Insignia NS 8V24 Pilot 8GB Video MP3 Player Black
May 28, 2009 by Mp3 Players Review · Leave a Comment
Insignia NS 8V24 Pilot 8GB Video MP3 Player Black
* 2.4″ high-resolution LCD color display with wide viewing angles * Built-in digital FM tuner with 20 presets; remember songs you hear by saving track and artist data from FM stations broadcasting RDS data * Features a Secure Digital card expansion slot for additional memory capacity (media not included) * Custom EQ with 4 presets * High-speed USB 2.0 interface for blazing transfer speeds * Rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides up to 25 hours of playback time * Perfect Sync with Best Buy Digital Music Store and rate songs you love or hate with the included music management software * PlaysForSure compatible * Upgradable to future formats and features * PC and Mac compatible
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Outstanding PMP and recorder
Outstanding performance on all levels and loaded to the gills with every feature you could possibly want. At long last someone finally did it right! The only two things this little wonder doesn’t do is voice record, or tune in AM radio.
Sound quality: Outstanding! So good in fact that you may notice some of the imperfections of your recordings/files that you may not have noticed in your other player/s. It’s output is very full and clean across the entire sound spectrum. The 5 band user adjustable EQ is quite effective as it actually has some gain instead of just attenuating every band that’s not maxed out as many others do. Also worth nothing is that it has the best S/N ratio of any PMP currently available.
Line in recording: Duel VU meters and an adjustable recording level as well as the ability to code in CD quality PCM (as well as several levels of WMA) make for a recordist’s dream come true.
Battery: Decent run time. It’s also user replaceable, but not that easy to replace on the fly as the battery has wires and a plug and the access door is held on with a small screw.
FM: More sensitive and selective than most other PMPs. Pulls in fringe stations with ease. Local stations do not overload at all. Less than great signals can be cleaned up do to the ability to manually switch to mono. Setting and recalling presets (as well as recording) is a breeze. It even displays RDS information form stations that transmit it.
Video: Good picture quality and sound. Video line out works well and has about the same quality as a well recorded on good tape EP or LP mode VHS..i.e not the best, but not half bad.
Photo: again good quality reproduction. Adjustable sideshow options…I just wish you could separate the photos into different groups. Perhaps in the next firmware update?
Folder browsing: Yessssssssssssssssss!
SD card slot: A nice touch. IMHO much better to deal with than MicroSD….and yes it will read SDHC (available up to 32 GB at this point in time!).
Bluetooth: Ok… so this I don’t exactly get the point of. Why bother with wireless on a portable device? Nevertheless it’s capable if you so desire for whatever reason to use the feature. Haven’t tried it myself.
Yes, I could just go on and on about it, but I’m sure you get the point by now. I really like it a lot….like ya couldn’t tell…8)
Insignia Pilot 4GB USB MP3 FM Bluetooth w 2 4 LCD Black
May 22, 2009 by Mp3 Players Review · Leave a Comment
Insignia Pilot 4GB USB MP3 FM Bluetooth w 2 4 LCD Black
Enjoy your favorite music, webcasts, videos and FM radio without the wires!This Insignia Pilot NS-4V24 digital media player features a built-in 4 GB storage capacity to hold your favorite MP3 files, photos, videos, webcasts and more! Plus, this Pilot has a Secure Digital card expansion slot to expand your capacity, it supports both standard SD cards and large capacity SDHC cards. This versatile media player is compact and lightweight making it an ideal travel companion, and with the built-in Bluetooth technology you can enjoy your favorites without wires. Watch all your favorite videos and photos on the 2.4-inch high-resolution LCD color display with wide viewing angles. This Insignia player has a built-in digital FM tuner with 20 presents and allows you to remember songs you hear by saving track and artist data from FM stations broadcasting RDS data. With the included rechargeable lithium-ion battery you can enjoy up to 25 hours of playback time from a single charge! Don’t get tied down with another media player, order your Insignia Pilot NS-4V24 Bluetooth digital media player today!
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Best dap you’ve never heard of, feature king..
I bought the 8gb version about a year ago based on features only. I was a little skeptical about straying from more established players from Cowon, Apple, iRiver, Creative and others but took the plunge. I’ve owned two iPods, a Rio Karma, Rio Carbon(s), an iRiver something, Audible Otis, Rio 500 and several others.
The Pilot has them all beat on features and most on performance. You won’t find a player that ‘does it all’ like the Pilot. As a long time Audible subscriber, the Pilot is perfect. Hard and soft bookmarking, timer and plenty of storage. With an sdhc slot, storage can be increased by at least 2X. Better yet, the Pilot integrates the card completely so you don’t have to mess around with annoying navigation from one drive to the next.
Sound quality is a solid B to B+. CNET just chose it as one of their top five audiophile mp3 players. They tested the players with an audio analyzer to eliminate personal bias. Music sounds every bit as dynamic as my iPods (a 2nd and 4th gen).
