I've owned this for about a week and am taking it on a trip to do a more complete analysis. I'll post back later. I currently have mixed feelings on this camcorder. It does take good video and is priced right. There are a few negatives to be aware of though which (I guess) are to be expected on such an inexpensive unit:
br /
br /1. The battery life (for me) is sucking. I will take it on my trip for a better test and if the batteries can't record more than 10 or 15 minutes each it'll go back. If I can get the 30 minutes that it is documented to have, I'll be happy. Note: I do realize that 30 minutes is probably "up time" for the unit whether it is recording or not. The batteries are only 1000Mah and have a loose feel inside the camera too. Will a more robust non-oem battery be coming out?
br /2. The buttons (to me) were ackwardly positioned causing a "shake" on the camera... and I guess I didn't realize how much my other camcorder's image stabilization must help me. Really needs 2 hands to hold without a shake and I can adjust but really, I think that the design, grip, and button placement could be a ton better.
br /3. The thing completely froze up on me once and I had to reboot it by removing the battery. I read online there is a firmware update but haven't pursued that yet. And I don't know what the firmware actually fixes.
br /4. The sound quality is not consistant. Many times I speak as I'm taking the video and mostly it sounded like a towel was over the microphone. The quality of those further away from the camcorder was only marginally better. Almost like the gain is turned up to far or something? I don't know and will test further.
br /5. No lense cover? Come on Aiptek. That's just cheap and plain dumb. And if I find the lens starts getting micro-scratches over the next week or two it'll go back for certain. It does have a descent carrying case included though. However, the safty loop that you wrap around your wrist so you don't drop the camera STICKS to the velcro on the carrying case whenever you take it out or put it away. This loop will end up being frayed or looking abused shortly because you have to "umph" to rip it off the velcro. This makes me wonder how much real world testing went on before this cam hit the street.
br /
br /Besides these negatives the fact that I can throw it on my belt and carry it on my trip without feeling encumbured makes me want to use it more before making an ultimate decision as to keep or return. It will really come down to battery life (maybe it will improve as I use the batteries a few more times) and sound quality.
br /
br /Oh, and it does work with BOTH the A-DATA and Patriot 8G SDHC card that I have.
br /
br /So I'm giving it 3* for now. Doesn't mean I'll keep it or bring it back... just trying to give a fair review. I'll update my rating (if possible) and the review after a real road test shortly.
br /
br /UPDATE: 3 WEEKS LATER, AFTER ROAD TEST
br /----------------------------------
br /Well I really wanted this little wonder to work. And it did for the first day of my trip. Then it just quit working. The only thing I can figure is that the roads I was on (Tijuana) were very bumpy. It was in the protective case 100% of the time when not in use but the plastic shell housing must be tell-tale of the low build quality on the inside. It just plain stopped working. The screen backlight would come on, but the camera would not initialize. Conclusion: THIS ITEM IS NOT VERY RUGGED AT ALL. It does not hold up to any real use and certainly not the tumbling that my old Canon digital camera (s410) always holds up to. It is a dead clunker now and it is going back to where I purchased... fortunately... with a good return policy. Moral of the story is buy this only from a site that has a descent return policy.
br /
br /I'm not upset. It was great just throwing the broken cam in the bottom of my laptop bag where it took virtually no room at all. That is the point of a "go anywhere" sized camcorder. I was willing to trade some features for price... but not ruggedness. After all. It is the size itself that makes it something you want to bring anywhere. I'm going to hold off and wait for a similar product that is rugged. It is only a matter of time. It is too bad Apitek didn't built something with more stamina but someone will and I'll be there to buy it when it is out. After all, other than the zoom there are no moving parts in this thing to wear or break. So it must just be bad build quality.
br /
br /Amazon won't let me change my star rating but if I could, I'd rate it down to 2 stars: more than one star because of price, features, and innovation but no more than that because... well... it has to KEEP working in the real world.
br /
br /In short, unless you are willing to treat this thing with kid gloves (and I pretty much thought I did) I'd avoid it. The cheap price is tempting, and only spend as much as you can afford to lose because if you read other reviews, you'll also read about the cheap plastic on the outside among other quality issues. I'm here to tell you that what is cheap where you can see it, is evidently even cheaper where you can't.
br /

There are three reasons to buy this: 1) size, 2) resolution, and 3) cost. My old camcorder was huge, and the thought of lugging it around on vacation this summer in Europe motivated me to look for a new one. This thing fits in your pants pocket (the use of the SD card keeps it small). I wanted something with hi-def resolution so I don't look at the videos in 5 years on my hi-def TV and think how old-fashioned it seems. And I didn't want to spend a thousand or more dollars. This fit the bill on all counts.
br /
br /Some problems: 1) There doesn't appear to be any image stabilization, so I've needed to hold on to it with both hands to keep it stable. 2) It deals poorly with movement. I'm not sure if this is the codec or the optics or what, but panning around can introduce some weird artifacts. 3) The zoom is quite noisy. If you're filming some quiet scenes, it's probably better not to zoom. 4) As with most camcorders, it needs light. It does have a built-in LED light, but it doesn't do much. 5) As with most camcorders, the microphone picks up the filmer's voice fine, but not the subject's very well. 6) The battery life is low. It comes with two batteries; you'll need them both. If you keep these limitations in mind, the size, cost, and HD resolution can make it worthwhile. If you can afford it, get the HV20 or another $1000 HD camcorder and many of the above issues will be reduced or eliminated.
br /
br /A note for Mac users: I couldn't get my Mac to see the camera directly, but a card-reader plugged into the USB port could read the video/still files just fine.

