Advantages: Good features, sound quality, can be bought cheaply on ebay.
Disadvantages: No phantom power some leaking issues.

...The most expensive of Tascams portastudio range. The 424 MKIII is a very good purchase for the musician on a budget who needs more than just plug and play features. The unit contains, 4 unpowered balanced XLR inputs. 4 jack inputs. (you can't use bolth the xlr and jacks at once) and 2 further jack inputs. So if you were to use XLR - Jack converters. You could run 6 microphones through the unit at once. The unit does have a tricky operation however. First you must select the input, line/mic - for microphones and jack inputs off - for no input tape - for monitoring whilst recording on another channel to monitor without leakage. Then there is a 4 band e.q., high, high-mid, mid and low. Very few portastudios have a 4 band e.q. Next are the effect sends, if you have a compressor of effects unit connected, these dictate how... Read review

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Advantages: cheap digital television
Disadvantages: sometimes breaks up late at night

...I originally got onDigital in March 1999 after I discovered that I was only watching a couple of the channels on TeleWest and they were available onDigital for half the monthly fee. I had not been happy with TeleWest customer service for a while and the only other option I had had been sky, I didn't want a dish on my house, so I had stuck with TeleWest. Anyhow after deciding to get onDigital I paid me money (£200) got my box and sign up and was happy. That was until onDigital started giving away free boxes when you signed up, but they wrote to me saying I would be paying less so I was still all right (not as happy as before) Then one day while looking on the QXL web site and saw they were selling prepaid boxes with a starting price of a pound, what a bargain I thought. Well after a little thought I decided a second box would... Read review

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Advantages: No waiting for installation. No Dish. Can be up and running the same day you sign up if you pick up your set top box from a retailer. Clear, crisp pictures and sound. Good quality channel line up, with unique service such as Internet access. Pay-per-view.
Disadvantages: Can require an aerial upgrade if it is damaged or old. Channel line up is improving but specialised channels need to be replaced with more general channels. (Now occuring, with the launch of new general channels such as Discovery Channel)

...ITV Digital (previously called ONdigital) is Britain’s only Digital Terrestrial Television platform. Basically in simple terms, if you hook up a set top box or Integrated Digital Television to your aerial, you will get ITV Digital. With ITV Digital you get free to air channels such as those from the ITV Network and those provided by the funding from your TV licence. Other channels are also available free to air such as the ITN News Channel. ITV Digital offers a wide range of programming from entertainment, old movies, new movies, lots and lots of sport, factual channels, kids, lifestyle and Music channels. These are available as either Primary or Premium channels, with premium channels being the more expensive. Also available is a pay per view events service, which offers blockbuster movies, musical events, sport and lots more... Read review

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Advantages: No waiting for installation. No Dish. Can be up and running the same day you sign up if you pick up your set top box from a retailer. Clear, crisp pictures and sound. Good quality channel line up, with unique service such as Internet access. Pay-per-view.
Disadvantages: Can require an aerial upgrade if it is damaged or old.

...***I have asked for this opinion to be removed as i have posted it in the ITVdigital section under this category. Please rate that opinion, not his one. Thanks!*** ITV Digital (previously called ONdigital) is Britain?s only Digital Terrestrial Television platform. Basically in simple terms, if you hook up a set top box or Integrated Digital Television to your aerial, you will get ITV Digital. With ITV Digital you get free to air channels such as those from the ITV Network and those provided by the funding from your TV licence. Other channels are also available free to air such as the ITN News Channel. ITV Digital offers a wide range of programming from entertainment, old movies, new movies, lots and lots of sport, factual channels, kids, lifestyle and Music channels. These are available as either Primary or Premium channels... Read review

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Advantages: No flickering, free to view channels mean you dont have to pay subscirtion, its easy 2 use, the text service is like the internet
Disadvantages: some but none that are to wrorry about

...I have been with the normal four channels for the past 13 years (im 14). And over the years I have noticed a great decreace in the qulity of the programs on offer. So ive changed to digital. I bought my self a nice wide screen tv with the digital decoder built into it and ive set it all up. For the first year I get to choose 6 of the subscription chanels I want for free which is good value seeing you dont have to pay subscription seeing there are already 10 or more free to view channels which have a lot more varaity and much better qulity shows that the normal anolog chanels. This is all very well, and what is even better is that if I wanted to continue to have the six subscription chanels that I get free for one year after that year has expired I only need to pay £9.99 per month which is much cheaper than sky! Seeing that digital... Read review

