point.

About The Author
Teddy LCC -- experienced writter on consumer products reviews. Check out his latest satellite TV related website and get recommendations on DirecTV or Dish Network deals at: http://www.satellitetvissue.com or http://www.dishnetworkissue.com

High Tech Spy Surveillance Equipment

For the consummate professional, nothing less than the best spy surveillance equipment is acceptable. The best private investigators and bounty hunters never skimp when it comes to their work, and when one has the best spy surveillance equipment, it will pay for itself in a relatively short period of time. Reputation increases, and you become "the person" to see when some serious surveillance needs to be done.

High tech spy surveillance equipment does not come cheap. It can cost up to $10,000 for a good system (like the PRS 12000) complete with portable DVR, multi-channel capability, and ability to allow you to check in on your cameras from anywhere in the world. There are other systems with various features as well that cost between $3,000 and $6,000, but they lack some of the features that come standard on more advanced models.

It is also no secret that you can get cell phone spy surveillance equipment for fairly low prices. However, if you want something that does more than just track a location, you need a true spy phone. The Spy Matrix Spy Phone is a little pricey, but it is the ultimate in high tech portable bug surveillance. The phone is equipped with a microphone that can pick up anything around the phone. Just dial in the secret number and the phone is activated to hear everything that is going on.

Other high tech spy surveillance equipment includes things like wireless systems, vehicle tracking with histories and real time abilities, advanced software, and small cameras that can be hidden almost anywhere. These types of high-end spy devices can make any surveillance job easier and more professional. They impress the customer with the neat gadgetry, and they get the job done in an efficient manner. The right equipment is more than worth the initial prices paid. Just like any other business, it is an investment that yields a return.

A real professional chooses the best tools to get the job done. When you are tired of being an amateur, and you are ready for true professionalism, turn high tech with your spy surveillance equipment.

(c) 2005 Copyright www.spyassociates.com. This article is about: Spy Surveillance Equipment.

About The Author
Shawn Davis
To learn more about Spy and Surveillance Products visit http://www.spyassociates.com. Read other related articles at http://spyassociates.blogspot.com/.

Canon xl2 Digital Camcorder – Do Pro's Really Use A Minidv Camcorder?

Canon xl2 digital camcorder and a chance meeting as I was on a lunch break.

Did you know that you can get fed & paid to learn about video production? Picture this:

You're down the street at the local shops when you hear a lot of screaming from up a side street.

"What the heck was that?" you think to yourself and make your way around the corner to see what all the commotion is about.

To your surprise, you see twenty or thirty people screaming and carrying on as they chase a New York City taxi-cab, only to have it stop after twenty yards and back-up, ready to do it all over again.

You hesitate for a moment and contemplate if it would be better to turn around and walk in the other direction.

It's then you notice the traffic control personnel, the lights, cameras and huge number of support people. You have stumbled across a location shoot for a television commercial.

"Ahaaa", you say to yourself "perfect opportunity to learn about 'the business'".

So you hang around and study the camera angles, positioning of the lights and how it is all controlled by the director. The placement of screens and reflectors, the use of microphones and the roles of the support crew.

It's when you speak to the 'extras' (the rowdy 'mob') that you discover they are being paid $20 an hour and the whole event is fully catered!

Now if you want to learn more about the business of film and video production with the added bonus of being paid to do so, sign up as an extra and learn from the inside. If you are unsure where to start, just type 'movie extra' in a search engine like google.

Now this is a true story and as my luck would have it, was taking place right outside my office window for most of the day (the screaming and yelling did get a bit tedious after a while).

It was good to speak to the cast extra's, but this was a better opportunity to talk to the technical crew on aspects of filming and production. Just had to pick the right moment.

And that I did and picked up some good info to boot!

The production house was not a large firm so they had developed systems and procedures to control costs while providing quality outputs. One of these was using a Canon xl2 digital camcorder as the secondary camera.

The size and weight of the Canon xl2 compared to the betacam unit allowed it to be placed in unusual locations quickly and easily (thus saving time, which equals money) and the image quality showed no discernable difference (you would need to view on a new digital system to notice a difference and even then you'd have to be looking closely.

I even managed to get a word in with the main production cameraman so I could 'pick his brain' on the Canon xl2 digital camcorder. He loved the unit but did say he found it's performance questionable when filming vertical stripes and off green colourings (the types of situations you might find in filming catwalk models). Other than that he said the xl2 was a great asset for a pro or semi-pro operator.

So if you'd like a whole lot of fun while getting paid, sign up as a movie/production extra. And if you want a great camcorder and have the experience to use it get yourself a Canon xl2 digital camcorder.

