Kodak EasyShare EX811

It is really unbelievable to me what a terrible product this is. I am on my second frame because I thought the first one was defective, but I am having the same issues with this one as well. It is… EXTREMELY slow, many times not responding to the remote at all. Either the frame freezes or the screen turns black. The only button that works 100% of the time is the on/off button. It takes at least 10 tries to actually connect with kodak gallery to display pictures I have online. I really wanted this frame in particular because I have TONS of photos on kodak gallery, but it is much more effort to get it to work than it's worth. It's a nice idea, but Kodak needs to go back to the drawing board on this one . . . .

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Many digital frames are now available. In searching for a frame as a gift for elderly parents, I decided to purchase a "reliable" brand rather than a newer entrant into the market. I wanted to minimize any… problems and was more than willing to pay pay a premium to ensure low-effort, high-enjoyment for my parents. Granted, George Eastman's legacy is film, not electronics - but this is the 21st century, isn't it? If you simply want an frame to display digital pictures from a flash memory card, this unit will work fine. The picture quality is certainly acceptable. However, you will be overpaying by about 2x. The wireless connectivy with the Kodak Gallery is absolutely unreliable and unusable. You could get a frame without wireless capability with 2x the display area for the same cost. I wanted a frame that would allow me to send pictures electronically (didn't care how: web based, email, etc.) to my parents living on the opposite coast for immediate display (or even "almost-immediate" - within 24 hours - refresh). Kodak claims that with their Kodak Gallery web site, with proper setup one can upload pictures to private/shared areas and the frame will automatically be notified and download and display the pictures. And (at the time) there were no fees or subscription required (compared to the original Ceiva frame, for example, which required yearly fees). Of course, I expected that this would function without a full-time IT support staff. As it turned out, the frame's wireless capability is terrible. I am a computer/network professional. I had no problem setting up the frame to connect to the wireless network. Upgrading the firmware was simple. Pictures from the SD memory card displayed correctly on the screen. However, the wireless connection is totally unreliable. It is not the wireless network as it is stable and the WAP is 10 feet from the frame. I contacted Kodak support, and it was a terrible experience. After going through the scripted questions and rote responses, struggling to educate the 3rd-world support personnel, waiting for return calls that were promised and didn't happen, and interminable hold times, I was finally "allowed" to call a "technical specialist" in the US. At that time I was told that unless I was using a wireless router from an approved list, I would not be supported - so I purchased an approved router. Still the same problem. Then the "specialist" said there was a problem with the Kodak web site and I'd have to wait a week for it to be repaired. Two weeks later and still the same problems. I was finally given a RMA number to return the frame for repair. Three weeks later I received the frame, with a note from the "authorized repair facility". Along with the (same) frame there was a note included stating that they had tested the unit with a memory card, checked the display, and tested to be sure the unit would establish a wireless connection. No malfunction found. They had not even tested the ability to automatically view pictures uploaded remotely to the Kodak Gallery. I don't know if they bothered to read the very specific description I included with the frame, but I doubt it. I've given up with this item. It is now functioning as a 2x overpriced flash-memory reader with 1/2 the display size. I send a new SD card through USPS Mail every so often with new pictures. Kodak has also now changed their policies regarding storage space on the Kodak Gallery - you have to purchase a minimum amount of product from the site to avoid having your pictures deleted. Bottom line: the Kodak brand, in my experience and opinion, is a liablity, not something that warrants a premium price. Support is terrible, product does not function as advertised, and this was a waste of my time. I can't think of any reason to purchase this item and highly recommend against it. If you want wireless picture display this will not work; if you want flash-memory picture display many other, larger, less expensive options abound.

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