Customer Reviews

Creative Labs Vado HD 720p Pocket Video Camcorder with 8 GB Video Storage and 2x Digital Zoom (Black) OLD MODEL

5 star:		(165)
4 star:		(99)
3 star:		(28)
2 star:		(21)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

Hi All.
I am comparing this camera to a Flip Mino HD....while it may not be fair, it is the only way I could give an accurate review to this product.

Box Includes:
Camera, removable battery, mini hdmi to hdmi cable (wow), usb extension cable, rubber/silicon skin, and documentation.

So it starts....the battery comes pretty charged and thus it was easy to install and get the unit running. The first set of options you are presented with are the setup for date, time, country. Here is where the first issue begins....the buttons (scroll arrows up, down, right, left) are WAY too sensitive and thus you are moving around even if you dont want to. So I start to set the date...without paying attention....and I quickly notice that the format for the date is dd/mm/yy which is primarily how the eastern part of the world uses the date. I finally figure out that my mind is lacking without coffee and I get the date and time set.... Lets move on.

The camera notifies you that you can hit the play/pause and trash buttons simultaneously to get back to the setup options. Works perfectly. In the setup menu you are presented with the following options:

Time/Date
Video Quality
Instant Record
Anti-Flicker
Tv System
Language

Most of these are self explanatory. The ones with options are as follows:
Video Quality: HD+, HD, VGA
Instant Record: On / Off
Anti-Flicker: 50hz/60hz
TV System: NTSC/PAL
Language: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portugese, Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Bahasa (Indonesia), Turkish, and Arabic

The main screen shows you what mode you are in (record, ready, etc), the available recording time, the mode (hd+, hd, vga), and a battery meter...these are at the top of the lcd screen. The bottom of the screen shows the date (dd/mm/year) and the current time.

When looking at the LCD the mini hdmi port is on the left hand side of the unit and the right hand side has a power button for on and off. The usb connector is at the bottom....folded into the body with a tab sticking out so you can pull the connector out. There is also a standard tripod hole.

The shooting begins....I tried taking small clips of things inside the home as well as outdoors (although with the weather up here its not worth standing outside more then 4-5 minutes :-) ). I shot completely in HD+ mode as there are a lot of units this size that do regular vga and hd.... The image quality on the lcd screen was superb...even when outside under the sun I was able to see what I was shooting. This I like. My issue still remains that the rocker buttons are way too sensitive and it was driving me nuts for a while until I was able to mentally adjust the pressure I was applying to them.

The viewing begins... I plugged the mini hdmi to hdmi cable from the camera into our 46" Sharp Aquos 1080p LCD Panel. The playback was indeed 720p/1080i as the unit should do. It was flawless and the quality of the video stunned me. I loved it. It was comprable to the Flip Mino HD. Of course, I need help with my stability...since I noticed that movement was apparent...but hey this is no image stabilization camera... HAHA!

All that being said, Creative has created a great HD Pocket Camcorder.

What I liked:
Removable Battery
8gb Storage
Build Quality
Included accessories (cables, silicon skin)

What I diskliked (which is why its 4/5):
The buttons (right left up down) are way too sensitive for my needs.

Computer Connectivity:
MAC OS X Leopard:
No drivers needed.
Showed up as a usb Volume immediately.
iPhoto automatically detected camera and came up with import options.
Video Played in Quicktime. Awesome!
Was also able to browse to the camera and manually open AVI file.


Windows Vista and Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit operating systems tested)
Drivers installed automatically.
I did not need the Creative software on the device.
I was able to browse (windows explorer) to the Vado and open the AVI file in Windows Media Player. I love this functionality. I dont like cluttered software on my machine if I dont need it.

In case you are wondering...I am a cross platform user and thus I can review gadgets like the Vado and give accurate reviews. This unit would have earned a 5/5 but I am not quite there on the rocker buttons...

I hope that the review above is informative and helps you make the right decision in this category.

Quick Note for MAC Users: 01/26/09
You will probably need to install Perian to view AVI files on a mac using quicktime. You can get the software free at http://perian.org

This camera is fun, easy to use, works with PC or Mac (surprisingly good on multiple Macs!...more about that in a minute), just like the other knowledgeable reviewers wrote, and best of all it makes an XLNT 720P HD image for viewing on 40" and larger HDTV's. There are caveats to using the Vado HD, but they are few, and just simple common sense would tell you these things if it weren't for reviews and manufacturer advertising:

