SanDisk to The Rescue - JPEG viewing on TV is a snap...!
Written: Dec 29 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Complete JPEG viewer, reads most memory cards, RCA+S-Video Output&Cables for both, Remote+Power Adapter
Cons: NONE OBSERVED!
The Bottom Line: You should not waste time obtaining this incredibly useful device. It will reopen the possibilities, not readily evident, embedded within the Digital Images you are collecting.
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| ASourdough4's Full Review: Sandisk DPV-TBA SanDisk Digital Photo Viewer |
As a grizzled veteran of the Memory Card compatibility wars; this incredibly complete and very affordable Digital Photo Reader was the best Christmas I could have given myself this year. In one single, small and affordable bubble pack, SanDisk Corporation has cut through the fog surrounding Memory Card Type proliferation and solved the Presentation dilemma. This product is truly for the masses.
SanDisk Corporation (DPV) Digital Photo Viewer (aka SDV1-R)
This incredible package contains:
1. Digital Photo Viewer Unit
2. Remote Control With Batteries!
3. S-video Cable
4. RCA video Cable
5. Power Adapter - 120vac to 12vdc
6. Set-Up Guide
Observations & Specifications of interest:
The Viewer Unit is only 1" high, about 5" wide and 4" deep. Rubber feet make it "Stay Put" even when placed on a center speaker shell. Although the Viewer Unit is very light, the RCA Cable (I don't have any S-Video equipment) did not overcome the friction of those 4 rubber feet. The viewer has a green power on lamp, an orange lamp indicates which Memory Card Slot is occupied. (Obviously, the absence of an orange lamp should suggest that no card is inserted).
The Memory Card slots are labeled: CF (CompactFlash I/II), SD (Secure Data), SM (SmartMedia), and MS (MEMORY STICK!). YES, that not so ubiquitous Sony Stick can be read without needing to own a Sony Product. This allows you to accommodate that visitor who may be using a Sony Camera or PC. (I never thought I would see Sony Corp release its grip like this within the next decade. As you may gather, Sony is a Company I love to hate).
SETUP
a. Open package, connect the Viewer to a TV or other video input, using either the S-Video or RCA cable provided.
b. Load included AAA Batteries into Remote Control.
c. Connect Power Adapter to the Viewer, then to an AC outlet.
d. Switch TV on and set it to "Video" input position.
That's it! 5 minutes from Package to Play!
OPERATION
Insert the memory card (loaded, of course, with JPEG files) of your choice into one of the four sockets provided in the Viewer.
Sit Down somewhere.
Press the power button on the remote (or on the Viewer).
Instantly, you will see a SanDisk Logo; which fades to the first image you have stored on the Memory Card. Etcetera.
You may choose one of 3 DIsplay Modes: Slide Show, Pause, Preview. The Slide Show Mode runs rather quickly, taking about 1/2 hour to show 64MB of Images. The Slide Show seemed to have a mind of its own but, after some experimentation, I could halt it by pressing Pause. From there, one could proceed by resuming the Slide Show or by pressing one of the Arrows (Next or Previous).
For variety, the Preview Mode allows you to be aware of what images are coming next or have been shown recently. Six previews are available, arrow navigation allows selection of the desired image - i.e. one can skip around.
THE "BEST of ALL" FEATURE
ZOOM "+" and "-" buttons do the trick. There are 5 stops in each direction. From a distance of 12 feet from the TV Screen, you can examine a sign, license plate or wart - no distortion occurs unless the image is very low resolution (75 DPI or so).
Now, here is the Best of All feature. When Zooming, the object of interest may not remain within the frame - a cluster set of 4 navigation buttons cures this with ease. The elusive part of the image is brought into view quickly, the image moves along so that no unwanted overrun will occur.
IMAGE ROTATION One of the most aggravating parts of digital photography is that of how the software handles sets of images that include Portrait or Landscape images. Two buttons on this carefully designed remote control allow 90 degree rotation in either direction. You do not need to rotate your head.
DELETE One needs not to be warned that this could be dangerous. Nevertheless, a RED button is provided. The operator should be aware of the possibilities - ESPECIALLY if you are viewing images on someone else's Memory Card. Or, much worse, if a precocious child in the audience wants to "show off".
MENU/SELECT After using this Remote Control through several sittings, I confess that I cannot imagine what else one could possibly want to do - I'll leave it to you to explore this button located in the center of the navigation button cluster.
Comments and Tips
The setup guide is mum about the functions of the buttons on the remote. By the way, a duplicate partial set of five buttons is built into the top of the Viewer. Overall, the strange lack of instructions was no obstacle to operations. The Viewer operations are highly intuitive and experimentation is not dangerous (except for the DELETE button - after all, one must be ready to think about something.) My spouse of 41 years, who detests remotes of all kinds, picked up this one and mastered it in a few minutes without any instruction at all. Incidentally, I noted that the Viewer Unit turns "On" now and then, seemingly of its own volition. Apparently, there is another remote in the room, TV or CD Player, that happens to use one of the DPV infrared frequencies.
There were no instructions as to what type of file will "Play" and what might not. I tried to select individual JPEG files as well as complete sub-directories. Transitions between single files and Sub-Directories created no problem for the DPV. My selections played OK except for some rejected with a message on the TV Screen advising "Must be Base JPEG Files". Among the rejected files were some in TIFF format. Also, the transition from one Sub-Directory to another caused a "Wait" message to flash on the TV screen; followed immediately by the next set of images.