About The Author
Mark Sturge is the owner of KMS Productions and webmaster at http://www.video-production-mastery.com, a site where visitors can find digital camcorder reviews such as the panasonic pv-gs400 3 ccd camcorder as well as useful hints and tips to better their filming techniques.

What Is The Best Digital Camera For Me?

There is so much to consider when looking for the best digital camera to suit your needs. It is important to decide what features matter the most to you. The main factors, apart from cost, in assessing which is the best digital camera for you are as follows:

• Size and weight
• Resolution
• Level of Control
• Options and features

The size and weight of the best digital camera for one person varies greatly to that of another. If you want a camera that is lightweight and will slip into a pocket or purse then a ultra-lightweight cameras will probably be the best digital camera for your needs. These are often the least complex of the digital cameras as they offer point and shoot simplicity and are the best digital camera for beginners. At the other end of the size and weight scale comes a bulky 1? pound SLR camera for the 'serious' photographer who wants the best digital camera with all of the accessories to take the perfect shot.

The resolution you need can narrow down which is the best digital camera for your requirements. The resolution affects the detail of an image for printing quality and the higher the resolution the greater the detail. The best digital camera for printing standard size pictures has a lower resolution than if you want to create oversize prints.

The best digital camera for being able to edit and manipulate your images is one with a resolution of 5 or 6 mega pixels so that you can crop the images with photo editing software and still print them out full size.

The amount of control that you have available will also be an issue in finding the best digital camera. Some people think that the best digital camera is one they can use in an automatic mode and let the camera do the work. Others choose the best digital camera that allows them more input in the creative process by manually adjusting the focus, speed, aperture and other settings. A simple point and shoot camera is the best digital camera for people not wanting to make any setting changes but the range of manual controls available on other cameras varies with make and model. The latter will require more research to find the best digital camera to meet your requirements.

The next part in deciding which is the best digital camera to buy is to assess what, if any, additional features you would like. Here are some suggestions:

• Audio annotation to add commentary to your images.

• Burst shooting which allows you to take multiple pictures in rapid succession for fast moving action shots.

• Macro photo capability that focuses on extreme close-up detail for images of flowers, insects, etc.

• Movie mode with audio to take short videos.

• Panoramic stitching function, often included in a camera's software package, which joins individual images into a multi-photo panoramic picture.

• Weatherproof casing

The most important aspect in choosing the best digital camera for you is ensuring that you are comfortable using it and have some fun taking pictures.

About The Author
Steve Gargin is the administrator of http://digital-camera-reviews.helper-guru.com/digital-camera-kodak-easyshare-ls753/index.html which is a great website dedicated to giving free advice on Digital Cameras.

Directv HD Receivers Moving With Times

Directv's debut in 1994 turned out to be an auspicious entry into the satellite television market. With a variety of options in programming, some cable subscribers opted for satellite and now more and more are doing so, while others are taking the next technological step by purchasing Directv's HD receivers as well.

And with the FCC handing down a decision to convert all television to high definition format, commonly known as HD, by 2006, content providers, cable and satellite companies like Directv are in full swing with marketing programs to sell their HD receivers. HD is broadcast digitally at a higher resolution for better picture quality. In the past high definition television used to be a term referred to newer technology in the 1930s that replaced experimental television technology at the time.

Currently, a Directv HD receiver can cost in the five hundred to six hundred dollar range on the cheap side and well over a thousand dollars for higher end receivers. Electronics manufacturers like Hughes, Samsung and others are all touting their HD receivers now for their features, but prices are still a little high, as well as for HD television sets, which average in price over one thousand five hundred dollars

Much has been made of the high definition issue of late and those with a more pessimistic mindset toward HD, some refer to them as hardcore analogue-ers, don't think a full conversion to HD will be done in time. Even now, those who may purchase an HD receiver are limited to those providers, or television stations or networks that provide content in HD, which some say is up to five times sharper than regular television.

But while Directv has done its part by offering HD receivers, customers recently have complained about the exorbitant price of an HD and Tivo combination receiver, which rings in at a thousand dollars when purchasing it from Directv, a hard pill to swallow for those who may have already spent five hundred to a thousand dollars on a Directv HD receiver to begin with. Tivo allows customers to records hours of television without needing a VHS tape or DVD burner. For the time being some customers are buying a separate Tivo unit and hooking it into their current Directv HD receiver, unfortunately sacrificing some picture quality along the way.