1) When shooting, you've GOT to hold your hand steady, and sure, or camera shake will ruin your HD movies and clips. You can use a tripod to minimize shake to the maximum amount, perhaps one of the "mini" tripods that you see here at Amazon.com. RE tripods, I found that even my Joby GorillaPod "SLR ZOOM" heavy-duty portable, flexible tripod fit the Vado HD easily, and contrary to other reviews, the USB port on the bottom did NOT get in the way of it one bit
2) This isn't a substitute for a full-sized HD camera, like my Canon HG20 AVCHD camera, but it will suffice for casual, quick takes of virtually anything your creative mind will allow, and up to a 1 hour uninterrupted HD+ quality video in true 720P/1080i HD format, with big depth of field, up to 2 x 1-hour videos of course, utilizing a full battery to the limit
3) You've got to watch out, and protect the lens, otherwise it gets to be full of dust and dirt easily, as there's no lens cap with the camera--I carry my DSLR's lens brush and air "poof" when using Vado HD which solves the problem...give the lens a quick brush off a couple times a day during shooting, just to be sure it's clean, and it's ready for action
4) Accessories are REALLY hard to get right now, but maybe that will change soon, as the camera's popularity and rave success has the manufacturer/seller (Creative Labs) scrambling for inventory on the extra battery, charger, etc. In fact, I am on the "waiting email list" at Creative Labs right now because I want to get the external charger, and an extra battery, for those days when I'm using Vado HD for more than its 2-hour battery and filming "window" of opportunity-caveat on the battery, the normal Vado battery will NOT fit in the Vado HD and function!! If you want the extra battery, it's got to be from Creative Labs at this time, and they have been out of stock for weeks now

Those things being written, the rest is just cake, candy, and ice cream-easy to write about, and describe. Here's the positive things I've found about Vado HD so far, and I'll come back and add more after I use it more...this list is compiled after just about 1 week's use, and doesn't represent even 25% of what I have in mind for using Vado HD:

1) It's just like you imagined it would and should be, using the camera that is--it's easy, fun, and with XLNT ergonomics for being so small, pretty much all-user-intuitive controls which I go into further on in the review
2) The camera makes incredible 720P/1080i HD movie/clip footage for viewing onscreen, immediately without editing, by using the supplied Mini-HDMI to HDMI Cable--it's easy to use your HDTV as a viewer/editor vs. wasting all your time downloading the video to your PC or Mac, editing it, etc.
3) A steady hand/tripod yields an XLNT clip or video movie, up to 60 minutes long it turns out (Windows FAT File System limit of 4GB of data problem), so look out for that window once you get rolling and all will work out great...of course you can make 2(two) 1-hour HD+ quality movies which equals the 2 hour "window" of Vado HD
4) To use on a Mac, as I have both PC and Mac here in my studio, it's very simple-have QuickTime Pro (yup, you've gotta upgrade if you want full compatibility with cameras like this, and for other reasons too!) support the movie, use the Export Video command, and a huge array of possibilities is there for the taking--for converting the AVI formatted film from Vado HD into an M4V H.264 QuickTime Video for iPod, iPhone, or other media device from our friends at Apple. Or you can simply import into iMovie/iDVD if you want to go full-boat and edit your footage, add music, etc.

My favorite command is just "AppleTV" command, and in a few short minutes of conversion on an Intel Mac with a lot of C2Duo horsepower, or better yet a Quad single or double CPU in a Mac Pro...but hold onto your hats Mac Heads, I even had success using my "dated" Dual Core 2.3Ghz G5, albeit one with a ton of RAM (16GB), making hour-long AppleTV movies, no editing, no hassle, just straight into ATV format and BAM! It's onscreen with great clarity, depth of field, a true HD experience quickly via Vado HD
5) On the PC, or Virtual Machine in Parallels or VM Ware Fusion, XP Pro/Vista, whatever...I tried them all and they are equally easy. The video codec automagically imports and installs itself into your Windows Client, be it WMV, Windows Movie Maker, or the Vado HD Client itself, Vado Central Software (a bit limited of course in scope, ease of use, or mechanics...but it WILL work if necessary and you don't have fancy video editing software on PC).

Now, to get specific about the controls and functions of the Vado HD, which is important in any review of the camera, let's dive right into it!

The USB 2.0 port, which is necessary to transfer video to your computer for whatever purpose you have in mind, is on the bottom of the camera, and there's a pleasant "Click" that it makes when it's open, or closed, so there's no doubt about it being in either position. I LIKE the flexible port/device USB male plug, which extends out and away from the bottom of the camera an inch so. The design is well-thought out, I think, because there are times when you might need a flexible "cable-like" function, and this provides it. As I wrote above, this does NOT compromise the fitting of a tripod!

Vado HD will take 2 hours worth of HD+ 720P/1080i movies, the default setting of the camera by the way. Then there's HD-quality, slightly less than HD+, but still good quality film, which equals 4 hours of action. Then there's VGA mode, and in this mode (640x480 pixels) Vado HD will shoot up to 8 hours of movies, and that's a LOT of capacity, where you'd need 4 batteries to fill up the camera! Wow! That's an interesting option when you simply want to film things that are not of great import, and you have a lot of it to do, but you'd need that external charger (that I want to purchase badly and can't right now!), and 3 extra batteries!

