A Review of the Updated DVR Spy Pen

The 2nd generation of the DVR Spy Pen offerstime zone is as easy as saving a text file with the
some much-needed improvements, and makes ittime converted into numbers for your area.
one of the most covert and discrete digital videoA major improvement is the quality of the audio.
recorders on the market. If you are a privateThe audio is now clear and does not have the
investigator, law enforcement, concerned parentrobotic, metallic whine or hum that the 1st
or spouse, or just like having the latest gadgets,generation had. When you view your recorded
the Updated DVR Spy Pen allows you to recordvideo, it does not sound like a robot is talking.
clear video with sound in an innocent looking penAnother big improvement is that it is better in low
that actually writes.light situations. It works best in a well-lighted
The DVR pen is very easy to operate. Once youenvironment, however, it does record a grainy
charge it for 2-3 hours, you push the button onvideo in low light situations. The video of the prior
the top of the pen to turn it on. The status lightversion very dark when filmed at low light,
on the backside of the pen will turn red, indicatinghowever, the new version you can actually see
it is in stand-by mode. This is different from theimages well if you hold the camera still. We are
prior version that was yellow in stand-by mode.not sure how they did this, though it's safe to say
To start recording, press the top button once andit works decent in low light situations.
the status light will blink twice every 3-4 seconds,Finally, the Pen DVR will show up on an Apple
letting you know the pen is recording. Again,computer desktop as a flash drive named NO
different from the prior version, as it turned blueNAME and opens up iPhoto, which for all purposes
to know you were recording.is still worthless with videos. Quit iPhoto and go
Press the top button again to stop recording andfind the drive on the desktop named "NO NAME".
return to stand-by mode, the solid red light. YouInside you will see a folder named "DCIM".
can either start recording again by pushing the topIn that is a folder named "100media", which will
button once, or turn the DVR Spy Pen off byhouse any videos. Drag the 3gp files to desktop
holding the top button down for 3 seconds, orfor saving. Double clicking a file opens up
until the pen turns off. If you ever have problemsQuickTime player on my iMac running 10.5.4, and
with the pen, that it won't turn off or on, try athe video is beautiful with full audio. Another Mac
hard reset. You open a small paper clip and stickrunning OS 10.4.11 also showed the drive on the
one end in the hole below the status light, on thedesktop.
back of the camera. If inserted straight into theRunning Parallels & Windows XP, we cannot
pen, when you meet resistance, push slightly andfind the Pen DVR; it's not there and we are not
that will reset the pen.sure why Apple is not letting Parallels read the
The 2nd generation of the Digital Video Spy Pendrive. If reboot in XP under Boot Camp, the drive
offers several improvements over the priorshows up under "My Computer" and I can access
version. This is the fully black pen, not thethe files, though Windows can't handle them, so
stainless steel pen. The pocket clip is also black,you have to open Video Lan, or other viewer to
differentiating it from the prior version. The colorplay the movies.
video has been enlarged to 640 x 480, from theIf you need to record video in situations where a
prior 352 x 288; quite a dramatic difference innormal camcorder would be a distraction, you
size, yet keeping a clear 15 fps per second. Thereneed to record video at a moments notice, or
is now a clear time/date stamp on the video thatyou like the latest gadgets, the 2nd Generation
automatically updates itself. Adjusting it to yourDVR Spy Pen will be of interest to you.