I picked up this camera not expecting anything much... but I was surprised!
br /
br /The video quality is very good and its pretty much a no brainer to use.
br /
br /For mac users it works great since its a .mov file . All I had to do was pull the sd card out of the camera and into a reader hooked to the mac and copy the files over... they play with quicktime as is with no further processing. I used quicktime pro to edit what I wanted and all went well. But since these are h2.64 files you will need to use viddy up or divx to send your creations to youtube.
br /
br /Over all the camera exceeded my expectations. these kind of camera's are really designed for quickie type videos that you want to view on your pc . They are convenient because the file is ready to go with no need for tape conversion then the dreaded compression which take forever... they are ready set go as soon as you copy the file. Also a 1gb sd card yields 30 mins and a 2gb is one hour. the camera comes with TWO batteries.
br /
br /For the price you really cant go wrong.

I am fairly happy with performance so far. The zoom motor is loud. My wish list would be for a microphone in. Low lighting isn't too bad for video, but not good for stills (there is a good flash strobe though).
br /
br /Docking station [called "Instant Theater" ] is for the most part a box padding [really is an alarm clock or whatever, I don't get it]. This "dock" doesn't really integrate well with this camera as it is designed for the lower end Aipek cams with mp3 function (this doesn't have that). It was hope that you could charge the battery or cam and it doesn't. You can only charge one battery at a time (there are 2 batteries in the box, last 30 minutes each) with either USB or DC adapter.
br /
br /I ordered an 8GB SDHC card and it hasn't arrived yet so using a 512 MB card for now. The manual doesn't address the SDHC (at least the printed one), but I believe the web site at Aiptek does.
br /
br /You save a lot of $$ over the Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2, but the Sanyo does offer HDMI and 10X zoom. Most HD video files are so large that it is hard to computer-edit. I've found these files small enough with the H.264 codec that it isn't too bad. One can use NERO to do this [DVD burner suite]. The low light video is simply fantastic at this price point. The cons are mainly sound [mono only], lack of fine controls [maybe a plus], fantastic sills at 5 megapixels, no videotape, and small pocket size. THIS ISN'T A CHEAPIE TOY, it is well-built.
br /
br /Two batteries came with mine ~ but remember only 30 minutes with each battery for video. You can charge through USB or AC adapter.

I had this guy for 3 days before it went kaput, in those three days I shot nearly 3 hours of video, in various lighting conditions. So I think I got a pretty good taste of its capabilities.
br /
br /First the Pros:
br /
br /1. PRICE!! HD 720P for under $300...its a steal! Lose it or break it, you won't be crying (as hard) like you would over your $1200 HDR-CX7.
br /
br /2. Size, its tiny, it literally does fit in your pocket, without you looking like you have a Camcorder shoved in your pocket. No excuse not to have it with you all the time.
br /
br /3. Video is decent, especially outside in the sun
br /
br /4. Shoots H.264 (Pro and a Con, as you will see later on)
br /
br /5. Very fast power up and shooting time, no more waiting for a shot or between shots.
br /
br /6. Looks sweet when playing back directly from the camera on my HD SRXD TV
br /
br /Now the Cons:
br /
br /1. Auto focus is awful, its loud and its no very accurate, I wish they at least gave you a manual focus ring to compensate
br /
br /2. Optics are small, low light shooting is bad (what can you expect from such a little inexpensive camera though)
br /
br /3. Its build quality leaves a little to be desired, you can see where they saved the money
br /
br /4. 2 sets of cables to output HD Video, The camera has 2 miniplugs for AV output, one hidden under a tab (the HD) and one above it, not hidden. If you want to output to an SD TV the Yellow/Red/White work just fine, if you want to output to an HD (which I would assume is why you bought the camera in the first place) you need to open the tab, connect the composite cables Red/blue/green, then connect the analogue SD cables and steal the Red and white audio connection from them, leaving the yellow to dangle.
br /
br /Don't get me started on the Audio Only "docking station"
br /
br /5. Not many manual settings, or overrides, the controls are very very basic
br /
br /6. The Audio recording is not so good, I think the problem is cheap mikes
br /
br /
br /Playback and editing (Be careful what you wish for)
br /
br /I have an old computer, a P4 2.4 with 1 Gig ram, and Nvidia 7600 AGP video card. Playing the HD output files from this camcorder I was not able to get over 10 FPS, from the 30 FPS in the file (this is not a knock on the camera) The issue is the codec's complexity combined with my computer's old age made for a very frustrating playback (it almost made me buy a mac)
br /
br /Editing was tough for my poor machine, to convert 6 minutes of HD into a FLV files of 640x320 took 3 hours! Again not the camcorder fault, but if you think you will be whipping off Discovery channel HD type documentaries with this baby make sure you have the rig to handle the task
br /
br /The idea behind this camcorder is great, the price is even better they could have executed a little bit better, I was willing to forgive a lot of the short coming because of the price and the newness of it, and I probably would have kept it, had it not started adding the sound of film projector ticking to all my movies on the last day.
br /
br /Remember a poor quality video, is better than no video.
br /

I normall use a Sony HDV camera, but I have to say that this little camera has amazing picture quality in its HD mode, especially if the camera is on a tripod. Very good in low light too, Sound quality is also decent as long as you don't exceed a certain sound pressure level.
br /Keep in mind this is a progressive 720, 30 frames per second recording (not 60), so one can't pan so fast, and that the .264 compression is good, but it is high compression so there are some artifacts when shooting grass, leaves, and water. Yes, the lens is noisy, the camera plastic construction is "loose" and does not have a Canon feel, and the battery life could be longer, but the camera (and a tiny tripod) can fit in a shirt pocket and records an hour of HD on a 2Gb SD stick. Amazing. I can't wait till the end of the dominance of the DV tape by the Japanese manufacturers with their overpriced tape decks. This camera may not be perfect, but it sure points to where shooting will go in a year or two.

Impressed with the pictures videos it took in HD all for only $250. Also has a histogram meter! Nightshot mode was acceptable the zoom noise wasn't as bad as others made it out to be. It may not have all the features of more expensive models, but for the price I'm happy!