As to the controls for the camera, let me describe where everything is, and what it does...

The 1.5" x 1" LCD display, a mini-display that is amazingly sharp and well defined, has a "Ready" indicator in the top, left, to tell you the camera is set to shoot. When you are shooting video, there's a RED DOT that replaces the "Ready" indicator. To shoot, just press the "logical controller" once, and to stop, press the control once again...dead straight simple!

At the right, top of the display is the digital Video Quality Display, which is by default set at HD+, and next to it is a Battery Indicator, which shows the state of relative charge of the battery.

In the middle, at the top of the display, is the Recording Time Left indicator, which is in hours, minutes, and seconds, so it's very, very accurate as to what is left in Vado HD's flash memory.

The left, bottom edge of the display has the time, and the right edge has the digital display for the date, all simple, but important functions that you'll use over and over again while filming. The display, "mini" though it is, is XLNT! It gives you all the information necessary about Vado HD without occluding the display at all, each one being small, digital numbers and letters.

The physical layout of the camera is also ergonomically correct, with the lens at the top of the front of the case, up high next to the microphone port. The speaker (it has an external speaker which functions when viewing videos) is on the back in the lower right part of the case. To the left, in the middle of the case, is the "logical controller" as I call it, the master control for the camera. Right side, upper is the Off/On switch, which "clicks" into the case for Off or On. On the left side is the HDMI Mini-Port, and the Video-Out port...all really nicely done!

It's very simple, really, to use and describe the rest of the controls also. There's a 2.5mm button in the middle of the "logical controller", and that's the actuator for everything, the "Selector". That is what you do everything with: film "On", stop, select, and film "stop"...that does it ALL! At the edge of that button is a concave group of touch controls, up, down, left and right arrows, which take a fair press to actuate, just right actually... not too heavy a hand to use these controls. Those control the selection process once into the menus, fast forward, or backward the video clips as you wish to view them, etc...These are LOGICAL controls, and they do exactly what you think they are supposed to do, nothing complex, or "foreign" to this setup.

On the right side are the two "Function" switches, two "clickable" switches, one which selects which video clip you're about to view, the other is the TRASH button, so be careful with it when viewing videos...of course when you want to trash, or "EDIT" the video in question there's a prompt onscreen which confirms your action, so you can't be "burned" by mis-hitting that switch unless it's deliberately done. Again, easy, simple controls that do what you think they are supposed to do.

You use those two "Function" buttons on the right in tandem also. Pressed together, at the same time yields the master menus onscreen, so you can select or change the Video Quality, Time & Date, Anti-Flicker Control (50 or 60Hz filming), Language Used, and the "Instant Record" feature, which I'll explain here and now: Instant Record sets the camera into this mode...any button will actuate an instant recording session, and the "logical controller" turns it off, with 1-minute for power-off and into standby mode. Very nice feature! Just the ticket for getting a quick shot off anytime, and easily turned back off by going into the setup menu by pressing those two "clickable" buttons together at the same time, and getting into the menus.

The Default Mode for Power is 1 minute into "Ready" mode, screen off, and 5 minutes screen off will yield a shut-down of Vado HD, with a pleasant little musical tone that goes off to tell that the camera has powered off.

EASY STUFF, and right-on! These are controls that anyone can get used to in a couple minutes of use...I've just described every single function of Vado HD, and I've done it in about 200 words or so..pretty Kuhl! So that's how you control the action, initiate changes in the menus, everything except:

Play Back Video Clips, which is done by pressing the right side "clickable" switch once, and BAM! You're in "Cue Videos" mode, and the 1st one onscreen is the one you just, or last filmed. Click the controller again to move the clips up, and back, and push down again to view! Simple!!

I like everything about Vado HD's controls, it's a lot to pack into such a small place, and Creative Labs designed the camera to be easy to use, and it is. And now to describe how you use the PC functions briefly:

With a PC an AVI clip is the native format, correct? Make your movies any way, shape you want on the PC with Vado HD, and I'm not going to give a dissertation on that subject here, just suffice to say a fast CPU helps processing a ton, just like on a Mac...it IS video, not photography, and the footprint on the OS, and RAM is huge on PC as it is on the Mac OS, so the more firepower you've got in terms of RAM, and CPU power the better!

Quickly, I'll sum up by giving Vado HD 5-stars across the board. The controls are EASY to master, no room for headway here, zoom works fine with a steady hand, it's just plain simple Jane Simpleton to make great movies, and clips on Vado HD. Like I wrote, be mindful of the caveats above, especially TIME in relation to your content as it will accumulate quickly and an hour will be up before you can admit, "I'm having a great time doing this stuff!"