Battery life is a pretty standard ~20 hours. The FM tuner is surprisingly sensitive. I’m actually able to walk around outside without an unreasonable amount of static or drop out. It’s an RDS tuner. You can see song and artist info on the screen from compatible radio stations. You can record FM or from an external, line-out source. There’s a video output(or secondary headphone jack depending on how you set it up). I haven’t tried it but apparently you can load a video in the Pilot and then connect it to a television.
The Pilot is a ums device so you can plug it in, drag and drop, no drivers required. I bounce back and forth between a mac and pc so having a player that is seen by both as a mass storage device is very convenient. Standard mini usb plug too. No proprietary cables. Video playback isn’t a priority for me but I tried a couple videos and in spite of a small screen, was pleasantly surprised by the quality. Very smooth and about 30 fps.
It has stereo bluetooth which I don’t use but it would be handy if your car stereo has bluetooth connectivity. Mine doesn’t unfortunately. Fast forwarding is audible which makes it much easier to find what you’re looking for. The Pilot has proven to be virtually scratch proof. I never use a case and always carry it in a pocket. I’ve had it in a pocket with keys, change and grit. No scratches. Pretty impressive. It supports several different formats but I use mp3, wmv and aa exclusively. It can display jpg’s and txt files as well.
It comes with a pretty good video conversion program but I use Handbrake, a free, open source program that is a lot more capable. The only downside to this player is a somewhat less polished feel than class leaders from Cowon, Creative and Apple. Not to overstate it but the controls could be smoother. The jog wheel is a little cheap feeling and the bookmarking button is a three way design that can prevent a smooth bookmark sometimes. I wish they would have used a single button.
Another nice feature with bookmarking is that when you delete a file with bookmarks, the bookmarks are deleted too. Seems like a no-brainer but my Rio would retain the bookmarks even when the file was deleted. On the other hand, the Rio would let me overwrite bookmarks automatically so old bookmarks weren’t much of an annoyance. The Pilot doesn’t do this so if you run out of bookmarks, you have to manually remove them or the file to make room for more. Fortunately, you can do all this with the Pilot without having to connect it to your computer. The Pilot has proven to be completely reliable with almost daily use. The only glitch is occasionally (twice I think) having to reset it. Both times it locked with Audible files. I’m willing to give the Pilot the benefit of the doubt as I’ve had issues with Audible files before with other players. Fortunately, resetting this is a snap. Simply pull back the power switch for about ten seconds and you’re done. My Rio Carbon needed a small paperclip inserted into a tiny hole. Not convenient if you’re outside without a small paperclip handy.
Bottom line, if you want all the bases covered, this is an excellent choice. Probably the best choice in my opinion. This player has to be the most feature rich dap out there. If you only want to listen to music, this may not be for you. If features, Audible, podcasts, audiobooks, video, file management, expandibility, sound quality, intuitive controls and reliability are priorities, the Pilot is a great buy. The 8gb Pilot frequently goes on sale for $99.00 at the Best Buy website so keep an eye out. Great value, outstanding performance.
5 Stars Outstanding all around PMP and recorder
Outstanding performance on all levels and loaded to the gills with every feature you could possibly want. At long last someone finally did it right! The only two things this little wonder doesn’t do is voice record, or tune in AM radio.
Sound quality: Outstanding! So good in fact that you may notice some of the imperfections of your recordings/files that you may not have noticed in your other player/s. It’s output is very full and clean across the entire sound spectrum. The 5 band user adjustable EQ is quite effective as it actually has some gain instead of just attenuating every band that’s not maxed out as many others do. Also worth nothing is that it has the best S/N ratio of any PMP currently available.
Line in recording: Duel VU meters and an adjustable recording level as well as the ability to code in CD quality PCM (as well as several levels of WMA) make for a recordist’s dream come true.
Battery: Decent run time. It’s also user replaceable, but not that easy to replace on the fly as the battery has wires and a plug and the access door is held on with a small screw.
FM: More sensitive and selective than most other PMPs. Pulls in fringe stations with ease. Local stations do not overload at all. Less than great signals can be cleaned up do to the ability to manually switch to mono. Setting and recalling presets (as well as recording) is a breeze. It even displays RDS information form stations that transmit it.
Video: Good picture quality and sound. Video line out works well and has about the same quality as a well recorded on good tape EP or LP mode VHS..i.e not the best, but not half bad.
Photo: again good quality reproduction. Adjustable sideshow options…I just wish you could separate the photos into different groups. Perhaps in the next firmware update?
Folder browsing: Yessssssssssssssssss!
SD card slot: A nice touch. IMHO much better to deal with than MicroSD….and yes it will read SDHC (available up to 32 GB at this point in time!).
Bluetooth: Ok… so this I don’t exactly get the point of. Why bother with wireless on a portable device? Nevertheless it’s capable if you so desire for whatever reason to use the feature. Haven’t tried it myself.