But many customers feel that in time, as with the prices of plasma screen televisions, the Tivo and Directv HD receiver combination will come down in price. So for now, the best bet for those with their Directv HD receivers may be to wait. In time, not only will there be more HD content, but also more affordable receiver options. Standard Directv HD Receivers will likely go down in price as well, along with those with the added Tivo option.

Sources:
http://archive.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/history/topic/182395-1.html
http://www.pvrblog.com/pvr/2005/04/directvs_hd_pro.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HDTV
http://www.chartercom.com/products/hdtv/hdtv.aspx
http://www.kaptainsatellite.com

About The Author
David Johnson is a website developer and one of the resources he uses for satellite tv information is http://www.kaptainsatellite.com.

How To Compare Digital Camera Prices

Digital camera prices have been constantly dropping whilst the quality and complexity of the digital cameras has been rising rapidly. People who used to only dream of owning a digital camera because of the excessive digital camera prices may now be able to afford much better cameras than they realize. In fact, digital camera prices have changed so dramatically that a 5- or 6-megapixel point-and-shoot digital camera has dropped below what a 4-megapixel camera was selling for less than a year ago.

Digital camera prices of $200-$300 are now common for good point-and-shoot digital cameras that come with an image resolution of up to 5 mega pixels and a 3X optical zoom lens. It is important to recognize what the minimum features are to expect for this range of digital camera prices. Digital camera prices between $200 and $300 should include:

* 1.3 frames per second shooting capability

* 10 to 20 scene modes

* built-in flash

* lens openings from f2.8 to f4.8

* optical viewfinder and an LCD of 1.5 to 2 inches

* optical zoom lens with a range equivalent to that of a 35-115mm lens

* rechargeable batteries

* shutter speeds of 4 seconds to 1/2000 second

* solid plastic or metal housing

* video clip capture at 320 by 240 resolution with audio

Digital camera prices can vary and it is essential to know what the most useful features are. Obviously you want to take good pictures but don't want to pay the inflated digital camera prices that the high-end cameras have. However, your priority should be to assess which features are the most important to enable you to take the best pictures. The higher the numbers of megapixels that the cameras have, the higher the digital camera prices are but this does not necessarily guarantee better pictures.

One of the most useful features to look for in the $200-$300 range of digital camera prices for point-and-shoot picture taking is scene modes. Digital camera prices are not affected very much by having scene modes but these allow an amateur photographer to take shots such as a fireworks display and sunsets without knowing how to adjust the camera settings manually. The majority of the better digital cameras within the $200-$300 range of digital camera prices have scene mode selections available. Another feature of cameras within the $200-$300 range of digital camera prices is that they are compact and will fit in a jacket pocket.

About The Author
Steve Gargin is the administrator of http://digital-camera-reviews.helper-guru.com/camera-digital-finepix-fuji-review/index.html which is a great website dedicated to giving free advice on Digital Cameras.

Detecting Spy Cams

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You know that using spy cams can be very useful for surveillance. But if you use spy cams, isn't it only logical to assume that other people use them too? If you are involved in surveillance, chances are that it is important that you also be involved in counter surveillance. And the best way to detect hidden cameras in your premises is to have a good system to detect hidden cameras and other devices.

One of the best things you can get in detecting spy cams is the ORION. This is also known as the NJE-4000. This device is designed to detect electronic spy devices, even if they are turned off or hardwired. This device can even help you detect spy cams hidden on bodies. Before you use your cell phone or talk about sensitive material, you should perform a sweep of the area in order to make sure that no one uninvited is listening in.

There are other ways to detect spy cams. Many of them give off transmitter frequencies (especially those used by private investigators trying to keep their costs down and amateurs). This means that most bug sweepers designed to detect radio transmission energy will find hidden cameras. However, if the device is hardwired or does not emit radio waves, you will want something more advanced than a regular bug sweeper.

Another way to make sure that spy cams do not infiltrate your residence in the first place is to have your own system of cameras set up. This way you can watch the premises with help from a camera and then you see whether suspicious persons appear to planting devices meant to peek in on you, or even simply listen to what is going on. You can keep an eye on such activity with your own spy cams, and then you can either give them wrong information on purpose, or immediately dispose of the offending surveillance equipment.

Avoid letting your secrets and sensitive information leak out. You can stay one step ahead of would-be spies and investigators. Use bug sweepers and counter surveillance to protect yourself from spy cams.

(c) 2005 Copyright www.spyassociates.com. This article is about: Spy Cams.

About The Author
Shawn Davis
To learn more about Spy and Surveillance Products visit http://www.spyassociates.com . Read other related articles at http://spyassociates.blogspot.com/.