I admit that I am a geek and I'm proud of it. I love to explore new technologies and see how different designers approach the same problem.
br /
br /I have had a little media production company for a few years which has allowed me to experiment with a lot of different equipment. High-end video cameras are great, but I also love the cheap little cameras sold by companies like Aiptek and Mustek. My interest in these cameras is based on their tiny size and tiny price. Unfortunately, the video quality has typically also been "tiny."
br /
br /With that said, for little money you can buy a camera that serves both as a still camera and a video camera good enough to send videos of little Timmy's piano recital to grandma or to take some casual still shots. Several years ago I wrote a long review on the Aiptek IS-DV camcorder for E-pinions. Although the IS-DV was a seriously flawed machine it offered "good enough" performance, a very attractive price and a nice software bundle. Based on the above I thought it would be a great little camcorder for the above listed uses, especially for those on a tight budget.
br /
br /So it was with great expectation I purchased the Aiptek "Go-HD" camcorder. This camera was bigger than the IS-DV but offered 750p resolution, a 5 MP camera, low light mode, auto focus (instead of fixed focus) and an optical zoom. I was very excited to try it out.
br /
br /My overall impression has (unfortunately) been so-so.
br /
br /Why?
br /
br /1. Cost...The price of the Go-HD is dropping, I bought it when it had just come out and it was significantly more expensive than previous Aiptek products. It is significantly less expensive than a true HD camcorder. With that said you can now get a regular DV type camcorder for just a little more than this one.
br /2. Picture quality...Certainly an improvement over older Aiptek cameras but (IMHO) not as good as a regular DV camcorder. This surprised me as the specs of the camera suggests that the picture quality should be better..
br /3. No image stabilization...I didn't think that this would be a big deal as I know how to hold a camera. Yet, it turned out to be a big deal as the camera is so small it is hard to steady and the video can look pretty shaky unless you are real careful.
br /4. Quality of still pictures...They are pretty good, so what is my beef?? They are not as good as an inexpensive point and shoot which you can now get for around $100. Low cost point and shoots now offer a lot of modes (like sports, night shot, etc) which this camera does not. I often found that I had to tweak pictures in a photo editor, something that I don't have to do with pictures from other cheap cameras.
br /5. Poor battery life
br /6. Rare codec...The Aiptek web page says that the camera's video is in the .mov format. What is in the small print is that the camera uses a particular codec called the H.264 codec and it doesn't seem that many video editing programs support this particular combination. This is a huge problem if you want to edit your footage. I did buy Arc Soft's Total Media Extreme software from Aiptek and that software does work with this camera but is it extremely basic in its functioning. To get a useable file (one that I could edit) I had to combine all of the video clips and render them to more common file format. This was a very slow process (set it up and go to bed) which degraded the final video. Only then could I use a video editor like Vegas Video or Movie Maker. Apparently there is some sort of a work around to use ULead's Video Studio but even that program doesn't support the H.264 codec packaged in .mov. This is a big deal as many folks would buy this camera for things like emailing a video to family. When you do this you want to trim the video down so that you send the smallest possible file. If it was possible to easily edit video from the Go-HD I would rate it higher.
br /7. Noise...Using the optical zoom results in a very loud motor noise the in final video. Even when the zoom isn't used the audio quality isn't very good and you get a mechanical noise when you play back the video. This is very strange as the machine records to flash memory and there are no moving parts.
br /8. Size...The camera is very small, but bigger than the IS-DV which was so light you would forget that it was on your belt. Other camcorders have been shrinking and now the difference between them is less than it was a couple of years ago.
br /
br /In many ways this camera is a vast improvement from the IS-DV that I liked in the past. However, the cost of this device is higher and the playing field has narrowed considerably. You can buy a decent DV or DVD camcorder for just a little more cash. On paper DV resolution should be a lot worse than the Go-HD's 720p, but in practice DV looks better (IMHO). Further, you can easily edit DV videos with many inexpensive or free programs.
br /
br /Conversely, you can buy an inexpensive point and shoot camera that will take great still pictures. Most of these cameras will also shoot decent (not great) video, perfect for email or web use.
br /
br /There is also a very inexpensive, tiny video camera called "The Flip." This camera takes very nice video and has built-in flash memory and editing software all for a very inexpensive price.
br /
br /Will I continue to play around with this tiny camera?? Sure! However, I find that I rarely use it in "real life." Nowadays when I need a mini video of a recital I use a "Flip" video camera and for more serious video adventures, like a vacation, I go with my standard video camera. What about stills?? My $100 Nikon from Walmart seems to do a great job. I wouldn't say "don't buy the Go-HD," but I would say "check out all of your options." You may find a camera that better suits your needs.
br /

Correction, I actually have an Aiptek A-HD. Mine does have a zoom, but I believe it is a 2x digital--which would explain the difference in price from this unit that has a 3x optical.
br /
br /The local store had this on sale from $150 to $120, so I decided to look it up on Amazon for reviews on my mobile device right before I went into the store to buy. These reviews seems to be the best description for my unit, so I decide to get it to try for an upcoming trip.
br /
br /I have already seen several difference in my unit. If anyone is interested on the feature differences to this one, the following are the obvious ones.
br /
br /(note, the Aiptek A-hd has 2x digital zoom, and not 3x optical zoom--there is a big difference.)
br /
br /The plastic and light construction gives is more of a "toy" feel than a real electronic equipment.
br /
br /However ....
br /
br /My unit seemed to have a very inexpensive / last minute lense cap thrown in. It looks like a simple bottle cap with a little tie string--but, it seems to work, and it is definately better than nothing.
br /
br /On my first charge, I plugged it in overnight, and after reading some other reviewers, I was hoping to get 20 minutes of recording time. I simply left it on and pointed it my living room right before I went to sleep. To my surpise, the next morning, the 2gig SD memory card was full with about 1:05 hrs of video, and the battery still seems to have all 3/3 bars. (I doubt it was really 3/3; however, it was able to record for more than 20 minutes on a single charge). (The manuals lists 90 minutes of recording time per charge).
br /
br /My unit had an option for 8Megs for still pictures, and the 720p picture was much better than my ancient regular camcorder.
br /
br /I'm hoping to take this snowboarding with me, and for the inexpensive cost (relative to the regular price of $150.) I feel slightly less worried about damaging it.
br /
br /I have seen pictures out of my friends Sony HD camcorder which is amazing (at 1080i/p), and I believe provides better pictures than this unit; however, I find it more difficult to carry around such expensive electronics up in ski areas.
br /
br /For the cost and the quality, it has a good fit with my normal outdoor gear.