The LCD is clear, clean, and plenty large enough for viewing/movie making, not in direct sunlight of course, but plenty good indoors with light on the subject. Playing back clips, for viewing and editing in the camera (read "TRASH" the ones you don't like), is simple also...just one click to view, navigate with the controller up and backward in your clips, and BAM! HD video is yours for the keeping!

Vado HD is definitely the Best Bang for the $$$ right now, I mean it's so far ahead of the rest of them it hurts to try to describe all the reasons I bought this instead of anything else. You'll find that 2 hours is plenty of time to do most projects, by the way, and if it's longer, well, take your laptop with you, or netbook, you know? Download the videos into the laptop, erase the Vado HD with the Trash Icon clicker on the controls, and voila! Ready for more shooting!!

You would need an extra battery or two, and the external charger that I am dying to get my hands on and can't buy yet, but that's the state of affairs at this point. Creative Labs said on the telephone that the charger will be in stock next week, and so will be the extra batteries.

That's about it for my "guide" and critique. You Mac folks know that the latest Perian is v1.1.3, right? It has all kinds of enhancements for Mac, so be sure and download the latest driver/plug-in for QuickTime (Pro preferred), and all will be well with Vado HD and your Mac. PC people, you don't have a worry in the world as far as using Vado HD...piece of cake, and remember to not have too much fun!!

Wavey Davey/2-14-2009

Length:: 8:20 Mins

*** Update*** Please note- by downloading Perian you will be able to use IMovie and Quicktime. Please see the link below and download Perian and you can enjoy Vado videos on your Mac! At some point I will update the video - however until then know that I was able to get the Vado HD to work on my Mac.

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/video/perian_christopherforsythe.html

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The Creative Labs Vado HD Is both a great handheld video camera and one that is useless. If you are a PC owner and using Windows based software you will be well pleased. However, if you are a Mac user you will be unable to watch the videos without downloading a program such as VLC, downloading Perian, or without converting the files using a program like Roxio Crunch Win/Mac.

In my video review I compare the Creative Labs Vado HD to the Flip Video MinoHD Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Black). I will say that both cameras have their advantages - the Mino has a better appearance and it works well with Macs. The Creative Labs Vado HD has more functionality, but qithout downloading Perian it is restricted to Windows based PCS.

Here are things that I like about the Vado
- Three different setting for picture quality. The truth is that not everything needs to be recorded in HD. In fact, if you are uploading to YouTube HD movies can take forever. The Mino HD only has one capture setting.
- I like the flexible USB connection
- Large screen for a small hand-held camcorder - probably about 50% bigger than the Mino HD
- Removable battery - I am not sure what you are supposed to do when the battery dies on the Mino HD
- Wider angle of video capture - the Vado allows you to record a much larger area when compared to the Mino HD.
- Comes with HD cables for connection to your television.
- Windows based software is intuitive and easy to use.


Areas for Improvement

- You must download Perian in order for videos to play on Mac.
- Compared to the Mino HD the Creative Labs Vado looks cheap.

Final Verdict -

4 Stars

Buy with confidence if you are using a Windows based PC -there is a little more risk if you are a Mac user Which camera should you buy... The Vado HD may have a slight edge for Window users - if you are using a Mac the Vado is still may be a nice choice, but you may need to download Perian or use a converting program like Roxio Crunch.

The Creative Vado HD is hands-down the best option among the current breed of three pocket-sized 720p camcorders. Sony's entry into the market segment will surely shake things up next month. Meanwhile, the Vado HD's field of view (wide angle lens) reigns supreme and makes its competitors inferior despite their other advantages.

I'm an Emmy award-winning reporter/photographer with a serious set of HD gear as my main equipment at home. I was looking for a back-up camera for use in cop ride-alongs and for home use to capture my toddler when my 3-chip Sony HDV camcorder was left behind because of size/weight/etc.

The Flip Mino HD started the whole craze and I can see its small size/price was attractive. After quite a bit of web research, including the excellent side-by-side video comparison of the Flip Mino HD and Kdoak Zi6 on YouTube, I concluded the Zi6 was superior in picture quality and features for its price point ($150).

The Zi6 is awesome. The macro feature has a fixed focal length of 2" and can take detailed close-up photos better than any camcorder of any price/size. The 60-frame mode also captures fantastic slo-mo shots at twice the frame rate of other camcorders.

However the Kodak designers clearly made a compromise on the lens. They decided since it has no optical zoom, they would "cheat" by keeping the field of view a little tighter (zoomed in) than one would expect. The result is disappointing during real-world shooting. In a car or at an intimate gathering when you're just a couple feet from your subject, the Flip and the Zi6 can't frame a head-and-shoulders shot. They get just the face with the subject's hair and chin cut off by the frame. This simply isn't practical for the vast majority of shooting situations I could envision at work and at play.

