Linux user beware
Written: Sep 01 '03
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Pros: very compact, combines built-in FM and recording, extensible memory, upgradeable software
Cons: unreliable FM reception, navigation control doesn't handle easily, small display, poor Linux integration
The Bottom Line: Player offers a rare combination of features (FM/recording/expandability). However FM reception is unreliable, PC integration is proprietary and I have concerns about durability.
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| belhambra's Full Review: Mpio FL100 (256 MB) MP3 Player |
The FL100 is a fairly small, yet expandable MP3 player with a slick metal case. My priorities when shopping around were, in descending order:
1) decent memory size (ideally expandable)
2) recording function
3) FM reception (ideally built-in)
4) small form factor and robust construction.
The FL100 seemed to be one of the few choices that fit the bill. It basically does everything it promises, and I'm not going to indulge in those. I do have a few gripes however:
- built-in FM reception is poor; it is able to pick up only the strongest stations, and even with these reception breaks up if the headphone cable is jostled; I own a dirt-cheap analog receiver that does a better job; this is the main reason I returned the product: if I forget about FM reception, I can get a unit that scores much better in the other departments (such as Linux connectivity)
- the navigation button is a mini-joystick that can be wiggled left and right, but also pushed in the center position; I found it hard to 'find' that middle position; moving the control to either side shortly triggers the skip track function, while holding it causes a fast-forward, but too often I would skip inadvertedly when trying to fast-forward; overall, this control does seem like it might break easily, but that's just a gut feeling
- there doesn't seem to be a good reason for the display to be as small as it is, covering only 1/4 of the unit's front; navigating does require close attention and is virtually impossible 'on the run'
- if the unit is connected to USB, it won't react to any controls, not even the power button; it must be unplugged in order to be turned on or off; this requires a lot of unnecessary plugging cycles which apart from the inconvenience raises concerns about the durability of the connectors
Linux users only:
This player does not support the usb-storage module as most other players do. It is therefore not possible to mount the player as a storage device and move files using basic operating system tools such as ls, mv/cp or du/df. As usual, some people have reverse-engineered the proprietary USB protocol employed by MPIO. At mpio.sourceforge.net you can get a kernel module as well as a management application for the player (GUI/QT version as well as command line). Unfortunately, the GUI application does have some shortcomings, though these may improve in the future (especially if you're willing to chip in). It does not handle directories recursively and it requires time to delete files that is about 30% of the upload time. The WAVs that the player records seem to be in a proprietary format that neither sox nor lame recognize. They might be unusable. If you care about OS integration under Linux, there are better choices than the FL100.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 192
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Epinions.com ID:
belhambra
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Reviews written: 1
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