I wanna buy an iPod Clone - what can you recommend ??

[manopac]

Hey !

I am thinking about buying an iPod clone (aka MP3-Harddisc-Player) in the range of 200-300 Euros, does anyone here have one and/or have an opinion which ones are good ??

I am looking for the following things it should be able to do:

MP3-Player (of course)
USB-OTG: ability to copy files directly from my digital camera to the Player
usable as external harddisk via USB
maybe remote control on the headphones

and at least 20 GB ...

let me know, if you know one besides the "Medion MP3 Jukebox MDJuke220" which I could get for 220 Euros ...

regards
manopac

[Yakumo]

Panasonic have just brought a new one out over here called D-Snap. There are two different types. Flash memory (two sizes) or SD card version which is the sexy looking one. Maybe you can find them for import on the net.

SD card version. Even has a FM Tuner :p


Flash Memory type. 512kb or 1 Gig version


Yakumo

[Tachikoma]

Try the i.River ones, they are generally top of their class in all reviews.

[manopac]

thanks yakumo, but i am looking for something with lots of storage ... (especially for fotos, thats why I need USB-OTG)

Tachikoma: iRiver looks fine, the iRiver H-320 looks to be exactly what I am looking for ... anyone got any experience with that one ???

regards
manopac

[Johnny]

Panasonic have just brought a new one out over here called D-Snap. There are two different types. Flash memory (two sizes) or SD card version which is the sexy looking one. Maybe you can find them for import on the net.

SD card version. Even has a FM Tuner :p

...

Yakumo

This one looks great. And small.

You can call me crazy but i really don't like ipod. I think the only point that made it a sucess it's the memory size. Why would you guys want 10G or 40G as a portable music player? I'm not saying i would not want or use something with this memory size, but i certainly won't pay the expensive prices asked for it.

I prefer something small like this:



512MB -> aproximatelly 120 MP3s
Voice Recorder and Pen Drive functions
FM Radio

And it's cheap. Anyway, till i get something like this, i'll have to use my old 64MB Samsung Yepp :boobies2

[the_steadster]

I'd have to recommend nothing but an iPod. Sure, They're pricey, but they're a lot smaller than most other players in the class, It's a joy to use, and iTunes is a fine piece of software.
otherwise I've heard good things about iRivers, although I would go to a shop and have a play with as many models as possible before committing yourself to buy one.

[Evangelion-01]

i had an ipod, it sucks, get the iriver

[Greatsaintlouis]

Assuming you can deal with Sony's abysmal SonicStage software, this thing is excellent. Sure, it's not a solid-state or HD-based player like an iPod, but tell me what's better than carrying 4 hours of music on a disc, and being able to swap it out for another one? This model isn't quite top of the line anymore, so you could most likely find it for quite cheap (<$100). I've had mine for about 4 years now, and it's still going strong.

[manopac]

Why would you guys want 10G or 40G as a portable music player?

1. I don't have to upload / delete MP3s all the time
2. external harddrive
3. (most important for me): USB-OTG: not having to take my notebook on holidays and still beeing able to transfer pictures from my digicams memory card to a much bigger harddrive thus making more pictures ...

2 and 3 are also the reasons why a minidisc-player is not an option ...

[The_Squeege]

Sony MD's are complete pieces of shit, much like most of sony's hardware. I've had 3 of their MDs and just as the warranty ran out on them, the laser broke and they stopped recording. This is very common for them. Don't get duped.

Get an iPod.

[einbebop44]

Don't get an iPod, get the iRiver 320 or 340. They have color screens, better sound fidelity and are just plain better products than the iPod.

[Evangelion-01]

dont get an ipod.

[madhatter256]

Assuming you can deal with Sony's abysmal SonicStage software, this thing is excellent. Sure, it's not a solid-state or HD-based player like an iPod, but tell me what's better than carrying 4 hours of music on a disc, and being able to swap it out for another one? This model isn't quite top of the line anymore, so you could most likely find it for quite cheap (<$100). I've had mine for about 4 years now, and it's still going strong.

What model number do you own GSL?