So I ordered the Vado HD from Amazon for comparison before taking the Zi6 back to the store for a refund.

The Creative Vado HD has a wide field of view with a comparable image quality found on the Zi6. The lens is superior, though the codec and compression seem just a bit lower quality than the Zi6. At low light, the Vado is darker but does not suffer from the slow-shutter-speed blur that the Zi6 imparts to achieve lower-light sensitivity. The picture is stunning for a camera this size and the HDMI output to TV is a big plus.

The Vado HD is considerably smaller than the Zi6. It comes with the 8GB of storage already built in for two hours recording time at highest quality. The Zi6 requires the purchase of additional SD or SDHC storage which is both an asset and a liability. The Vado can shoot for two hours and then you have to upload to a computer whereas the Zi6 can keep shooting until you run out of SD cards (think vacation).

I use a Mac and found the .avi files of the Vado HD just as easy to use as the .mov files of the Zi6 when editing in Final Cut Pro or viewing in Quicktime, so long as you download the free Perian plug-in. In both cases, rendering is required to import the video into a timeline.

The Vado HD can be recharged using the USB connection (lithium ion removable battery) while the Zi6 uses rechargeable AA batteries and an external charger. The biggest advantage of the Zi6 is that you can use standard AA alkaline batteries in a pinch.

But let's get back to why the Vado HD wins hands down: the wide angle lens. It not only captures MORE of the scene in a single frame, it is STEADIER. A fact of videography is that the more you're zoomed-in, the more shake is amplified in the image. Conversely, the wider the shot, the less shake appears in the image. While neither camera has an image stabilizing system, the wide angle lens makes the Vado HD appear much smoother.

The microphone on the Zi6 does seems superior to the Vado. That and the 60 frame slo-mo mode, along with the macro feature, could be the difference depending on your chosen application. I'd actually like to have both cameras in my tool kit if the budget allowed.

But the Vado HD is the clear winner for me. Add the $29.00 underwater housing good to 5m (16 feet), and you've got a great system for shooting in the rain/pool/snorkeling/exterior car mounts, etc.

Oh, you'll see a lot of reviews saying this camera is shaky -- you've got to have a steady hand. It's light and the viewfinder is "screen only," meaning there's no camcorder-style eyepiece viewfinder. In my experience shooting video in Iraq, relying on a screen on any camcorder can be deceiving. As your hand moves, the screen and the background make the shot look more stable than when you're looking through a viewfinder. And that extra anchor point against an eyepiece makes the camera more solid. Finally, this is a VERY SMALL and VERY LIGHT camera. Practice shot composition and holding things steady (not walking for example, slower pans and tilts) and you'll be very happy. Add a Gorilla Pod for portable stability!

So instead of spending $150 on the Zi6 and $50 on SD cards, buy the Vado HD for the same $200 and get a better camcorder.

Length:: 8:36 Mins

The Vado HD is awesome. The lens is so wide and gives the true HD feel. The colors are amazing, but definitely best in natural lighting.

I ordered my Vado HD last week. Originally I was going to purchase the Flip Mino HD, but then decided to go with the VADO since I liked the 8 GB memory (twice that of the FLIP) and I researched a number of reviews on sites all over the Internet that said that while the picture was not as good as the MINO, it was close and meanwhile a number of features (like the ability to change resolution to get up to 8 hours, use of swappable rechargable battery, etc.) were better on the VADO.

Well I got my unit on Monday (about 5 days ago). It was very timely, because the next day I was attending my small children's holiday concert at their pre-school and this gave me a perfect chance to try out the device.

On the plus side, the packaging was decent, the product came with a nice plastic protective cover and the form factor and functionality were intuitive and easy to use.

The immediate cons were that the instructions (if you can call them that) included in the box are laughably basic. It's literally a hard to read (tiny letters) pamphlet, and basically not very helpful. However, it was enough to figure out how to use the device.

While the device is sturdy enough, I did not care for the design of the "flip out" USB connector, it felt a bit flimsy. Unfortunately, this connector seems designed to use more so with a Laptop than a desktop in terms of the configuration of the USB connector since the device hangs off of it. Fortunately, there was an extender cable in the box (a plus), however, the device seems not to be able to charge through the extender cord (at least it did not for me).

The Video quality is decent (in the HD+ mode). However, the biggest issue I experienced right away was that the AUDIO and VIDEO were out of sync when I transferred any of the recorded Video files to my computer. It played properly on the device, but when I transferred the AVI video files from the VADO to my PC or laptop (I tried on two different computers to make sure it was not just my machine at fault), the sound played correctly, but the VIDEO went too slow: i.e., the sound and the video did not match up.