Owing to the impending arrival of our first child, my wife and I thought it would be a good time to replace our ailing 8mm camcorder. The images were never great and the batteries and chargers had all failed long ago.
br /I saw the Aiptek on someone's blog somewhere and was astonished at the price. After reading a few reviews, I was skeptical but still drawn to the size of the camera, the HD capability, and its price.
br /After three+ weeks of use, I am very very pleased with the quality of this camera. I would be less satisfied, of course, if this were a $1000+ camera. At this price, though, and for our purposes, the number of features and image results are excellent.
br /
br /Some reviews complain about the battery life but, this has not been an issue for me. Perhaps it is the nature of my shots, but, I seem to get as many 1 to 2 minute takes as I ever want. Who wants to watch a thirty minute shot of almost anything (school plays and ball games, excepted).
br /Long story short, to record HD images where sound is not paramount, clips aren't going to be too long, and available lighting is ample, the Aiptek Go-HD is a terrific value.
br /
br /UPDATED! 14 months later and I'm editing my review (which I forgot I made) to say I had a little trouble with the camera. I contacted Aiptek, knowing I was out of warranty and doubting I'd get much help. They got back to me in 24 hours with a solution that set my camera right in 10 seconds. GO-HD! Go Aiptek!

I purchased one of these when they first came out in May. I loved the video! Much better than my Canon TX1 or my Sanyo CG6! The sound was ok. There was no noise from the auto focus/zoom motor.It was a very early production model. It kept locking though so I had t return it.
br / I then purchased another one thru amazon and noticed right away the there was a horible noise coming from the auto focus/zoom motor everytime it had to refocus or if you zoomed. You could feel it in your hand and during playback you hear a very-very noticable ratching/clicking type noise. It just totaly ruins the important moments I captured. I sent it back to amazon.
br / They sent me another replacement and I could not believe it but it was even worse! I have sent it back to and still waiting for a refund.
br / Amazon says that the problem must be more widespread than they had originally thought!
br / Well I have not totaly given up on Aiptek. They have just come out with a new model called the Aiptek A-HD. It does not have a mechanical zoom so it cannot make noise. The price is also less at 169.00!!!
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br /

I've only owned this camera 3 days. So far here are my likes and dis-likes.
br /
br /LIKES
br /Amazon price with docking bay was $236!! Including overnight shipping :)
br /
br /Very small and lightweight
br /
br /HD video quality - HELLO!
br /
br /SD card expansion up to 8 GIG
br /
br /Good screen quality
br /
br /2 batteries included (also see dis-likes)
br /
br /Comes with belt loop case
br /
br /Aiptek support seems to be lacking, but the Internet groups make up for it
br /
br /Metal tripod threads on bottom
br /
br /VERY quick on and off times - under 3 seconds to be shooting film
br /
br /Controls on camera are placed nicely but take some getting used to
br /
br /Decent strobe flash and LED's DO help with video in darkness
br /
br /Nightshot is very good - again, turn it on in a dark room
br /
br /LOVE the fact I can film then stick the SD card into my computer for immediate playback!
br /
br /Dispite what others say, it's built pretty rugged.
br /
br /Though there is no "lens cover" it's actually a peice of glass mounted level on the nose covering the "actual" lens. So it's sorta like a "see-through" cover.
br /
br /
br /
br /
br /DIS-LIKES
br /Battery doesn't last long - 30 minutes (got to carry spare with you)
br /
br /Can't charge spare battery outside of camera
br /
br /Takes 2.5 HOURS to charge battery!
br /
br /No lens cover
br /
br /Battery / SD door comes up to easy
br /
br /Battery isn't "snug" in the case
br /
br /When zoomed in the image and video gets darker to VERY dark depending on zoom level you attained - zoom is also kinda slow
br /
br /Flappy door thing for usb port and HD video - they usually break off
br /
br /No manual focus - focus seems slower than other cameras but still works
br /
br /Power button is poorly placed, under the video screen (dah). You got to lift the screen up to turn it on, but by lifting the screen up you DO turn it on - so really it's just a "power off" button..
br /
br /
br /Overall I'm pleased with the camera. I'm replacing a Sony DV camera I've had for 7 years. My goal was to find something I could afford, that takes both digital video and photo right to a memory card, has as good of quality, and stands up to the test of time.
br /Minus the "time" part since it's only been 2 days - I think I attained my goal.
br /I like the camera and plan to use it on my up-coming Disney trip with the family!

It was with high hopes that I ordered the GO-HD camcorder, after reading all the reviews here and elsewhere on the web.
br /I gave it every chance because I love the form factor, and the feel of the camera in my hand. The video leaves a lot to be desired, though - under the best of conditions(bright day outside)the recording is 'halting' when played back on the PC, as though there are too few frames per minute. The captured daylight images themselves are quite good, though. The video from indoors is substandard quality, and it's impossible to hold the camera steady enough to prevent some blur. It really needs an image stabilizer. It's a beautiful camera, well built and works well, but I had to return it due to picture quality. I absolutely love Amazon's return policy, it's the most customer friendly I've ever encountered. Amazon is my first choice for shopping, always.

