Cheap, Functional and Expandable, but not exactly Durable
Written: Aug 28 '05
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Pros: Cheap, Expandable, Functional
Cons: Breaks easily, Included software sucks, buttons and menus akward
The Bottom Line: It rocks if you can get it for $30, it is expandable to 1 GB, but you have to be cognisant of your surroundings, or you will break this toy.
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| covertwar's Full Review: Rio Sport S30S (64 MB) MP3 Player |
This is a great player for the price, it works and sounds great, and that is all that matters, right?
I totally agree, but there are a few problems that kill this little MP3/WMA player's glory.
All have been mentioned so far, and I am pretty sure that everyone is aware but now, but why not put my two cents in it?
-I like the fact that you have an arm band and a belt clip. There is a rubberised enclosure for the player that facilitates the mounting to the arm band. My problem is the player's unusual shape causes it to stick out like a sore thumb on the side of your arm. I suggest increased awareness in situations in the gym where there is a possibility of rubbing, as the buttons on the player are akward and stick out.
-Since we are on the topic of buttons, I have read several reviews of individual's players losing button functuality over time. I do not doubt this from feeling the shoddy construction of the buttons. The lock function is also buried too deep down in the menus.
-Speaking of menus, common functions are buried deep and make it a pain, especially when the rubber casing is on, it makes the top buttons hard to access, including volume.
-Music still sounds nice at max volume, included earbuds are good, but may not quite reach some waists.
-Complaints about radio reception; I have not tried it myself, but Rio claims to have solved these problems with the latest firmware update.
-Definately update the firmware on rioaudio.com, it makes a difference, you will notice the differences in the menu format.
-The software sucks, use anything but the Music Manager. It does work in terms of basic functionality though. The USB cable is proprietary, and Rio states on their website that they have tested SD media up to 1 GB.
-Battery life is adequate, as advertised.
-The screen shows a lot for something in its price range, maybe a little too much, although the LCD does look a little archaic. I will expand on this in the next bullet.
-The LCD screen is the Achilles Heel of this player in terms of durability. Two weeks after I got this thing from Overstock, I clipped it on my Interceptor body armour in an ammo pouch, and took it on an 8 mile ruck march. At the end, I forgot and threw my armour in the back of a truck. When I got back the screen was done. It will take a fall anywhere, but once the screen gets hit, it is done.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 35
Recommended for: Beginners - Easy Enough for Tech Newbies
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Epinions.com ID:
covertwar
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Location: South Carolina, USA
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 0 members
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