Speaking of transitions, the DPV inserts a variety of visual tricks as the new image begins to appear - this seems to reduce eye fatigue as one attempts to follow the same path to the new image.
One or more transitions from one Sub-Directory to another failed to display. I found that these 'bumps' in the presentations were overcome by running the portion in question in "Slide Show" mode. Again, the slide show could be halted by pressing "Pause"; then pressing either the "Next" or "Previous" button.
Some files I thought were JPEG were apparently not BASE JPEG, these failed to display. Interestingly, when one of these was encountered, the "PREVIEW" mode revealed a series of Interrogatory Symbols (? Mark). In one case, a set of JPEG files were known to have been created by converting from TIFF files produced by my flat-bed Scanner, edited on Adobe Photoshop 7. Every one of those 1900 era historical photos failed to display. I think that the "Save As" scanner command might cure this minor problem. One file, however, was known to be a heavily edited image - that one "Played" just fine.
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WHAT LED TO THIS DISCOVERY?
After witnessing DVD Player performance, I reasoned that the electronic chip could do anything. Such as display JPEG from a CD-R or CD-R/W Compact Disk. "Sorry Charlie", it was not even thought of or, if the DVD Player manufacturers did think of it, they did not offer the function. We tried a software program called "Picture 2 TV" that created Video CD archives - two versions of this program ($30 downloaded) proved to be incompatible - the process required many hours - could be ameliorated by loading up the PC with Max RAM - I gave up. But I kept an eye on what was appearing on the shelf in mid 2003. Aha! Caught 'em. Some manufacturers began to offer a Photo FIle Viewer. Of course, they were off and running with either Photo CD or JPEG display capability. Some never did offer anything, including the producer of Beta Max and Memory Sticks.
Last week, Sony surrendered and offered a Combo DVD/VHS player that would display JPEG Images. With a roar I was off to Best Buy to examine this "Blessing". I am skeptical of "Combo" devices, the device will either "Think or Thwim" as long as BOTH components work but I was being fair. The shelf label contained several items, including the $178 price - also, the carton warned that "...some images on CD-R disks MIGHT NOT PLAY JPEG files..." I captured a sales clerk and began cutting off pieces of his fingers until he agreed to answer my questions; it was then that he introduced the concept of CD-R versus CD+R as well as DVD-R and DVD+R. (That reads CD minus R, not CD hyphen R) That did it, I was out of the market instantly; willing to let the industry work out this sequel to BetaMax.
-------end of review---------
I happened to be looking into HDTV, the latest pain in the neck for consumers to fathom. Shown a projection "HDTV Ready" made by the "BetaMax" folks, I found a little door in one corner of that massive 46" set - the door revealed the usual yellow-red-black RCA inputs and (OH NO!) a socket for the MEMORY STICK.
While pondering this folly, a clerk invited me to see his solution for the incompatibility war - he led me to this SANDISK Digital Viewer. Lightning from a clear sky. I bought one, a $49 solution that could have cost hundreds of dollars more. In a spasm of thankfulness, I tried to kiss the clerk but he would have none of that - "...they are not on commission..."
------------------------Dear Reader--------------------
Because the Epinions Database does not yet include a very handy and complementary device that works in conjunction with the subject Digital Photo Viewer, I am including my experience with it right here for your convenience.
Loading up that Memory Card
I own an HP-PhotoSmart 1000 printer that still works. Its most fascinating feature, other than overpriced Ink cartridges, is the slots in it that will accept both CompactFlash and SmartMedia Memory cards. I ran my files to the CF Card by way of the printer and, by the time I had loaded 30 MB of files into our brand-new 64MB CF Card, I had missed dinner. That led me to look around for a Card Reader. found one at Staples, a USB device made by, you guessed it, Sandisk Corp. The choices included one that could handle the same four (actually, I see now, 6 different) Memory Cards ($39) or single units for one or another Memory Cards ($20)- I took one of the latter (ImageMate CF Model SDDR-91) for my CF needs. It is an "ImageMate" USB 2.0 Reader/Writer. (There is no listing in Epinions for this exact item, so I am including it herein for reader convenience.) Not knowing what to expect, I was amazed to see this small device install itself the moment that I connected the USB Cable. It even found a Microsoft Driver. Above all, the thing WORKED as advertised without a hitch.
This USB stuff can be terrific - With this new toy (2" wide, 3" long, 1/2" thick, USB Cable included), I was able to load up 60MB of files in about 4 minutes. SanDisk, an incredibly astute company, actually made this USB 2.0 device backward compatible with USB 1.1; a feature which has great appeal to me.
Also, I can now fathom the advantages of owning a larger capacity CompactFlash Memory Card, say 1 GB? They are available!
If you, like my brother, own more than one Digital Camera, there is a good chance they use different Memory Cards. Thus, you would be wise to obtain the 6-in-1 Reader Writer.
If I were to need an HDTV Monitor right now, it could be the Sony 46" unit, I could transfer my files to a Memory Stick if I had the 4 Card, $39 version noted above. The 4 Card Reader includes the tiny USB connector that I take to be for newer miniaturized still digital cameras with "Proprietory" USB connections. Another consumer friendly feature.
Highly recommended.
http://www.sandisk.com/
ENJOY! And have a Happy 2004!
- Asourdough4=Maurice McDonell
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
ASourdough4
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 - Top 500 |
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Member: Maurice McDonell
Location: Above Beautiful Napa Valley
Reviews written: 200
Trusted by: 194 members
About Me:
July-2009 Gone to the Wide World of Wireless. Still reading and rating. Mostly elsewhere.
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