PRO:
br /- It genuinely shoots 720p/30fps HD video, as well as standard DVD quality 720x480 and YouTube-quality 352x240, including audio for $221 at time of purchase
br /- Shoots HD in MP4's h.264 .MOV format, so can be easily edited on both Macs and Windows PCs
br /- Records onto Secure Disc cards, same as many digital still cameras, PDAs and mobile phones
br /- Built-in "color balance" (low-wattage) light and "night mode" useful for indoor/night shooting
br /- Up to 5Mpx stills including built-in flash (doubles as color balance light)
br /- Selection of white balance settings as well as simple "movie effects" (bw, sepiatone "old movie")
br /- Autofocus and 3x optical zoom
br /
br /CON:
br /- Clumsy form factor makes holding for still or video shooting difficult
br /- NO image stabilization!!! - and given the form factor, you desperately need it
br /- Video tends towards "jaggies", artificial-looking colors and other artifacts
br /- Bottom curved so you can't set camcorder on flat surface while shooting
br /- No manual override or "focus set" for autofocus, and slow refocusing especially when using zoom
br /- No manual override for auto iris, resulting in frequent "flashes" when iris resets light levels
br /- 4x3 format LCD viewfinder only, not 16x9 - no optical viewfinder
br /- Proprietary LiIon battery packs with less than 1 hr. battery life
br /- No lens covering of any type
br /
br /CONCLUSION:
br /Aiptek's GO-HD certainly shouldn't be your main choice for a HD camcorder, and the lack of image stabilization hurts a lot - but its ability to shoot 720p HD for 200 bucks and change makes it a great cheap grab 'n' go camcorder, or a holiday gift for a child who wants to shoot video but isn't careful with her/his toys
br /

You can't beat the price of the GO-HD for the quality of the picture and ease of use. One caution, the video quality is dependent on how good a PC you have so don't try and view the video on an old pc it will be choppy or not play. I give the GO-HD five stars for price and the simple ability to put it in your pocket and whip it out when you need it. Try that with a big HD camera! I don't think you can go wrong with the go-hd but remember to have a fast pc. Oh, and also, make sure you have a fast SD card. If you have the right equipment you'll be amazed.

I finally got to try out my Go-HD camera on vacation and I will have to say, I was pretty impressed. Please don't expect it to be a hi-end camera. I have a $2000 Sony HD camera and its not that but its not too far away. The best thing about it is the size. Just put in in your pocket and go! Beats lugging around a big one! The only thing I don't like about it is the sound could be better and the focus after zooming in or out can be a bit sluggish but for the money, you can't go wrong. I recommend it highly!

I love the concept behind the Aiptek GO-HD+ 720P and simplicity. I have not owned the GO-HD digital camcorder for more than a week, but wanted to share some additional comments I did not see in the reviews.
br /
br /Pros:
br /- Very compact. Convenient for hiking, biking, other sports.
br /
br /- HD video quality is decent. I can tell you the direct playback
br /(via cables) and DVD playback on my standard DVD player and Samsung HDTV is far better than my old 8mm MP videos.
br /
br /- Intuitive menus
br /
br /- You can record old 8mm analog videos into .MOV MPEG-4 format and edit, burn, archive.
br /
br /- Relatively standard format. I am concurrently testing H.264 (.MOV files) with Nero 8. You can easily save, edit, and burn DVD or CD movies.
br /
br /- MUCH smaller file sizes. About 50% more efficient encoding than MPEG-2. This one feature will save you a lot of drive real estate on your laptop and DVD media. And the quality is just as good at MPEG-2.
br /
br /- Very multimedia oriented.
br /
br /- SD storage is the way to go. Heads up. With any HD camcorder, you will need a lot more memory than standard definition camcorders. A 4 GB or 8 GB SDHC memory will give you all the recording time you really need. I converted 120 minutes of 8mm video onto less than 1 GB. Fantastic.
br /
br /
br /Cons:
br /- Form factor is cheap. You will immediately notice than the battery cover slips right off and does not snap back securely as we have become accustomed to with other electronics. Furthermore, the battery feels like it might not stay in place. So, the tolerances of the cover and battery space are not what you might expect.
br /
br /- Software: I found the on board software a bit buggy. I am currently having problems getting back into my Index Mode to see the list of videos I have shot. I can see them when plugged to my laptop. However, for some reason, I cannot on the GO-HD. I have not found a reset button or sequence. I am using a PNY 8 GB SDHC card. Also, when taping (AV IN) from another device like a camcorder, the on board software will hang up when it reaches end of video or blank spot. So, you have to remove the AV plug and setup the Aiptek to record again. If you are recording old analog videos, you will end up with a series of .MOV files. Be patient, but the recording feature does work. I tried using a USB 2.0 video converter. Recording to the Aiptek and then transferring saved files to the laptop works much better. The file sizes are MUCH smaller than encoding your analog videos to MPEG-2.
br /
br /- Short battery life.
br /
br /- Definitely need a tripod if you plan to shoot HD videos.
br /
br /- NO on board memory at all. You will have to shell out additional $$$ for SDHC card. I purchase a PNY SDHC 8 GB card.
br /
br /- Although memory does not seem to be a problem, battery life is certainly less than 60 minutes.
br /
br /- Everyone else has noticed the camcorder pickup the churning motor sound from the camera itself. Same with the zoom mode. The small mic will pickup any movement of your hand or clicking of your ring against the housing. My recommendation you set the camera on a tripod.
br /
br /- NO stabilization.
br /
br /- Only 3X zoom. So don't expect distant shots or recording your kids schools events. Perfect camera for close in (normal) shots.
br /
br /
br /SUMMARY:
br /I purchased this camcorder to archive my old 8mm MP tapes to a more standard and compact format. I bought into the stuff I read on the Internet about the future being H.264 MPEG-4. I learned a few hard lessons with my cheap USB 2.0 video converter and attempt to use Roxio EMC 10. Now I am seeing the advantage with going with video standards that are more compatible with HD and multimedia standards. I plan to use the Aiptek for my business to shoot videos of my seminars for my weblog and other Internet media. Based on the HD video quality and user-friendly Quicktime format, I look forward to creating some multimedia productions. I think this is a good choice for anyone who wants a compact camcorder that's multimedia friendly and compact. Based on the buggy software issues I am currently having, I am still not sure about quality and support. I'll find out on Monday if I have to ship the unit back or adjust a setting. This is definitely the right idea: relatively open format / standard; highly portable; intuitive menus - simple; very multimedia oriented.
br /
br /KA
br /

