# Portable Media/Video Players



## net-cat (Jun 20, 2009)

I need a new portable media player. I have a SanDisk sansa e280 with Rockbox. It's great. I'll probably keep using it as my MP3 player. But it does badly as a video player because of its small screen.

So, I need a new one that has a larger screen.

No Zune, no iPod. Both require special software to sync (Zune Software and iTunes, respectively) and neither can be used on multiple computers easily.


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## Shino (Jun 20, 2009)

PSP? The 1000/2000 series are relatively cheap, have great speakers, awesome screen, and the 2K series has video out. The only downside is you have to use sony memory sticks, but if you get a used one off e-bay, it's likely to come with one. Plus, if you're into it, UMD movies are dirt cheap at FYE and GameStop these days, as they're a semi-dead format. *sad face*

I use my smartphone (LG Incite) as my mp3 player and sometimes video player when I'm in a pinch, but nothing beats curling up in bed with my PSP to watch a movie.

If you're looking for something smaller, I'd say Zune, but you already nixed that.

Good luck.


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## net-cat (Jun 20, 2009)

Shino said:


> PSP?


I've got nothing against it. How much hacking will it take? Or does it play movies off memory stick by default, and if it does, do I need special software?


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## ToeClaws (Jun 20, 2009)

What about Sansa's newer video versions of the e280 and family?  They have screens that are considerably bigger.  

On a side note, is your e280 a version 1?  I wanted to put Rockbox on mine, but's a v2. :/


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## AshleyAshes (Jun 21, 2009)

net-cat said:


> I've got nothing against it. How much hacking will it take? Or does it play movies off memory stick by default, and if it does, do I need special software?


 
THe PSP plays media out of the box, however it is VERY specific in what files it will play and even how they are formatted.  You can't just toss AVI's onto it and be done with it.

It takes MP4s with specific settings, specific sets of resolutions, specific frameates, and it's just like 'CORRUPT DATA' if the media is out of those specs.

The PSP is a decent media player but it's a jack of all trades with it's primary design being gaming.  If you're looking for something specificly as a media player, I'd suggest looking at something other than the PSP.


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## Shino (Jun 21, 2009)

AshleyAshes said:


> THe PSP plays media out of the box, however it is VERY specific in what files it will play and even how they are formatted. You can't just toss AVI's onto it and be done with it.
> 
> It takes MP4s with specific settings, specific sets of resolutions, specific frameates, and it's just like 'CORRUPT DATA' if the media is out of those specs.
> 
> The PSP is a decent media player but it's a jack of all trades with it's primary design being gaming. If you're looking for something specificly as a media player, I'd suggest looking at something other than the PSP.


 
The easiest way to get movies to work if they've got some funky codec is use Windows Movie Maker and save the video as "High Quality for PDA" res. Kills three birds with one stone: makes the file WMV, which is fully supported, shrinks the file size, and scales the video to the screen res perfectly. If you've got a decent computer, it takes less than 20 minutes for a full movie.

Granted, it's not perfect, but you're always welcome to jailbreak your PSP. I use mostly UMDs or streaming over the Wi-Fi, so I haven't bothered in a while.


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## AshleyAshes (Jun 21, 2009)

Shino said:


> The easiest way to get movies to work if they've got some funky codec is use Windows Movie Maker and save the video as "High Quality for PDA" res. Kills three birds with one stone: makes the file WMV, which is fully supported, shrinks the file size, and scales the video to the screen res perfectly. If you've got a decent computer, it takes less than 20 minutes for a full movie.
> 
> Granted, it's not perfect, but you're always welcome to jailbreak your PSP. I use mostly UMDs or streaming over the Wi-Fi, so I haven't bothered in a while.


 
The PlayStation portable has no support for WMV video. 'Jailbreaking' the PSP, I presume you mean modding it with custom firmware, adds no additional features for the firmware's internal video playback software.

There is external homebrewed software media players you could install but these would need to be executed like games, loaded, and then used. You'd have no access to the rest of the PSP's features. Also the quality of homebrewed software can really vary.