I tried a variety of things including looking up the product on the CREATIVE website for this product. Unfortunately, this section of their site is poor from both a quality and quantity of helpful content perspective. There was very little there and really no way to even look up a phone number to call.

Fortunately, through Google I found their customer service phone number listed by someone else (Why not make it accessible from their own website?). I called the number and it was quick in terms of being able to get to a human being (sounded offshore). The person had a good demeanor and tried to be helpful. She walked me through a couple of possible things to try in order to fix the issue. Unfortunately, none of them worked and apparently my device (which was just released) already had the latest software.

I was on the phone for about 45 minutes. Since nothing worked, they actually suggested that I return the product to Amazon.com as the only solution! This is in fact what I ended up doing about 3 days after I received my Vado HD. I am disappointed that it did not work out and I definitely don't have any use for a video recorder where the sound and video don't sync up. Good riddance! Not having tried any of the other competing devices like the Flip Mino HD, I can't make a comparison, but as for the Vado - ultimately - it was a disappointment. I will think twice about purchasing a creative product again (at least in the video category) after this C+ experience with the Vado HD.

___________

Post script: I was a bit annoyed that the videos I shot during my trial period were out of sync - SO I tried to figure out how to fix the issue with the videos of my children. I did figure out a solution using a free software package.

I ended up using a free program called AVI-MUX (google it if you have the same issue I did). What I did was I loaded each avi clip into AVI MUX and then I converted them into a MKV (Matroska Video File) using the AVI-MUX program. Once I had the MKV file, I was able to play it in VLC media player and the audio and video are now in Sync. However, there is no way that I would go through such a complicated process each time so I am glad I gave the product back as mentioned above. However, I am happy to have found a way to salvage the few valuable videos that I did shoot during the trial period so that they now work correctly. There are probably better ways to do it, but the above worked for me so I include the description above in case others experience this problem too.

Creative Labs Vado HD 720 Pocket Video Camcorder brings back many of the same features of the original Vado with a couple of modifications. Instead of a recessed lens the newer version extends out from the body. With a slight weight increase over the older model it is also a tad thicker. The microphone is now shifted to the other side of the lens. Creative Labs includes a protective muted white colored silicone skin to cover the black bodied Vado HD 720.

One of the Vado's key features is a mini HDMI connector for outputting 1080i video to HDTV along with a standard composite AV output. Creative also bundles an HDMI cable. It is not a composite cable. Packed with 8GB of built-in memory it allows for the storage of up to 2 hours HD video. Mimicking a thumb drive, this model offers a flip out USB connector. It captures H.264 encoded videos at 30 frames per second with a 1,280x720 CMOS sensor, and saves them as AVI instead of MPEG-4. 640x480 VGA video is also an option. The threaded tripod mount is a nice addition. The battery is removable and recharges via USB. Battery life is averaging almost 2 hours. A glaring omission is a flash memory slot.

Upon connecting to Windows PC, the software automatically pops up and offers the options of playing videos or uploading to YouTube or Photobucket. As with most electronic products, plug-in installation is required. The software is very basic and not loaded with many editing features.

Buyers should keep in mind that the Vado HD 720 is not a true HD video camcorder but a POCKET video camcorder. Like its competition, the unit offers a low-resolution sensor with a miniature fixed lens. Given that, while fine tuning exposure is not an option, contrast is surprisingly good. The key is that one will be able to view videos full screen via HDTV or computer monitor. For that purpose alone, the Vado HD 720p gets high marks over the competition.

One thing to keep in mind is that the folks at Creative Labs/LogiTech have a poor track record in providing quality customer care. Sadly, product support is hit and miss at best. I strongly recommend backing up this purchase with a good extended warranty. Surprisingly, the gurus at Creative Labs actually thought about the consumer this time and indeed put some effort in this product. The Vado HD720p goes the distance.

Received my Vado HD today and I was pleasantly surprised. When the original ship date moved from Monday to Friday I got a little concerned, but apparently there was nothing to worry about. The Vado HD works great. I opened the package and immediately connected it up to my laptop via the USB cable to charge. If you press the Play button, it will go into fast charge mode, which I did. I then went out to dinner and when I returned it was already fully charged and ready to go.

I took a couple of quick 2 minute videos of my son running around and playing and then hooked it back up to my laptop. The software to edit videos is located on the device, so you navigate to it through Windows Explorer and run the executable. The program loads up the videos you have on the device at which point you can watch them or run the stripped down Muvee software to add some music or effects to the video. All very easy and not too many things you can do, but it is quick and easy and can be done on anyone's computer just by plugging up the device. Pretty slick. Or you can just browse to the folder where the videos are stored on the device and run them straight from there with your default viewer (they are saved in .avi format).

I then plugged up the HDMI into one of my free ports on my Panasonic 46 inch plasma and played the videos back through that. Very easy and since I can leave the HDMI cable tucked behind the tv, it makes playing video back for the family a very quick and painless thing to do. My son made me play his videos back quite a few times!!