A Guide To Buying A Digital Camera Equipment

How to Buy Digital Camera Equipment

There are so many digital cameras that it can be confusing trying to buy digital camera equipment. Here are some tips to help you decide which the best choice is for you and buy digital camera equipment that you will get the best results with:

• The first step before you buy digital camera equipment is to set a basic budget on how much money you want to spend. You do need to be realistic about the fact you won't be able to get the best of every feature, as you may have to make tradeoffs when you actually buy digital camera equipment.

• Your experience level has to have a big influence in your decision to buy digital camera equipment. There is no point in buying too much buy digital camera equipment than you can actually use. For a novice you should buy digital camera equipment that is point and shoot so that you don't have to worry about manually changing any settings. Digital zoom is not as important a part in the process of choosing to buy digital camera equipment as you may first think. Basically it just means that the camera crops the picture and gives you the center piece of it. You do not need to buy digital camera equipment that does this as you can do it better yourself after you take the picture. You can usually move closer to the subject anyway and to buy digital camera equipment that includes an optical zoom can add a lot of unnecessary cost and weight to the camera. Of course, expert photographers will want to buy digital camera equipment that gives them more manual control over the exposure process.

• Next you need to consider what you will use your camera to capture before you set out to buy digital camera equipment. A fast shutter speed is necessary for moving subjects. You can also buy digital camera equipment that has special features to enable you to take multiple pictures in quick succession for high-action pictures.

• There are a number of helpful websites that give reviews on photographic products to help you decide on the best camera for your needs before you buy digital camera equipment. Of course, you can also ask friends and family about their digital camera choices. Price comparison websites are also essential to help you to buy digital camera equipment at the best possible prices. Remember that when you buy digital camera equipment there are often a list of extras that you may want to purchase, including batteries and memory cards.

Don't be tempted to go for a trendy-looking, colorful camera if you really want to buy a less cool looking one that does more of what you want. Make sure that you have got as many of the features that you wanted to have in the first place and haven't compromised too much on them for the sake of a few extra dollars. It is important to ensure that you buy digital camera equipment that you are happy with and enables you to take the photographs that you want.

About The Author
Steve Gargin is the administrator of http://digital-camera-reviews.helper-guru.com/camera-card-digital-memory-review/index.html which is a great website dedicated to giving free advice on Digital Cameras.

Camcorder Enthusiasts! What Does Reality TV Really Mean? - Great News for the Camcorder User!

Reality TV is experiencing an upsurge in popularity and its presence has conditioned the public's acceptance of a number of things:

-That lead actors being trained and polished 'performers' is no longer a necessity.

-Camcorder movement. As the use of 'dollies', 'jibs' and even 'steadycams' to obtain smooth motion/tracking shots are often at odds with site and time constraints.

-Reduction in production values of video, lighting and audio.

Whilst a 'reduction in production values' may not inspire confidence, it bodes as a positive to the small time camcorder operator in reduced production costs. And the savvy camcorder operator can make up any shortfall with a little imagination and a lot of ingenuity.

"Anyone can be a video producer", says Mark Sturge, of KMS Productions "technology has delivered the tools and there is an emerging group of people who know that (don't tell anyone this) video and even television production is easy, if you have the right plan.

"Desktop video is a huge opportunity." Mark goes on to explain "Everyday people are looking for special memories to be preserved on video tape or DVD. That family occasion/party/wedding or their children's sports events filmed with a camcorder. And now getting their favourite sport or hobby on TV is possible. Yes... possible. And you can be the video producer that does it for them!"

Most people think that it takes big bucks to produce video for television or commercial release. The inside secret is that you can produce quality video productions with a relatively small investment - and having the right plan that can take you step-by-step through the process is a crucial component. Here are the steps Mark suggests you should follow:

1. Get yourself a high resolution camcorder.

2. Learn how to use your camcorder to produce 'compelling' video (this sounds obvious, but it can be where the majority of operators 'drop the ball').

3. Engineer cost effective solutions to produce professional production values (in particular the areas of lighting and audio).

4. Polish your production with your desktop editing system.

5. Submit your production to program managers that accept public submissions, create a professional looking DVD series to sell, shoot family/TV/commercial video in your home studio etc..

So what are you waiting for? Pick up that camcorder, boot up your pc and 'Say It With Video'!

About The Author

Mark Sturge is the owner of KMS Productions and webmaster at http://www.video-production-mastery.com/, a site where visitors can find information, training videos and manuals that help people to better their camcorder techniques or discover ways to earn an income from their video taking hobby.