Comments on: Creative Labs Vado HD 720p Pocket Video Camcorder with 8 GB Video Storage and 2x Digital Zoom OLD MODEL

By: S. Preuss

S. Preuss — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:00:16 +0000

The Vado HD might be fine for the PC, but on the Mac it's barely functional.

No Mac instructions are in the box, on the camcorder itself is a readme file that tells you to download a plug-in for quicktime

Even with the plug-in the audio didn't work in quicktime, though there was audio when playing back with VLC.

You cannot import the video (.avi) files into iMovie, thus, to the best of my knowledge, editing is impossible.

The Creative website doesn't seem to include any advice to remedy these issues

When compared to the Flip Mino HD the Vado HD is a poor choice for mac users. The Mino comes with mac compatible software and records files as mp4, which is compatible with iMovie.

I boxed up my Vado, sent it back to amazon, and ordered a Mino HD Rating: 2 / 5

By: 1st Grade Teacher

1st Grade Teacher — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:34:28 +0000

Just received the Vado HD.

Pros:

Small camcorders in theory are fun and allow you to take video where you normally would not – big kudos to the convenience factor.

Buttons are well placed.

Large memory size – but in reality you don’t need it because when using these cameras you take small clips and then download. But if you do record all on one shot this may be a bigger pro for you.

Actual videos are nice for such a small camera on the TV but not as nice as the HD TV picture quality you may be used to.

Battery life seems very good and you can replace them when they eventually die out.

Cons:

Video can be very shaky if you are not ever so careful – so they lack of image stabilization is a problem if you are careful.

Optical zoom is lacking and using the digital zoom is a huge mistake as the picture becomes very pixelated.

Low lighting situations are very pixelated/grainy

The USB jack located on the bottom is a poor location especially for placing this on something flat so it can record.

BIGGEST complaint is the software and MAC issues. You can get it to work but you must download additional codecs and such and convert – just ugly and not very easy. I finally did figure it out with the help of a savvy computer geek and then the additional conversion seem to take an even bigger hit on the video quality. It was jerky on playback – and this was on the latest brand new mac. The software interface and ease of sending to videos to family via email – it was just not a click and go camcorder like I had hoped given all of the conversion steps. I will be returning this and probably buy into the MinoHD cult which I know is easy to use and has equally good video quality or maybe the Kodiak Zi6 which has come down significantly in price.
Rating: 2 / 5

By: P. Dittmann

P. Dittmann — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:08:31 +0000

I was one of the first to have mine delivered and it didn’t work.

The Audio and Video were out of sync.

I tried several recordings.

I tried playing back on three different computers with different operating systems.

After an hour I was completely frustrated and called tech support.

I called their tech dept AT MY EXPENSE and they were closed after 6pm CST which stunned me given FIRST – CREATIVE JUST LAUNCHED THE PRODUCT THIS WEEK AND SECOND. – IT’S NINE DAYS until Christmas. Why are they hiding?

I called the “order” line at Creative to see if they could help me and a woman named Flaxn was very rude. When I asked to speak to a manager she said there wasn’t one on duty. How is this comapny still in business?

I should have known. When I pre-ordered it they said it would ship on Monday, then I received an email on Monday saying it was back ordered. After I called them they told me they would ship it on Tuesday for a Thursday delivery. Thursday it didn’t arrive. I called again on Friday and they said it would be delivered on Saturday. It didn’t arrive again and finally came today (Monday). What terrible customer service!!!

I was completely frustrated and not happy. Then I finally got the product and it didn’t work!

So now I have to pay for the long distance call Again to fix it with tech support or I pay for the postage to return it. What kind of company is this?

I have the regular flip (not HD) but wanted more memory than the current flip HD has thus the reason to try the Vado. What a mistake.

Try a flip or Kodak before frustrating yourself for endless hours with Creative.

I’m sure if it’s this bad in the beginning then it will only get worse in the future especially if the economy declines more and Creative will shed people.

Trust me on this one. Sorry Creative but you failed miserably and I wasted too much of my time on your lousy product.

I hope you learn from this that you can’t rush a product out right before Christmas that is incomplete just to take advantage of people.
Rating: 1 / 5

By: Yogi Moore

Yogi Moore — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:38:10 +0000

The VadoHD is thin and light, with a mini-HDMI out, and the rubber finish is nice. It charges via USB.

NOTE: The stupid USB jack on the bottom of the device has a rubber tab that you use to pull out the USB plug. That goofy tab also means that you CANNOT prop up the VadoHD to take video! Unlike all other video cams I have seen or own, you CANNOT stand the device up to take extended video!!! You need a tripod or use it handheld - STUPID, STUPID! What were these guys thinking????

The AVI is jerky on PC, even with VLC. Files do NOT import to iMovie. QT CANNOT play this without other codec.

My take - of all the lamebrained ideas - this is just stupid. The pix of the device in most reviews appears as if you can rest the Vado on a surface to shoot video - NO, you CANNOT. You cannot start it up and walk away - you must either hold it (and HD video is jerky!) or use a tripod (more to carry around). My solution? I had to cut off the tab, which in turn now requires a paperclip to dig out the USB connector.

The VadoHD comes with a milky-white rubber sleeve - which clashes with the black finish - this is just plain stupid as well...The PC playback is jerky, even after you need to restart the PC after the first time you connect. You need to download crap from Creative. which is also a dumb thing to do these days!

The files are AVI which do NOT import into iMovie. However, VLC for the mac (0.98a) works fine for playback.

The video is clean, although a bit too color-rich and bright, but requires a steady hand and S-L-O-W panning (as with all HD video). All in all, the MinoHD may have been a better choice. That goofy tab on the VadoHD is to me a fatal flaw... Rating: 1 / 5

By: J. PT

J. PT — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:25:01 +0000

Have no idea how this product works. Amazon sent me a $100 off promo for this product, but cannot use promo code for some reason. Looked thru the terms of the promo on Amazon help & did not get an answer to why when emailed Amazon. I have a $100 gift card on my account so i guess i am not allowed to use $100 gift card with promo? I have no idea. Makes no sense since someone had to spend $100 in the first place to give me a gift card. Go figure!!!
Rating: 1 / 5