Hard disc MP3 players

Posted by: Tim Oldridge on 18 January 2004

At last I have decided to get an MP3 player. Although the new 1.5gb mini-ipods and their competitors look very tempting, I’ve decided to go for capacity – the aim being to have a large part of my CD collection on the machine to avoid having to decide what to carry around.

The obvious choice would be to go for a 20GB ipod. I believe most of the hype and they genuinely look great. However, having had a look around the various web reviews, the iRiver competitor looks pretty good. It seems to be much the same size and weight as the iPod, has a much wider choice of file formats, an FM tuner, a cool wired remote and analogue line-in. Battery life looks much better (like most of the iPod competitors as far as I can gather). There’s a 40GB version on the way, apparently. For now I’ve compared it below with the 20GB iPod using Amazon UK prices. When I buy, I’ll shop around.

I’ve googled a review here: http://gear.ign.com/articles/457/457818p1.html The only downside seems to be the crap supplied earphones.

My questions for those of you out there who might know:

1. Has anyone tried an iRiver hard drive machine? If so, what do you reckon?
2. If I didn’t go for an iPod, what would I be missing (apart from the cool looks)?
3. Have I missed any obvious competitors (Rio Karma etc)?
4. perhaps most importantly, will I really take the time to transfer 1000+ CDs to my PC?

Timo

iRiver iHP120
£245
Size: Approx. 60x105x19mm
Weight: Approx. 172g
Capacity: 20GB hard drive
Battery Life: Approx. 16 hours
File Support: MPEG 1/2/2.5 Layer 3, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, ASF, WAV
Integrated FM tuner
Analogue direct recording
Wired remote
USB2
http://www.irivernordic.com/products.php?pid=24

Apple iPod 20GB
£289
Size – 102x62x18mm
Weight - 176 g
Storage - 20GB,
Battery life - Over 8 hours
File support: MP3 (32 to 320Kbps), MP3 VBR, Audible, WAV
Firewire or USB2
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?family=iPod

Posted on: 18 January 2004 by Two-Sheds

I bought a 40GB iPod just before christmas and use it for travel and occasionally at work. The 8 hour battery life has only been an issue to me once (on a flight from London to Toronto via New York). I have bought an additional battery pack which takes 4 AA batteries and claims to give another 8 hours use.

I have heard that after a year the iPod's internal battery can go and need replacing, but I'm not sure on how accurate these reports are with the newer iPod's.

As for not supporting many formats, since I have taken all the music on my iPod from my CD collection I control the format so that is not an issue, plus there are probably tools to convert nearly any audio format into MP3 so I don't think that should really be an issue.

Posted on: 18 January 2004 by matthewr

Tim,

If I was buying one now I'd probably buy the iRiver.

"If you're on a tight budget, then the Zen Xtra is still the way to go. If you simply want something to impress other people, or if supporting Apple is some sort of weird political/aesthetic trip for you, then the iPod is the way to go. My money is on the iRiver" (from your linked review).

Which just about sums it up.

Matthew

Posted on: 20 January 2004 by Tim Oldridge

Thanks chaps. I think I'm going to go for the 40GB iRiver IHT140, when it becomes available in the UK - I'll do another check on possible competitors then as everyone and his wife (Sony included) is rumoured to be bringing out an "iPod-killer".

I'm still a bit daunted by the prospect of transferring all my CDs to my pc, but I'm sure it'll be worth it.

Timo

Posted on: 21 January 2004 by Stephen Bennett

What I dont understand is: Have Apple kidnapped all the best designers? Why do all the iPod competitors look so crap? I mean, it can't be that difficult to make a small box stylish, can it?

Of course it's notjust the iPod. Apple are streets ahead in computer design too.

Why? There doesn't seem to be any reason other companies can't produce stylish gear. Sony come close with the Viao and net Walkman, but the cigar is still in the box.

Stephen

Posted on: 21 January 2004 by garyi

Better still, their chief designer is English.

I think the problem is that most manufactuers are in a very competative market where the average joe will judge something only by the speed of its processor (watts anyone) and as such they have to build to a price point.

Apple must be compared to a higher quality manfactuer such as naim, where yes it is more expensive but (what ever you think of the software aside) it is a high quality product.

I am glad for the choice I made all them years ago, when a mac resided in a beige box (which started the beige revolution BTW) with a little monochrome screen, those were the days.