HEre's one I found:

http://buyinnovations.com/sony_md_wa...c_storage.html

[Purge]

Don't get an iPod, get the iRiver 320 or 340. They have color screens, better sound fidelity and are just plain better products than the iPod.

agreed (after owning 2 ipods, and an archos... my friends iRiver is leaving me drooling... I think its the H320 or something). But if you don't like laying oggs and want a good portable media device, archos is what I would suggest if iRiver just doesnt do it for you. I got an ipod for xmas 2 years ago, broke right after warrenty went out. Got a free ipod mini from those online dealies... lets just say those aren't exactly durable heh... My archose survived a beating and a half before my brother took it to school, dropped it and accidentally ran it over in his car... (how that could happen accidentally, I have no idea...). So now I use a Decent MPIO. 256 mb, not a whole lot it can do, but 1 AAA and it lasts for ~ 20 hours. Exactly what I need when jamming to tunes in my car : ). Then theres my friends iRiver.... god... I'd kill for one. And lastly, theres my nintendo DS if I ever buy a bigger flash card :-D

[ASSEMbler]

Just buy the ipod, I've had almost every major player and it has

1. probably the best sound quality, most 3rd party have terrible sound and terrible bass. The exception was the mpio with the touch front. All the mpio ones I have owned were great.

2. quality; I've had many brands and several locked up , needed resetting, service flashing.
Ipod so far no problems.

3. Size and ease of use. The ipod annoyingly has no stop button. but it's easy to use and has a great screen. The other units with backlight or color screens have always suffered poor battery life. My iriver would kill the battery in 12/ hour if thebacklight on the color screen was on for 5 seconds a touch. It was returned.

My experiences:

Sandisk: poor quality, worse sound.

MPIO: some had great sound (philips dsp) some had poor sound. Varying quality as there are just rebranded players.

Apple: great sound and ease of use, excellent quality. Poor transfer program, and bass
will bottom out badly.

Iriver: poor battery life, worse quality. bad hdd, locking up etc

Creative jukebox: 6gb shite

Sonicblue: all were poor firmare and software, crashes, freezing, files it won'rt play.
slow transfer. shite.

iriver media player: very bad sound, excellent video, but the mp3 was terrible.

[XerdoPwerko]

Hey Ein, I googled "iRiver" and saw the website... and I REALLY want an iRiver now... you really know your MP3 players, man. I'd never even heard of the iRiver, but then again, I don't hear about stuff very often. Do you own one of these?
if I ever get one of these things, I know which one to get. Thanks.

I'm currently very happy with my MP3 CDR/CDRW player, though. I have one by Panasonic that was like 60 dollars almost two years ago. It plays MP3 and WMA and stuff. I'm gonna start saving to get one of those iRivers, though.


/damn, hadn't seen ASSEMbler's post.... I'll stick to the CDRW a bit longer, then... or buy one of the entry level thingies from the iRiver, if I ever have that much cash.

[SilverBolt]

I'd reccomend an Ipod..great build quality..great controls and with the right earbuds or headphone great sound (the ones that come with the ipod are a piece of shit).

Only major drawback for the ipod is the obligitory use of Itunes..i just want to drag and drop music and not having to bother with creating playlists and synchronizing it via Itunes but you get used to it.

[Greatsaintlouis]

What model number do you own GSL?

The one I have is a MZ-N505, it was released about 4 years ago or so. The one you linked to - while I'm not sure of the model number - was released about a year after mine. I'm a little leery of the way the players are heading - there's a lot of extraneous technology being packed into them (FM radio, 13-hours of storage on the new Hi-MD discs) that I can see making it easier for things to screw up. This unit, however, is rock solid. I've also got an older player/recorder I had 2 years before the one I pictured - while it only records 72/80-minutes per disc and requires 2 batteries, it's still as solid as they come, and records very well for such a small/old device.

As far as laser problems go, as I said I've had two MD player/recorders, and a good deal of my friends have them as well (mostly Sony, but with the odd Sharp here or there) and have never had nor heard of laser problems, so you could buy with confidence.

It's also good if, like me, you're allergic to paying big bucks for what really amounts to a status symbol, but that's a whole other topic completely.

[ASSEMbler]

Korea is the leader in mp3 devices.

Check out:

http://www.mpnavi.com/

http://imp3.net/

http://product.imp3.net/

There's a sell on ebay in australia who imports these with support and english bios.

Korea is by far the most tech savvy place on the earth rtight now. You can also get 2gb flash players there.

Some examples of their quality and craftiness:

[Zilog Jones]

The iRiver's from Korea too, isn't it?

Personally I don't like iPods - I don't like the control system, I especially don't like the way you can only listen to music you put on with your iTunes only (you can use it just like a USB removeable drive, but you won't be able listen to music unless it's gone through your iTunes and no one else's), I hear the sound isn't great compared to some other players, and reliability isn't great either. I know someone with an iPod mini that only turns on when it feels like it, and my friend's 40GB iPod he got last year now has a backlight that doesn't want to turn on. The non-standard connectors on it is also pretty annoying - they could have at least put a standard DC line-in jack on it!