Out with old (iAudio) - in with the new (iRiver?)

Dades

So my iAudio M3 has finally bit the dust.
(HDD error, out of warrenty etc)
The thing was always giving me guff anyway.

Thinking of getting an iRiver H10 - anyone use one?

CHEERS for any thoughts on usage or where to buy.

Feu

I don't have a H10 - i have an h120. But i can say have had it 2 years and never had a problem with it. I hear good things about the H10 - check out Mistic River if you've any questions! If you're looking for colour would you think about the 320/340? The h series are actually phased out, but can be got fairly easy on eBay/amazon/amp3.co.uk.

Out of interest - you don't want to go iAudio again? How about the iaudio x5? Looks like one of the players to beat at the mo

Dades

Feu wrote:

Out of interest - you don't want to go iAudio again? How about the iaudio x5? Looks like one of the players to beat at the mo

Thanks Feu.

TBH I've had grief from my iaudio since day one. I've had it over 18 months and it's been replaced once, and suffered other probs. I've had a go of the X5 and its a tad bulky for me. I'm also happy a 6GB (less cash) option as I just don't need 20GB.

Bard

In the <10GB range, frankly, I'd sooner go for a Zen MicroPhoto 8GB than an iRiver H10 6GB. I just plain don't like the H10. It forces you to use software (Windows Media Player) to transfer songs over and I just don't really like the user interface.

With the Zen MicroPhoto however, contrary to popular belief, you CAN simply drag & drop music onto it and expect it to work,-- it's smaller and I find it easier and more sensible to use than the H10.

Dades

Bard wrote:

In the <10GB range, frankly, I'd sooner go for a Zen MicroPhoto 8GB than an iRiver H10 6GB. I just plain don't like the H10. It forces you to use software (Windows Media Player) to transfer songs over and I just don't really like the user interface.

Is it possible with the iRiver to just show the HD as a folder in XP (as an external drive)? I don't generally use packaged software at all.

Not sure about the style of the Zen - it just looks a bit... teeniebopper?! :v:
CHEERS.

cormie

Not sure about the H10 but you can definitely do that with the H1XX and H3XX.

I'd go for a H3XX if I were you, they now support RockBox (www.rockbox.org for info) which is basically the best Firmware you'll find on an mp3 player, it has crossfade, on the fly playlists, you can even play doom on your iRiver!! Get one from Ebay, seriously, you'll probably pay more for a 6gb one retail.

Here is an ebay search for H320 that ship to Ireland with a minimum price of $20 (to get rid of most of the cheap accessories from the search). There is a used one for a buy it now price of $230. Well worth it I think, who cares if it's used really? You may want to do a bit of research on US/EU firmwares before you put rockbox on it though:)

EDIT: By the way, if you're throwing out your M3, I'll take it off you:)

Bard

The Atheist wrote:

Is it possible with the iRiver to just show the HD as a folder in XP (as an external drive)? I don't generally use packaged software at all.

You won't have a choice with the H10. You have to use software to put files onto it. They used to package the (horrible) program "iRiver Plus" with it, but now they just package Windows Media Player 10 with it.

As far as I know, it DOES appear as a drive in Windows XP but if you want to put music files on it (and expect it to actually play them) you'll still have to use the software because it's a database driven player and simply dragging and dropping files onto its hard drive won't add them to the database so the players firmware won't see the files, despite them being there. (Hope that makes sense... !)

Not sure about the style of the Zen - it just looks a bit... teeniebopper?! :v:
CHEERS.

*shrug* ... personally I think it looks (and performs) better than the H10. It's smaller, easier to hold, feels more solid and is (in my opinion) easier to use. The only thing it's lacking that the H10 has is a Line-in, but you need the cradle for the H10 for line-in to work anyway, and they haven't been available from retailers yet. (iRiver have been very sluggish in getting these to Irish suppliers, who have been chasing them since last August/September looking for them...)

Horses for courses and all that.

quad_red

since last summer and I've no complaints. It's a lovely piece of kit. Easy to use, decent battery life. The packaged rubber case makes it quite hardy. Decent volume and a good tuner. Handy out features like the ability to record radio etc.

