Looks like a cellphone, plays MP3s instead!
Written: Jul 06 '03 (Updated Jul 08 '03)
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Pros: Small size, impressive battery life, stylish, ergonomic design.
Cons: No backlight, no belt clip, Real Player, no direct USB connector.
The Bottom Line: An excellent MP3 Player for almost anyone.
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| landrew1's Full Review: Panasonic SV-SD50 (64 MB) MP3 Player |
Overview
I was looking for a good audio player, and this one stood out head-and-shoulders above the rest. Apart from the attractive appearance, it has the Panasonic name, with decades of high customer satisfaction ratings behind it.
Features
I didn't care at first for the fact that there isn't a direct way to connect this device to the PC; there is a special card reader/writer on a USB cable that comes included with the unit. It turns out that this attachment can also be used as a portable mass storage device for moving data from one machine to another quite easily on an SD or MMC card, which is smaller than most postage stamps. When using SD (secure digital) cards, there is a small amount of space taken up for encryption, but it's not a serious amount of overhead. This encryption insures that you can only pass the data between 2 units, and not transfer it to other machines. If you try to upload the data to a 3rd machine, the data will be there, but unreadable due to the built-in encryption.
Windows XP recognizes this card as an extra hard drive automatically when it's plugged in. But don't expect to simply transfer all your MP3's to the card, slip it into the SV-SD50 player and then play them... For that, you will need to install and run the often-cursed Real Player that comes packaged with the unit.
The software works very well, but Real has not been a very consumer-driven company, and their very aggressive "our way or the highway" methods of marketing have made them few friends among consumers. Expect to see all your file associations switched over to the Real Player whether you want it or not, and lots of annoying popup messages and spam.
The battery life from a single AAA cell is listed at 31 hours, but I am only on the second one after 6 months, so I wouldn't be surprised if it lasts longer than that. This is a quantum leap better than other MP3 players I've had, which went through many more, and larger batteries, even when the unit was switched off.
Other reviewers have lamented the lack of a belt clip, and the silly neck pendant, but I found this unit works best in a pocket anyway. I suppose a carrying case with a belt clip would be a very useful addition for some.
The side-switch is designed just about right for operating the thing by feel. You can toggle it up or down to go forward or back, or you can push it in to play/pause/resume. The unit shuts off when it's paused for a short time. Pushing play starts it again. I didn't care for the tiny "hold" switch on the other side, which is hard to operate, because it's such a light touch. I would prefer if all the controls were a bit more firm to the touch, and perhaps a bit bigger.
The sound quality is of course, first-rate. I find the EQ control settings more than adequate. The display has all the information, and long song titles scroll across the screen, showing all the information.
Conclusion
This is a fine piece of workmanship. Overall, it's an excellent MP3 player with very few faults. It seems a bit expensive, but it's hard to pin down a fair market value for items in such a rapidly-evolving technology.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 175
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Epinions.com ID:
landrew1
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Reviews written: 5
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