Yes, I could just go on and on about it, but I’m sure you get the point by now. I really like it a lot….like ya couldn’t tell…8)
InsigniaTM NS DV4G 4GB Video MP3 Video Player W FM Tuner
May 16, 2009 by Mp3 Players Review · Leave a Comment
InsigniaTM NS DV4G 4GB Video MP3 Video Player W FM Tuner
If the 4GB capacity on this sleek MP3 player isn’t enough storage space, you can take advantage of the microSD expansion slot to add more tunes to rock out to or video clips to watch.
# 4GB* internal flash storage holds up to 1,000 songs, 4,000 photos, 50 audiobooks or 14 movies
# * Pocket-size design measures just over 0.6″ thin and weighs only 2.4 ounces
# * Supports MP3 and Audible formats and most image and video formats
Package Includes:
Insignia Video 4GB MP3 player
Earbud Headphones
Software
USB Cable
Battery
Case
Manual
Features
# 2.2″ high-resolution LCD color display
# Built-in FM tuner with 20 presets
# High-speed USB 2.0 interface for blazing transfer speeds
# Features a microSD expansion slot for additional memory capacity (media not included)
# Rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides up to 20 hours of playback time
# Supports Audible.com audiobook downloads
# Supports Best Buy Music Service
# PlaysForSure compatible
# Upgradable to future formats and features
# PC and Mac compatible
# Height X Width X Depth: 4 X 1.8 X 0.6
# Weight 2.4 Oz
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Great little player
This is my first mp3 player and I love it. The sound is very clear and the storage space is more than ample for the money. If you only want this for music it can store nearly 1000 songs! I’m not even sure I know that many! I enjoy the fact that it charges from any pc via USB. I read a review saying that the songs are only played in alphabetical order. Not true. All you have to do is push the menu button, cycle to the music library icon and select it, push “right” on the wheel, cycle to the artist name, push “down” on the wheel, cycle to the album you would like to listen to and push play. That’s all you have to do. I would definitely recommend this product.
5 Stars Groovin’ Gizmo
I bought my insignia 4 gb last year and I am pleased with its overall performance. I like how the controls aren’t membrane based and I can feel a positive mechanical reaction when I’m selecting functions and songs on the device. The screen quality is pretty good for the videos loaded on it (faves are The Pink Spiders’ “Little Razorblade” and Platinum Weird’s “Will You Be Around?”) However, I use it for the audio music. The songs transfer over just fine via the Windows Media Player (don’t bother with the Rhapsody software if you don’t have to). As for protecting the screen, I just use the clear vinyl skin that came with it. Plus, if I want to take it with me on a walk or something, I just use a cell phone holster I got at the mall for $9.
I am an avid audiophile and need my tunes on a regular basis. The only thing I can’t figure out is how to make the custom playlists. I tried it with the Rhapsody software, but it kept screwing up the order. Other than the gripe about the software, the device itself is a sturdy, well executed player.
5 Stars THE most durable little piece of electronica I’ve ever owned
Ok, so I’ve dropped my Nintendo DS (original) like a hundred times, and the darn thing’s like a rock. Same thing with my Olympus Stylus. Even my laptop.
But NONE of them have ever survived a trip through the laundry.
My dh is often rather careless with things, and tends to forget to empty his pockets before washing his clothes. And one day, he forgot to empty my brand-spanking-new Insignia mp3 player out of his khakis. Sure enough that means it went through the full washing experience–hot water, detergent, and extreme heat and fumes from the dryer. That evening as I emptied out the dryer, I found my poor little mp3 player. At first I couldnt find the backing or the battery. But I was SOOO upset. The next morning, out of some inexplicable childish hope, I returned to the drier to search for the battery. I found it and the backing. Thinking that it wouldn’t hurt to try, I went ahead and popped in the battery. I held my breath, hit the power button–
And nearly crapped a brick.
IT WORKED! Water, detergent, heat, fumes, and IT STILL WORKED!!! Not even a cracked screen! The ONLY thing that happened was one song got deleted. One.
So. Yeah. I love my little insignia.
5 Stars Fantastic Music Player
This is a great Music player. I have had mine for two months, and I must tell you that this device is small, very thin (candy bar thin) and has a lot of memory space. I put the micro memory 2gig chip in, and have 6 gig device. Very roomy.
Lets face it, you can’t beat the price.
As far as being rugged, I have dropped it several times, and have had no issues with it.
I think it is worth every penny.
Some techical notes:
In Windows Media Player, this music player will sync automatically. What is reallly cool, you just drag and drop the songs you want into the sync window in WMP and click SYNC. Easy. YOU DON’T HAVE TO USE CRAPPY SOFTWARE!!
Have fun
4 Stars Excellent For The Price
It was awesome to watch videos and stuff, the headphones that came with it sucked, syncing was easy with Windows Media Player, had great battery life, but the screen was too exposed and the scrolling wheel was a pain.
I used it until the screen on it cracked and I got a Zune 30 GB
Samsung U5 With a Fitness Program
May 6, 2009 by Technorati Search for: mp3 players · Leave a Comment