As Bard said, the iRiver Plus software is sh*te - slow, prone to crashing and generally awkward. You can't just copy and paste music onto it though. However, it's very easy using Media Player 10. The only thing you need the iRiver software for is setting the presets on the radio tuner. Then just stick to Media Player.

I'd definitely recommend it.

Dades

Thanks fellas, there's plenty to chew over there.
The whole "database driven player" thing sounds like a pain in the hoop, but I might be able to live with it...

Cormie - I'll bear the H230 in mind but not sure I need it for the extra $$$.
Will be watching eBay to try and get lucky. And no you can't have my iAudio - I'd be afraid you'd fix it and make me look 'quite' the fool!

cormie

The Atheist wrote:

And no you can't have my iAudio - I'd be afraid you'd fix it and make me look 'quite' the fool!

I don't think it sounds fixable without investing money into it. I got my friend a H120 and he fried it with a phone charger so I was thinking I could put the HD from that into it.. you suuuure you don't want to give it to me:D I'll give you a 6GB Creative Nomad Jukebox in return. I got it off boards and never used it:o It's a biggy but it could keep you going till you get a new one;)

Dades

cormie wrote:

I'll give you a 6GB Creative Nomad Jukebox in return. I got it off boards and never used it:o It's a biggy but it could keep you going till you get a new one;)

Do you get a free rucksack with that?!

Sorry - gonna keep it Cormie. I never throw stuff like that out (or give away to well-meaning strangers ) My mate has an identical one - when something on his breaks we might be able to salvage one between us!

cormie

Damn!

Hehe, no problem, hopefully you wont be needing to use yours, that is, hopefully his doesn't break:)

Anyway, go for the H3XX if you can find one. You say 20GB is too much, give it a while and you may think it's too little. It can also be used an external hard drive too so that is another handy feature of it, you wouldnt be able to fit much on the 6gb one!

Keep an eye out on Ebay:)

JC 2K3

Bard wrote:

In the <10GB range, frankly, I'd sooner go for a Zen MicroPhoto 8GB than an iRiver H10 6GB. I just plain don't like the H10. It forces you to use software (Windows Media Player) to transfer songs over

Convert the firmware from MTP to UMS and you can drag and drop to the H10, you use a really quick and easy program EasyH10 to build an ID3 database. You can do this with MTP firmware too but you need to connect in Emergency Connect every time.

quad_red

JC 2K3 wrote:

Convert the firmware from MTP to UMS and you can drag and drop to the H10,

JC 2K3 - how can I check what sort of firmware is on my H10?

Bard

quad_red wrote:

JC 2K3 - how can I check what sort of firmware is on my H10?

Out of the box, it's going to be MTP (database driven) as standard and not UMS (external storage device).

JC 2K3

All info on MTP to UMS conversion here, most likely you'll have an MTP one unless it's an early model.

http://www.misticriver.net/wiki/index.php/H10_Firmware_Conversion:_MTP/UMS

Bard

Thanks for the link there, JC_2K3... very helpful. I must remember to add that to the FAQ (which I will Wikify soon... Monday probably)

Civilian_Target

The Atheist wrote:

Thanks fellas, there's plenty to chew over there.
The whole "database driven player" thing sounds like a pain in the hoop, but I might be able to live with it...

Au contraire. I had a Karma, database driven, and find non-db players to be a complete pain in the hole.

cormie

I think RockBox does both, Rockbox is available for Archos and iRiver and making it's way onto iAudio and iPod too:) Them guys should be millionaires by now, but it's just a load of hobbyists (spelling?) with a passion for programming (more than music in most cases I think) working together to create a brilliant firmware. It would be a benefit to us all if the likes of iRiver, Creative, Apple, iAudio etc etc, just built devices the way Acer/Dell etc build PC's and let Rockbox be the Windows on their device.

quad_red

JC 2K3 wrote:

All info on MTP to UMS conversion here, most likely you'll have an MTP one unless it's an early model.

http://www.misticriver.net/wiki/index.php/H10_Firmware_Conversion:_MTP/UMS

Fuppin excellent! Used the above process and use EasyH10 to update the database on the player.
http://easyh10.sourceforge.net/ums_and_mtp.html

So you just copy and paste music onto the H10 (like any UMS device) and run the little H10 program to update the directory on the player. It only takes a few seconds.