I was concerned about some of the complaints regarding short battery life, noisy zoom lens and an overall cheap plastic feel of this camera, but it was a great value I decided to give it a try.
br /
br /Luckily, I havn't had any of those problems with the camera, and after several months, am perfectly happy with it. Yes, the camera has a plastic body, but it's been very durable while travelling and seems no flimsier than any other electronic device made today. The plastic body is one reason why the camera is so easy to take everywhere. It's light, compact not a chore to haul around, which is nice.
br /
br /Rather than a short battery life, I have been suprised at the long life of the battery that came in the camera. I bought an extra battery because I expected it to run out quickly, but I've never used it. I've never needed to. During a 4-day weekend in the mountains, I plugged the camera in at night, and was able to record any time and every time I wanted all day long each day.
br /
br /The noisy zoom lens? I don't know. My model doesn't have a noisy zoom lens. I can barely hear it when I use it, and have never noticed the sound of the zoom during playback. Maybe it happens with some of them.
br /
br /Granted, the built-in microphone doesn't produce the best sound, but it's been good enough for my casual use of video. The video has been clear, sharp colorful. Would I use it to record a wedding? Probably not. To record my mother's belly-dancing recital? You bet!

Got this just before a trip to New York City and I have to say I am very pleased with the color rendition, the high definition and the overall ease of use. I've had no problem with battery life and can store plenty on the 4G card I bought with it. My only concern, and it is major, is that there is no way to attenuate the sound when one is in high volume environments like street show with amplified music. The sound captured is atrocious, worse than useless. But in normal environments, sound is just fine. Playing files in windows media player gives poor sound synchronization.

I have owned this camcorder for nearly six months. It has been a very disappointing purchase.
br /
br /The audio gets very scratchy at times. I have seen this happening when recording musical programs where there is continuous loud audio. Video quality is so-so. In the name of HD, it creates huge video (.MOV) files, but the videos that I capture from my Sony MiniDV camcorder (in DV format) are much better in clarity and quality. The zoom is almost useless because of the absence of steady-shot feature. Even with a tripod, I have seen the video quality reduces with zooming, though it shouldn't happen with the optical zoom.
br /
br /Still pictures: It is very easy to mess up a picture. Half of my still pictures come out to be out-of-focus or shaken.
br /
br /If you are not in a hurry to go HD and if you are considering this camcorder because of the attractive price, WAIT... I can see that the Sonys and Canons are coming down on price.

Not the most reliable, stable piece of equipment, but what do you want for the pricetag? I'd say it's a very amusing gadget and I'm prepared to see how far this little thing can go. This actually has an optical zoom, unlike the other models that have a "digital zoom" (completely useless as far as I'm concerned). The biggest minus is the sound - it's outright horrendous. Manual override with the other functions is not easy to implement. Picture wise it's a nice achievement, 720 P video for such a low price.

This camera is extremely portable and has good video quality, ideal for outdoor activities. It lacks an image-stabilizer though, especially because it is so small and lightweight it is difficult to hold still. Video quality in low light conditions (i.e. indoors) is a bit dissappointing, the two built in led-lights are a joke.

After not even a week of using the camera, the backlight on the lcd would come on, but the camera would not start up. I'm normally a fan of Aiptek products, but after seeing that this isn't the first time this has happened to someone, never again will I buy Aiptek. Total garbage.

The Aiptek GO HD camcorder is, in a word, great. The video is great quality and the sound isn't bad at all. It's a great value as well, as I bought mine here on Amazon for $235. I can't think of any other HD camcorder that has a price tag nearly as affordable as that. However, there were a few minor problems which I'll get to later. For now, however, I'll go over the pros.
br /
br /Pros:
br /
br /-Shoots excellent HD quality video.
br /-Takes great pictures.
br /-The microphone can pick up sound well judging from what I've shot.
br /-It uses memory cards as opposed to tapes, which allows the camcorder to be more compact.
br /-It shoots well in low light.
br /-Some in-camcorder video effects are included (Black White for example).
br /-Two rechargeable Li-ion batteries included.
br /-Can take up to an 8 GB SDHC card.
br /
br /Cons:
br /
br /-The zoom is noisy while shooting, I'd reccomend not zooming in if you're trying to shoot a quiet scene as the camera microphone will pick it up.
br /-If you zoom in, the picture will look darker.
br /-Sometimes while shooting, the camcorder will make low beeping noises. Although, this is nothing major as usually these sounds are barely audible.
br /-There is no image stabilization.
br /
br /Overall, I'd say that the GO HD is well worth the money. I'm glad I bought it. It's definately a huge improvement over Aiptek's past camcorders.
br /
br /UPDATE (9/1/07):
br /
br /I returned it. The camcorder deleted all the footage I had on my 4 GB memory card and then began to shut off during playback. I got a full refund from Amazon.
br /
br /My opinion: Don't buy this camcorder. Wait until Aiptek comes out with a newer HD model wthout the glitches. Now, instead of four stars, I'd give this priduct two.