Meanwhile the PSP's internal media player works natively in it's menu systems and is fairly elegant in operations. There are conversion programs you can use like PSP Video 9 that'll render out compliant results.

It's not that you can't use the PSP as a media player, I use mine, but I also use it as my hand held gaming device and my MP3 player. I love my PSP, I just wish it came in sparkly pink or sparkly blue. However if you want something PRIMARILY for media, I'd strongly suggest looking elsewhere.

Ontop of that, for storage the PSP uses MemoryStick PRO Duo cards which are comparatively expensive to SecureDigital cards.  A more specificly designed media player would likely support SD Cards making storage a lot cheaper.  Like $30 for 8GB cards vs... God, at least $70 for an 8GB MSPD and that'd be if you got it on sale.


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## Raithah (Jun 21, 2009)

Although I can't personally recommend any video player specifically (the screens are universally too small for me), the [Samsung P3] and the [Cowon iAudio D2] seem to fit your bill - plus, they're both editor's choices on the linked website, which might count for something.

Ashley Ashes: it can for the low, low price of [99$ USD plus S/H] .


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## ToeClaws (Jun 21, 2009)

AH HA!  Problem solved: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=25780800

MP3, WMA, MP4, AVI, DivX and ah... all other protocol support is a bit sketchy though.  Has 0 gigs of storage, only NTSC resolution, only picks up Analog signals... so needs a convertor box, but ah... Style man... style.


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## net-cat (Jun 21, 2009)

I think I'm going to go with the 16GB Cowon D2+ as suggested by Raithah.

Screen's a bit smaller than I wanted (2.5") but it meets my requirements.

That is, it's a MSC device that works on any OS without stupid software.

It's also got some nice bonus features that are actually useful, like a standard USB cable, TV-output and SDHC card expansion.

Thanks, all.


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## ToeClaws (Jun 21, 2009)

net-cat said:


> That is, it's a MSC device that works on any OS without stupid software.



That's an important feature when I look for stuff.  I think it's a good choice overall.


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## net-cat (Jun 21, 2009)

ToeClaws said:


> On a side note, is your e280 a version 1?  I wanted to put Rockbox on mine, but's a v2. :/


Answering here for the public record: I have a version 1.

As far as I know, it's not possible to use Rockbox on a version 2.



ToeClaws said:


> That's an important feature when I look for stuff.


Indeed. Nobody understands the value of that feature.

Especially iPod users.

Fuck you for ruining portable media players for me, Apple.


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## Captain Howdy (Jun 21, 2009)

I use an iRiver Spinn and own an iRiver Clix gen 2 as well. The Spinn has like a 3.3 inch touchscreen or something, it's flash-based interface that can be customzied if you can edit flash, plays MPEG-4 & WMV for video (uses a program to convert, or WMP will convert it when you sync using WMP)

I like it a lot, but it's small in memory (4 or 8gb), and not expandable. I don't listen to more then like 1-2gb of music, and usually take movies or TV shows off when I'm done so I'm not bothered by my 4gb size.

http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/2008/10/iriver-spinn-review.php


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## net-cat (Jun 21, 2009)

Well, that complicates things.

I like the screen size and that its MSC compliant.

And really, there's no reason for me to _stop_ using my Sansa for music...

My main concern at this point is the video codec required. Is it a standard one (MPEG4 of some variety) or does it take MPEG4/WMV and convert it to a device specific format...


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## Raithah (Jun 21, 2009)

net-cat said:


> My main concern at this point is the video codec required. Is it a standard one (MPEG4 of some variety) or does it take MPEG4/WMV and convert it to a device specific format...



The page on [Newegg] seems to suggest that it supports, without conversion, Simple Profiles MPEG4, WMV9 and XVID. Does that help?


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## Captain Howdy (Jun 21, 2009)

net-cat said:


> Well, that complicates things.
> 
> I like the screen size and that its MSC compliant.
> 
> ...