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Advantages: So many channels to choose from, interactive services, play games, listen to music, ....
Disadvantages: Do not broadcast itv, package prices are high

...We got Sky Digital well over a year ago. To say it has been fantastic. Not just the channels you get, there is much more to Sky Digital than you think so. So far we have not been disappointed by Sky Digital. What is Sky Digital? ################ As you may already know Sky Digital is a service provides by BskyB. This system replaces the original analogue system. The wonders of Digital will replace all analogue receivers in few years coming up. Sky Digital offers a wide range of channels and many more features in a digital format. Sky is becoming more popular due to more channels coming and the ability to do more than ordinary receivers. Not only subscription channels host Sky Digital. They also offer 13 non-subscirption TV channels and 26 radio stations. Which is marvellous. How do I get Sky? ############## Well... Read review

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Advantages: Sky Digital generally better for most packages
Disadvantages: ITV Digital better for low cost packages, no installation charge

...So you've had enough of 5 channels? Time to get some real choice you think; but what is better? Well there's no definitive answer, depends on what you want. But having both puts me in a good position to give a comparison between both. So... Installation ITV Digital wins here. Sky costs much more initialy because of installation charges. Currently, these are £50 if you subscribe to the full sky pack (sports+movies) - Sky World, £80 if you subscribe to any other package, or £100 if you don't subscribe to them at all. Sky isn't for the paranoid amongst you either, to get the digibox and minidish at these subsidised prices you have to agree to have your digibox connected to your phoneline for a year. The plus point is you own the system after a year, so even if you cancel Sky, you still get to keep the equipment for free to air... Read review

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Advantages: NONE!
Disadvantages: EVERYTHING!

...Well where do I start? I'm not usually the complaining type, but my experience with On Digital was so bad that I feel that I have to let people know how poor this company is. Soon after moving into my new flat, I decided I wanted Digital TV. On Digital seemed like a good option - pick up a box from the shop, plug it in, then you're away. So, I checked my postcode on the On Digital website and was told that my area could receive full On Digital coverage. I went straight out the next day and picked up a box, brought it home then phoned up to activate my account. This is when the trouble began. Having only just moved into my flat, I didn't yet have a phone, so I had to phone them from a phone box. I spent a pound just waiting in a queue for someone to answer my call. Anyway, I gave all my details, my account was activated and off I... Read review

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Advantages: SLR Control creativity expandable
Disadvantages: SLR Immediacy cost size

...I'm surprised there are so few opinions on this subject - everybody seems to be talking about the great debate digital vs SLR. So here are my few thoughts. This isn't comprehensive - never could be, but I hope it helps. Let me structure my opinion by users - find the type you are closest to and see if you agree or disagree. CASUAL PHOTOGRAPHER - HOLIDAY SNAPPER You probably want to use your camera for pictures of the kids, holidays, birthdays, weddings, friends and families - and don't need extra lenses, filters or flashes to carry around. Here you probably don't want to learn about photographic technique, wouldn't ever own or use a darkroom (wet or digital). You are looking for convenience in size, weight and cost. Most likely to use a 35mm compact camera, maybe with a zoom, cost anywhere between £25 and £150... Read review

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Advantages: It is cute, small and cheap
Disadvantages: Takes the worse pictures on the earth, no flash!

...'Size isn't everything, it's what you do with it that counts.’ It is very true that size is NOT everything. The L’espion Digital Camera will fit in the palm of your hand. Dimensions: 58mm x 40mm x 15mm. Weight: 40g. It features a web cam and a short video clip function; perfect for capturing those priceless moments. You can store 20 photos in high res mode (352x288 pixels), or 80 photos in low-res mode (176x144). The features this little cam has are: · 2MB internal memory · 0.1 Mega pixel, 16.7 million colours · Fixed focus lens · Automatic exposure · CMOS sensor · Built-in retractable optical viewfinder · Working Range 0.8m to infinity · 10 second self-timer · LCD control panel that indicates: High/Low resolutions, Continuous shoot for short movies, self-timer, and number of pictures left and delete... Read review

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