The quality of the video is actually better than I expected. I have never owned a pocket camcorder before, up to this point I have only used my Sony Handycam using digital 8MM. I was worried that I would not be happy with the quality of the video indoors, but it was perfectly acceptable for what I plan on using it for, which is to record family events. There is no zooming to speak of, but for me that is a good thing. I am always attempting to zoom in and out when I video and the result usually causes people to get sick when they watch one of my recordings!

All in all, I am very pleased with the device. This being the first time owning one of these, I was shocked by the size and weight of this thing. I was expecting it to be small, but man, this thing is tiny and is light as a feather. Not crazy about the milky white cover that you comes with it, but it's better than nothing I suppose. If it annoys me too much I can always take it back off.

Highly Recommended!

If you want to shoot video, perform no editing, and just upload clips to Internet, then you'll be happy with the Vado HD. The lens is wide, and video is crisp for a pocket camera.

If you want to do even the slightest bit of editing, which the majority of us do, then get ready to be frustrated as you pour over message board treads trying to get the clips to import into anything except the terrible Vado Central s/w.

Let me comment on editing for both platforms (Mac and PC)...

MAC first...
Perian and QT pro let you VIEW the "avi h.264 encoded" clips. You can not import the clips to iMovie. For that you need some type of a converter. At this point, even with a converter, you begin to delve into techno-speak and codec babble etc... which even if you do convert the files to a iMovie readable format, you are left wondering if you are even close to the resolution that you'd hope for when buying a 720p camera.

Since it was well documented that Mac's had problems with the Vado HD, but I bought it anyway - I got out my Windows PC in hopes of having better luck. Here is where I was surprised at the similar results and frustrations.

First the s/w that comes with Vado...

Vado Central - Did some college kid on internship develop this for Creative? After "install" Creative got me for about $18 more because the lite version only allows you to edit 3 clips at a time. They tout the 8 gig capacity, but only allow you to edit 3 clips at a time unless you upgrade. I figured for $18, I'd get the s/w that was suppose to go with the camera. Well, editing is extremely limited. Adding music is an all-or-nothing deal. There is no way to clip out music to allow for the voice track. You also cannot clip out sections from clips that you don't want to use. Now... I'm not trying to edit like a movie director, just add music for the first 45 seconds and then drop it out for the voice track; and cut out sections where I shake the camera etc...

Next up, saving the movie... "Preview" shows you more of a slide show and is very choppy. Saving a movie is quite slow. Borderline unacceptable, given the specs on my machine.

I have Sony Vegas on my PC so I tried to import the clips into there to gain the extra editing capability. NO LUCK, Vegas doesn't recognize the avi h.264 format either - you'll only be able to import the soundtrack. Like most, I went off to the Internet to research workarounds. Everyone has the same problems, but most Mac users figure life is better for the Vado on a PC - well it isn't and I'm out the extra $18.00 for the s/w upgrade - adding insult to injury. You'll spend have your time researching how to import the clips to perform basic editing, instead of being outside using it for video.

Bottom line is I wanted a cheap/small camera with basic editing and I got a camera with basic UPLOADING capability. Vado Central is a joke - it almost seems like Creative used it to test downloading capability from the camera and then decided to just ship it with the product and call it an editor.

The Creative Labs Vado HD is a very nice portable video recorder. This device is greatly improved over the original Creative Labs Vado, and I would probably say that this device is the best compact HD recording you can buy for the money. The list price is high, and the poor software and the fact that there is no optical zoom keeps it from being an absolute slam dunk.

The biggest shortcoming that the Creative Vado has is shared by most other compact video recorders. The included software is extremely slow when you have to actually use it to convert or combine videos. But you can definitely use this device for home movies, video blogs, YouTube or just about anything else. Just be prepared to use a different video software.

Before I got the Creative Vado, I had already spent a good amount of time with the Flip MinoHD Camcorder. I was happy with that device, but had heard plenty of hype that the Vado HD was going to be "better." I was naturally skeptical but the Vado HD has won me over. This device features a new improved lens that makes even standard definition videos look extremely good. The improved recording capacity is enough to capture a complete concert. And despite what the device specs say about having a 2 hour battery life, I have gotten more than 3 and 1/2 hours of continuous recording out of a single battery charge. Even better is that the stand-by charge lasts for more than a week. That means that you don't have to worry about recharging it every night if you want to have it by the ready. It will hold the charge so that when you need it, it's ready to go.

