whats' teh better estimate for calories burned?

Ok so on the site it says that I burn a little over 1000 cals for one hour on teh elliptical at moderate effort. On the actual machine at the gym it says I burn about 600 cals per hour at the rate I go ( I don't enter my height, weight, etc adn just do the quick start instead ). So which estimate do you think is better? Should I take teh middle ground and say 800 cals per hour? How does c-c get it's estimate?

Thank you in advance!

Instead of hitting quick start, enter you hight, age, and weight.  It only takes an extra 30 seconds.  Try and check your heart rate with the machine as much as possible and it will give you an accurate number of calories burned.  I would not go by what this web site says.  Just as an example, i weight 177 now and at level 9  on the elliptical, i burn 425 in 30 min.   It is a harsh workout.  I would say 600 is a good estimate.

I think the best measurement on the machine if your has it is the calories per minute.  I try and keep it over 14, that way im not staring at the calories burned the entire time.

I would say the best thing to do would be to get a heart rate moniter.

Every elliptical I have ever used gives me a different calories burned number for about the same workout. The machine I own now only has me burning about 125 calories for a 40 minute vigorous workout, which obviously isn't right.