I purchased a GO-HD a month ago. The flash unit packed up on the first day and the camcorder does not switch off when closing the screen or pressing the power sitch, requiring the battery to be removed to power the unit off. When it was working, the zoom makes grinding noises which gets captured by the mic.
br /
br /I sent emails to Aiptek USA Taiwan sales, support marketting dept's and have not recieved a reply since, indicating their total lack of commitment to product support.
br /
br /If you are happy to accept this $250 "Throw Away" camcorder, buy it and take your chances.

CAmera is very small and produces an amazing picture for the price. The only faults in it are no auxillary audio input and the internal mic is weak and due to its small size, it can be shaky if you arent careful with it, but for the price it really has nothing that compares to it. I highly recommend it for a pocket camera. I am extremely happy with it.

1. I really liked how easy it was to operate, but the HD isn't as "HD" as I thought it would be. Also, it's very difficult to hold steady.
br /2. The zoom quit working on it 3 weeks after we got it.
br /3. I took three movies with it the other night, and only one of them shows up on the computer. Then, when I checked the camera, it still has all three movies, but no computer I can find anywhere sees the other two movies...only the first one.
br /4. I called and emailed AIPTEK for help - still haven't heard from them, and that was 30 days ago. I wish I would have sent it back to Amazon. It started having problems at about the 28 day point, and I figured AIPTEK would help me with it.
br /I really wanted it to work. We're disappointed, and now I'm back to trying to work with AIPTEK.

This camera is small, convenient and easy to use. You can hear the zoom motor but I've got a $1000 Sony miniDV unit that's louder. The HD picture quality is superb and the controls are easy to operate. For the money, this is an excellent bargain. It would be nice if it had image stabilization. It would be nice if it had 10x Zoom. It would be nice if it had HDMI. Come to think of it...it would be nice if it had a MPG player and a phone too.
br /It's an awesome HD camcorder for near $200!

This was purchased as a xmas gift. The general consensus so far is that the biggest downside is it needs IS (image stabilization). Small, compact, comfortable to hold, easy to operate. The screen is hard to see in bright daylight (I've never known an LCD that wasn't) and the "little blue light" is somewhat bothersome after a while. Works beautifully with the Transcend 8 gb SDHC card. We haven't tried it w/ a tripod or monopod yet but I think a monopod would help significantly. I think this is a great deal. Everything about the camera works as described in the manual - comes with a second battery too which is nice. Great value for the money even without IS.

i have had this camera for about 3 weeks now and just love the convenience of carrying one device for both video and still pictures. its also lighter and smaller than my other devices. its very easy to use. picture quality is good in daylight or well lit area. it gets grainy in the dark and does not look great especially when viewed on an HD TV. audio is ok, zoom is basic. i usually just walk closer to my subject instead of zooming as i get better audio capture. still pictures are great and the flash works fine. battery life is good and i love the fact that i can charge it with a USB cable or one of many usb chargers i have for the cell phones.
br /overall it is a good buy for the price.

i love this thing. the video looks great when filmed outside with a steady hand. i don't use the zoom because digital zoom always looks like crap in my opinion. for the price the video quality is freaking amazing but the mic leaves a lot to be desired. boy what i wouldn't give to have one of these when i was in high school or travelling the world in the navy. the h.264 is a great format btw which is easy to edit in premiere elements but you must have a fast computer. i wish i could buy a $600 version of this type of camera for the extra build quality that price would offer. bottom line, this camera is great for quick shots and the video looks nice on an hdtv.

I purchased one of these when they first came out in May. I loved the video! Much better than my Canon TX1 or my Sanyo CG6! The sound was ok. There was no noise from the auto focus/zoom motor.It was a very early production model. It kept locking though so I had t return it.
br /I then purchased another one thru amazon and noticed right away the there was a horible noise coming from the auto focus/zoom motor everytime it had to refocus or if you zoomed. You could feel it in your hand and during playback you hear a very-very noticable ratceting/clicking type noise. It just totally ruins the important moments I captured. I sent it back to amazon.
br /They sent me another replacement and I could not believe it but it was even worse! I have sent it back to and still waiting for a refund.
br /Amazon says that the problem must be more widespread than they had originally thought!
br /Well I have not totally given up on Aiptek. They have just come out with a new model called the Aiptek A-HD. It does not have a mechanical zoom so it cannot make noise. The price is also less at 169.00!!
br /
br /UPDATE: The new Aiptek Action camera does not have the zoom motor noises but overall is still the same camera.
br / I just bought a new Kodak V1253 that blows every other camera I have purchased away in all areas except the Sanyo HD1000 has slightly better video but that's it so I am now using a very inexpensive Kodak V12530 over my 800.00 Sanyo HD1000

This is my first DV as I always hesitate if I need a DV or not. I know many people who own a DV but told me that they only use it twice a year after spending a few hundred bucks and then it is out of date. I decided to try one just for the reason that it is inexpensive, under $200 and found the video quality is so good.
br /Now I've used it for couple of months and I would give 4 star review for it. It is a perfect beginner's HD DV, as what it is supposed to be.
br /First, the video quality is so good in 720P, I put some screen capture online and one can hardly tell the difference with those still images captured with a digital camera. Even in low light conditions like indoor or at night, the noise is still very low. I'm surprised how they could do that with a CMOS sensor. I know some DC can capture videos in 640X480 or even 1024X768, but they use the sensor in fast exposure mode and use motion-jpeg compression, the video noise is very high.
br /It is an idiot proof consumer product, there's not much you need to set or control, just turn it on, start and stop recording, zoom in and out, review, turn on light.
br /It is so compact that you can put it into your purse or pocket.
br /It uses SD card, which is inexpensive now, buy a 4GB sdhc and you are all set(almost two hours recording time). Take the SD card out and put it into your computer, then you can play it with many software like quicktime. I never tried the software comes with the package but I recommend Kmplayer, which is free and you can download anywhere. Its decoder is the only one that plays the video clips on my 1.3G laptop smoothly.
br /The battery life is short, like 30-45 mins, but I found most of the clips I shot are no longer than 5 mins. and I do know this is common for most if not all HD consumer DV's. Try searching reviews for those sony and canon one. Fortunately it comes with two batteries in the package.
br /The biggest problem is it does not have anti-shake or image stabilization function, so you have to hold it very steady to get good shot. Unfortunately, for consumer DV, I found it is always a problem, even those who have IS function, they still have the problem. The CMOS camcorders use rolling shutter, which causes weird effect like smear. even for those expensive one. so my suggestion is: using a tripod, or don't move while shooting.
br /And audio, the most clear sound it can capture is the voice from the guy who is shooting. Outdoors, the wind will make a noise. But again, do some research you will find it is again a common problem for consumer DV. Fortunately this does not bother me, I only enjoy the image but not the sound most of the time. when I edit the clips, I simply replace the audio with music as background. If audio is important for you, try find one which can use external directional mic.
br /A minor issue is its plastic feeling and smell, which makes it felt cheap, very bad marketing in US. but don't be fooled by the outlook, it is worth every penny.
br /so I would highly recommend this one if you are planning buying a DV and don't want to spend a lot money. Canon HF100 is another option, which will drop below $[...] soon. or Samsung at $[...]. you can review HD clips at www.vimeo.com before making your decision.