PROS:

+ Greatly improved lens produces much better quality video than the original Creative Vado; video quality is very good even when set to standard definition
+ Internal storage capacity of 8GB can capture 2 hours of HD+ video or 4 hours of standard definition (SD) video - Twice the HD recording time of the MinoHD, which gives you 1 hour
+ Li-ion battery holds a great charge while off and lasts longer than listed 2 hour battery life while recording
+ Rechargeable battery is easily swapped and replaced, while the MinoHD's internal battery requires factory replacement or warrantee-voiding hacks
+ Easy to use controls are simple to learn, and easy to teach to others
+ Microphone sensitivity produces good quality audio
+ Records high quality HD video in 720p (1280 x 720) displayed in 16:9 widescreen
+ 2 inch LCD versus the 1.5 inch LCD of the MinoHD makes it easier to see what you are shooting
+ Compact and light-weight so it's easy to transport in your purse or pocket
+ Flexible USB 2.0 connector, along with an extender, makes it easy to download videos to any computer or get a quick charge
+ Body seems to have improved durability versus the original Vado as well
+ Good light sensors are great for recording in low-light or changing light environments (think concerts)
+ Includes support for a decent set of formats, with standard H.264 AVI video
+ MP4 video compression allows you to keep files small and copy them faster
+ Software drivers install automatically; works with Mac OS X, Linux, Windows XP, Vista 32 bit and Vista 64 bit with no problems
+ Includes a decent set of accessories (HDMI cable, silicone case), a very nice change from most similar products
+ HDMI cable lets you play videos directly to your HDTV
+ Silicone cover provides a good comfortable rubberized grip
+ Good "low-battery" indicator gives you plenty of time to finish recording before the unit powers down

CONS:

- Included muvee software is SLOW if you have to edit, combine or render videos using the built-in software only (For example, when you are at a family get-together and you want to leave the video before you go home)
- Included software will also limit you to combining 3 clips and try to "up-sell" you to the pro version
- List price pits this unit against digital cameras that capture photos and video
- Lack of an SD memory card expansion slot limits total recording capacity
- Lack of optical zoom due to fixed lens with 2X digital zoom (internal zoom lenses are possible and some cameras like the Nikon S52 have them; Still the digital zoom works well enough that it might fool some people into thinking it's an optical zoom)
- Plastic threaded tripod connector not as durable as the metal threaded connector on the MinoHD
- The tab for the USB dongle on the bottom does make it harder to stand on its own (it's not always possible to carry a mini tri-pod)
- The power button on the side is the only button that isn't intuitive when training others how to use the device (barely sticks out and hard to see with the silicone case on)
- There doesn't seem to be a way to turn off the LCD while recording to increase battery life (if somebody has figured out how, please post a comment)

OPTIONAL ACCESSORIES:

~ Reasonably priced spare batteries that can be charged as a backup for extended recording on the go
~ Optional wall charger allows you to plug the USB cable into an outlet
~ Optional AV cable allows you to hook up the unit to non-HD TVs and receivers
~ Good collection of third-party cases, lanyards, and tri-pods available

SOFTWARE

While it's easy to copy videos from the device to your computer, as you can tell I really don't like the included software. While I have plenty of video editing software on some of my computers, I don't have it on all of them. Furthermore, sometimes when you are capturing a family video you want to quickly edit it to leave it with your family. I am too busy to be sure that I will remember to edit and send a video that I recorded a week after the fact. I tried to quickly edit 30 minutes of video to leave for a relative and doing everything took hours. By the end I wished I had brought my own laptop with me.

So if you have to do editing on the go, just try to record as few files as possible and then copy them to the machine rather than doing tons of editing with the software. Remember this software limits you to combining 3 clips. Any more than that and they try to sell you the "premium" version.

I was able to edit basic videos using Corel Ulead VideoStudio 11.5 Plus, though I have also used Pinnacle Studio Moviebox Ultimate and Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum Pro Pack in the past. I primarily have been recording standard definition with this camera, but once I got the right software codecs loaded Ulead had no trouble with the HD Videos either. They now have Corel VideoStudio Pro X2 which is a newer version of the software which replaces Ulead. I had less luck with Microsoft Movie Maker, which worked but seemed equally as slow with large movies or multiple clips. Apple iMovie seems to handle everything you throw at it if you're a Mac user.

Video editing software is a very personal choice. I tried as best I could to come up with a recommendation, but I think the best strategy is to test out the free trials for the various options and choose the one that seems most intuitive for you. The short end of the story is that you should be prepared to use some other video-editing software because what is included here is really only useful for copying videos out of the device to your computer.

CONCLUSION

I really like this device. If I had gotten this before the MinoHD, I might not have upgraded to that model. You could do a lot worse than the Vado HD. The minor limitations this device faces are pretty standard for portable video recorders. The improved lens really makes a huge difference, and it's hard not to notice it: it literally sticks out from the profile of the player case. This unit is highly recommended. Just plan on downloading a bunch of trial video editing software so that you can pick one that works best for you.

Enjoy.