I love it, but it's not for audiophiles.
Written: Jun 16 '03 (Updated Jul 09 '03)
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Pros: Small, inexpensive, high capacity, features. Upgradeable firmware.
Cons: Weak low-range. Various software quirks.
The Bottom Line: This is well worth the money paid. I am happy with my purchase, and believe I will be for quite a while.
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| joshua_1_5's Full Review: Mpio FL100 (256 MB) MP3 Player |
I had wanted an MP3 player for a while. I wanted one that was solid-state (no moving parts, so hard drives were out) so I could run with it. I also wanted one with enough storage for at least two CDs worth of music. And, of course, I didn't want to spend too much. The MPIO FL100 fulfills all of those requirements, and quite nicely. But, there are a few minor quirks, some of which will more than likely be ironed out in software revisions to come -- both in the firmware of the unit, and in the Windows client software. First, the good...
The first feature that struck me about the FL100 was the size. This thing is tiny. I read the dimensions online before purchasing, but was still surprised (pleasantly) when I opened the box. It easily fits in a pocket, and the "hold" switch on the side keeps it from responding to accidental button pushes.
The FL100 is easy to use, and uploading and downloading data is a breeze. The included software has drag-and-drop functionality, so it's analogous to using a windows explorer window. (Note that my review is based on the Windows software. There is included mac software, and there is a Linux client that works quite well too. Check out the http://mpio.sourceforge.net if you're interested.) The Windows MPIO manager allows you to create and delete folders, upload and d-load files (both music and data), update the firmware on the FL100 (more about this later), and even change the power-up and power-down splash screens. I've read people's complaints that this device doesn't appear as a drive in Windows Explorer. This is true, but irrelevant because the MPIO manager allows all of the same functionality.
One important feature I didn't mention is the ability to rename files on the device. This allows you to get around the inability to download MP3s from the FL100 to your computer (A DRM limitation of the client software.) Renaming each file from FILENAME.MP3 to FILENAME.MP and then copying is a round-about way of doing this, but it works.
The menu system is simple and intuitive, but the response to button presses seemed sluggish until I updated the firmware (again, more on this later.)
The sound quality is good, but not with the included headphones. The bass output of the FL100 is already kind of weak, and the bass response of the stock phones is miserable. Get new headphones. The FL100 does have an equalizer with 8 pre-settings, and this does make a difference. But, it's all for not with the included headphones.
Some MP3 players suffer from an incompatibility with MP3s encoded with different codecs (Fraunhofer, Lame, Bladeenc, etc.), and different types of streams (Constant Bitrate, or Variable.) I have played all sorts of MP3s on the FL100, and it plays them all nicely. The FL100 can play up to a 320 kBps stream (maybe higher, I haven't tried), and handles VBR without any problems. It plays WMA too.
The FM tuner works very well, and sounds great. The FL100 can automatically program its 20 station presets by scanning the band. Or, you can manually set the stations on either the FL100 itself, or from the MPIO manager software. You can add names for the stations too.
Another feature that I'll mention in passing is the ability to record from either the built-in microphone, or the FM tuner. This feature works fairly well. The built-in mic is muffled, but is adequate for voice recordings.
Digit@lWay claims 11 hours of play on a single AAA cell with a 128 kBps MP3 stream. This may be true under ideal conditions. But many factors will effect this. The bitrate of the stream, the listening volume, and the length of time spent connected with the USB cable will all effect the battery life. I get closer to eight hours with my use. I'm about to switch to NiMH rechargeables, and I expect that to cut the battery life in half. Still pretty good, though, in my opinion.
As I stated before, there are a few quirks -- shortcomings in the design if the FL100. None of them amount to anything more than annoyances, but they detract from the overall product none the less.
Firstly, I mentioned the need to update the firmware. This ability is a definite feature -- not all manufacturers provide this service. I was first prompted to update because of a lockup that occurred. I switched the "hold" on while the unit was playing, and the FL100 locked up. I had to remove the battery to turn it off, but it was fine after that. After updating the firmware (downloaded from their page at http://www.mpio.com, and handled easily by the included software,) I have not had any recurrences. Also, the update added features (music fade-out, fade-in, and high sample-rate recording.) But, the fact remains that I had to update to fix a problem. Some people may be turned off by this, although it is a simple process.
I have experienced one other software-related bug. The Windows MPIO manager had problems grabbing recorded audio from the FL100, giving a vague error message. Formatting the FL100's memory seems to have fixed the problem.
And then, of course, the physical design shortcomings: The most apparent one is the carrying case. Every review I read on the FL100 covered this, and they all hit the nail on the head. The volume control is covered up by the plastic side of the case. Stretching the case out a bit before placing the FL100 inside seems to help a lot. Digit@lWay could improve the product considerably with a redesign here.
The other, and in my opinion more serious design flaw is the cover for the mini USB port on the FL100. The FL100 is mostly metal, with the famous, mirrored face, but the mini USB cover amounts to a plastic tab that seems like it would be easy to break off. This hasn't happened yet, but I lament the day my two-year-old gets ahold of it, and "snap."
There is a whole lot of player in that little package. It is feature-rich, and easy to use. It's greatest weakness is the gutless low range. It wasn't perfect out of the box, as I had to update the firmware. But I count this ability as a feature -- the manufacturer can (and does) continue to improve the product even after it's been purchased. Updating the firmware is simple, and should not sway a buyer's decision. If you can browse the web (a safe assumption, no?) and upload MP3s to the device, you can update the firmware too.
Sidenotes:
Q: What is "firmware?"
A: Firmware is the software program that actually runs on the MP3 player (or any device.) When I talk about upgrading the firmware, I'm installing new software on the MP3 player. This software may handle things such as the menu, the sound quality, battery-saving mode, etc. ALL MP3 players have firmware, but not all of them can be updated.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 167
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Epinions.com ID:
joshua_1_5
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Reviews written: 3
Trusted by: 2 members
About Me:
Software engineer, and techno-nut.
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