MPEG4-SP seems to be the specific, but as far as I know, it takes any MPEG4, I believe without conversion - The WMV, I believe does require conversion, but it's a lightweight program, or you can let windows media player do it. 

Right now I have a bunch of episodes of Beast Wars, some Kitchen Nightmares and some fetish clips that are AVI format, they didn't need conversion and they synced right up using windows media player.


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## net-cat (Jun 21, 2009)

Okay...

Cowon S9 - $175 (review)
iRiver P7 - $180 (review)
iRiver Spinn - $160 + shipping (Review)

All 8GB.

I like the P7, but I can't find any information on it. Even ABI's review is kind of lacking. For all I know, it could be an MTP device that "supports" those formats by converting it to a proprietary format.

Actually, that's the issue I'm having with iriver's entire lineup. All they say is "support format xyz," which means that it might require using their software to convert the video. That's not so bad, as I don't actually have to use the software to sync. I can toss the software in Wine or VirtualBox and use it there to convert video, but I'd rather be able to use my own video tools if I can.

I'm leaning toward the Cowon device, which does actually support the codecs in question and doesn't require conversion. 

But if anyone owns any of these devices and can offer any insight, it'd be greatly appreciated.

EDIT- Ninja'd by lastdirewolf. Thanks.


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## Captain Howdy (Jun 21, 2009)

Well I have the Spinn, the audio stated doesn't require conversion, the video MPG-4 shouldn't, but the WMV does, AVI is accepted without conversion I think. 

I'm not sure if the P7 is out, let alone in America (or the rest of the world), they usually launch to Korea (i think) first, and then the world, sometimes they never leave their own country. 

I wish I was more tech savvy for these to help :E I'm doin' my best for the Spinn


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## net-cat (Jun 21, 2009)

Well, I can buy the P7 from Newegg, apparently. I think that means it's out. Unfortunately, it also seems to be a new player, which means there isn't a lot of information on it. (Especially since it's from iriver...)


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## Shino (Jun 22, 2009)

AshleyAshes said:


> The PlayStation portable has no support for WMV video.


 
Uhh... mine does. It always has, even out-of-box. I don't know what you did to yours, but WMA/WMV support was one of the selling points of me getting a PSP.

Hmm... I'm sure it's mentioned in the documentation somewhere...

*starts digging through the PSP help files*


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## net-cat (Jun 22, 2009)

Okay... I don't think I'm ready to discount the PSP, either.

It'd be a bit pricier that the other players I'm looking at if I have to add a memory card, but that might be worth it if it has a decent web browser...


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## Irreverent (Jun 22, 2009)

net-cat said:


> might be worth it if it has a decent web browser...



Opera on my daughter's, but it might be PSP version specific.  Browsing is good and wlan config is a snap (if only at 802.11b...had the router set for N only).  You might have to turn SSID broadcast on for the first connection and then back off.

Typing is a bitch, but that's not a psp specific thing.  You can export all of your bookmarks in one fell swoop using MediaMangler 3.0


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## AshleyAshes (Jun 22, 2009)

Irreverent said:


> Opera on my daughter's, but it might be PSP version specific. Browsing is good and wlan config is a snap (if only at 802.11b...had the router set for N only). You might have to turn SSID broadcast on for the first connection and then back off.
> 
> Typing is a bitch, but that's not a psp specific thing. You can export all of your bookmarks in one fell swoop using MediaMangler 3.0


 
It's not Opera.  The PSP's use NetFront.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetFront


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## Irreverent (Jun 22, 2009)

AshleyAshes said:


> It's not Opera.  The PSP's use NetFront.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NetFront



Could be.  I  might have it confused with the Wii.  Since its my kit's, the only time I get to play with it is when the battery is dead. :|


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## AshleyAshes (Jun 22, 2009)

Irreverent said:


> Could be. I might have it confused with the Wii. Since its my kit's, the only time I get to play with it is when the battery is dead. :|


 
Yeah, pretty sure both the Wii and DS use variants of Opera.


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