The camera works as advertised. It is portable, light weight, easy to configure, comes with a handy bag.
br /
br /The only con is battery life. If you are planning to record a 3 hour long event, forget about this one.
br /
br /[...]

It's a $200 camera so I wasn't expecting much but I was actually impressed with the picture quality of the 1080 and 720 settings. The 720 60fps setting looked great and had fluid movement. The only thing I didn't like was that the recorded sound was about 1/2 second of ahead of the video. That matters when someone is talking to the camera. The still camera took bad pictures too, kind've blurry on the sides. I didn't buy it for it's still camera quality though, I probably never would have used it.
br /
br /I returned the camera though. Overall, if the sound would have been in sync it would have been 5 stars because it really takes nice video, vivid colors, autofocus seemed to work fine, crisp HD picture.

Great little camcorder. Better lens than the AHD model and a more solid build. Not fantastic for fast action but can produce some stunning HD video with correct lighting. SDHC memory is unbelievably convenient, inexpensive and fast to transfer for editing.

I've read all reviews prior to buying it, and I am quite satisfied overall. There are some minor issues, but no show-stoppers. Picture quality is good, sound is OK, ease of use is excellent, bells and whistles are none. It's somewhat uneasy to edit the videos on the computer, but if you just want to cut out parts or stitch files together, try Apple Quicktime Pro, it's as easy as cut and paste. Software included with the camera is decent for viewing, but my Windows Media Player has problems playing the files. I wish there was the HDMI output, but included component cables do the job too.
br /
br /If you want a cheap and basic video on the go, it's a great little gadget.

well,
br /
br /Just received it last night. Packaged well, as always from Amazon. The camera feels really cheap (buttons, screen, etc.)
br /
br /So, i receive it, charge the batteries and shoot a sample... plug the SD card in my pc... results:
br /
br /Video was ok (just ok, but it was indoor, well lit), but sound was horrible. Turns out the VLC player does't play the sound right, and with all the comments about bad sound, i figured it was just the way it was...
br /I later tried it on my laptop which has quicktime and it came out much better (what a relief:, but still very average )
br /
br /I will have to try it more during the day, to see if it is worth anything...
br /
br /my thoughts are; maybe it is 720p, but its sound quality is subpar, and build quality is cheap, then is this really such a bargain??
br /still not sure whether is should get a refund and dish out the extra cash for a decent HD camcorder.
br /
br /Overall, pretty disapointed...

I would have given this camera a 5 but I don't like the output format for the video camera which is .MOV why they use that I don't know. When taking pictures they look great and the zoom is very good. I took a picture of a tree from my balcony and it looked like I was right in front of the tree.

Good value, not so perfect, but good value/price, Do anybody know the free HD video edit. Hope they can combin one.

This is my two month experience. My reference experiences are a 12 year old Sony 8 mm tape camcorder (a pain to haul around) and a two year old Nikon 5 MP digital still camera (easy to pocket). The biggest aggravations with GO-HD are: the motor noise of auto-focus and zoom transferred to the sound; the lack of image stabilization. Lesser problems are: light level drops with zoom; reddish cast with auto white balance; poor still images. I haven't tried the HD video because of the above problems combined with the megabyte consumption. In summary, this camera promises more than it can deliver. On the other hand, it is very handy and easy to pocket. I will continue to use it for close-up, candid, less-professional situations. In retrospect, I should have purchased the less expensive Aiptek MPVR+ (which has image stabilization) and waited for HD on a better camera.

This HD Camcorder does 1280 x 720p which is High Definition for less than $200. I purchased an 8GB SD card locally when my camera arrived. I would recommend a tripod. You need to remain very still and be slow and consistent in your pans. But this is true of any HD camcorder. I was able to load the SD card into my computer and edit everything with my Magix Movie Edit Pro 14 Plus program. I was very impressed with the detail and clarity and throughly please with the 3x optical zoom. Way better than any digital zoom I had seen.

Until I compiled the facts I have read for years. Aiptek triggered a brand name a relative carried around with him in a tractor trailer. duct tape held the battery in, the vidoes came out as ASF format, and I remembered how tough it was for 30 bucks and a gazillion functions. Exactly what I was searching for but lets face it, hd is not a privelage, it is to get any realistic quality video and sound to look back upon.Of course i am the type to turn video from a hp photosmart into "How did you do that" , but hey, hd is hd and must meet the claim, else it is errored. Upon searching amazon for "HD" the aiptek price is standing out like the 87 subaru of astonishing automobiles.Support exists for returns, I do not hesitate to recommend it and will get one with good and bad like all electronics.