View Full Version : Cowon IAudio X5
Chris Gohlke
06-28-2005, 09:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,121540,tk,dn062705X,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,121540,tk,dn062705X,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The Cowon IAudio X5 is an all-around class act, from its stylish black case to its bright color screen. Weighing in at less than 6 ounces, and measuring about a half-inch thick, this hard drive-based digital media player packs plenty of features into a small package. The player lets you play back MPEG-4 video, record from the built-in FM radio, and record from a line input. You can also use the device as USB host, which allows it to copy files from other USB devices such as digital cameras without requiring a PC as the intermediary. And at $300 for the 20GB version, the Cowon IAudio X5 is very well priced (a 30GB version costs an additional $50)."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/121540-r_062205_iaudioX5.jpg" /><br /><br />A lot of nice features for the price. The screen is a bit small, but if you look at it as an MP3 player with video as a bonus, then it starts to look good. The USB host is really cool though. I'd like to see that feature on all MP3 players as I can't imagine it costs much to add. Pair it up with a cheap card reader and you have a great companion for your digital camera.
I don't find this device very appealing, especially compared to the Archos Gmini 420 which has:
a much larger screen
it can display video and images on a TV
it includes a CF slot: USB host is only compatible with less than 10% of all digicams in use today, while a CF slot is compatible with virtually 100% of them!!
NO!! USB host can't be regarded as cool at all :P
Chris Gohlke
06-28-2005, 11:47 PM
Are you referring to the Gmini 400 or the AV 420? I dont see a Gmini 420.
Personally, I would not connect my camera directly to it as on my camera the direct interface is kind of slow. I would use a standard card reader with it instead.
Also, that said, I purchased an Archos product once. They may have improved since then, but I am still kind of jaded by the poor quality of the first device.
the "20" in both products refer to the drive capacity; and since no other capacity than 20 GB is currently available Gmini 400 or 420 are the same. The same is true for the AV-420 and AV-400 that you might see mentionned in some places; except that the AV-400 comes with 20, 40, 80 or 100 GB HDD.
So to answer your question more directly, I was refering to the Gmini 400/420 which has virtually the same dimensions as the iAudio x5.
As for quality, the reality of the past does NOT necessarily represents the reality of the present and/or future.
The Gmini 400/420 is made mostly of anodized alumin(i)um 8) just like the AV-4xx I think. Both product lines appear well built and resistant in normal usage.
Besides that, with USB host how many hands would you need to hold and operate everything?
3 at least!! 2 to hold both devices and 1 to operate one of them. To have 4 hands would be a plus if you need to operate both devices!!
Like most people who have lived far away from nuclear plants :twisted: I only have 2 and operating a device that has an integrated CF slot is fine there.
When you come to think of it, USB Host is mostly an hindrance with all those very severe shortcomings.
Unfortunately engineers are better at computing than thinking :twisted:, we all (should) know that!!!
Chris Gohlke
06-29-2005, 12:33 AM
As for quality, the reality of the past does NOT necessarily represents the reality of the present and/or future.
I subscribe to the "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me" school of thought when it comes to product quality.
Chris Gohlke
06-29-2005, 12:41 AM
Besides that, with USB host how many hands would you need to hold and operate everything?
3 at least!! 2 to hold both devices and 1 to operate one of them. To have 4 hands would be a plus if you need to operate both devices!!
Like most people who have lived far away from nuclear plants :twisted: I only have 2 and operating a device that has an integrated CF slot is fine there.
When you come to think of it, USB Host is mostly an hindrance with all those very severe shortcomings.
I would not be walking around trying to use all the devices. I would primarily envision this as a means of transferring data periodically while away from a computer. So, I could put everything on a table and use just one hand. :wink:
Just having a CF reader is more limiting than having USB host. For example, I travel with two MP3 players, an iRiver 40 GB and a Creative flash muvo. I could copy new songs to my flash player without a computer by using usb host. I could also share songs directly with another HD based player.
Having CF built in is cool, but for my purposes usb host is cooler.
Is it possible that this device w/USB Host capability could be connected to a (Windows Mobile 5?) PPC? I'm always going to carry a full HD based DAP with me in addition to my PPC, it'd be great to be able to use some of the extra HD space on the X5 to act as a file store for my PPC.
I'd bet that it's rather the PPC that would have to have USB host capability to access the iAudio data (or another HDD or flash based stick or MP3 player).
There are few PPC that do USB host: Asus MyPal a730/Fujitsu Pocket Loox v70 (same device), Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket Loox 718/720 (different from the v70/a730), Toshiba e830.
jeffd
06-30-2005, 10:57 AM
Wow, so many mp3 players i've seen... and finally this one is actually pretty good.
The archos Gmini 400 looks just as good too, but I would find it hard to classify it as better.
#1 the form of the IAudio lends itself easy to resting in one palm and being controlled with only one hand. The archos is pretty strict on the 2 handed gameboy layout. The archos does LOOK nice, but when it comes down to practicle use, the IAudio wins.
#2 While the Gmini does feature a little more resolution and a slightly bigger screen, neither is suitable for actual movie watching, especialy if it has subtitles. Keep in mind any wide screen movies are going to get even less screen space and less resolution.
#3 The IAudio supports OGG vorbis, this lends me to think IAudio knows a bit more about what its portal music audiance wants.
Saddly I wasn't able to find much in the way of GUI shots for either, infact I couldnt find any of the Gmini mp3 playback screen, but I found one for the IAudio and it looks nice.
http://ai.pricegrabber.com/product_images/8894000-8894999/8894493_640.jpg
The price of the Gmini is only $50 more, so its not a huge difference, but I would need to research more. I would certainly like to know each units sound quality, seeing as I would be using a sweet pair of Grado headphones on em. :)
Better or not is a personal choice.
But the Gmini400 does more and those are facts:
the larger screen allows you to view cover art:
http://www.gmini400fan.com/Galerie/Le%20baladeur/Vue%20de%20face/1.JPG
a bigger screen IS better, tho not suitable for movies it's much better to view your pictures directly from your flash card, which the x5 can't do anyway
then only the Gmini allows you to hook it up to a TV set at your friend's, in a hotel room or in a conference room to view images or movies
then I wouldn't care at all about one/two handed operation as long as I'm not one handed; are you? :P
As far as OGG is concerned tho it's nice on paper, I wouldn't care much either as I don't have any OGG file. If you have many I would understand your concern tho.
Strangely enough Digital Media Thoughts doesn't allow you to upload digital media files :P
I have a nice & large front shot showing a song playing and its associated cover art...
When you say:...
#2 While the Gmini does feature a little more resolution and a slightly bigger screen...
Almost twice qualify for more than "little" and "slightly" in my book. (You must have an older version of it :P)
iAudio x5's screen 160*128 = 20,480 pixels
Archos Gmini 400's : 220*176 = 38,720 pixels
That's very close to 200%
jeffd
07-01-2005, 03:39 PM
jlp, both are "too small" when compared to older pocket PCs wich I deam "bottem of the barrel" for portable movie playback.
And photo viewing is just as usless (wipeing out most of your positive comments), a 3.5 320x240 screen is just barly good enough for "at a glance" photos (Actually it mostly sucks unless you can get an image viewer that will resample them when scaling them down, otherwise they look all jaggied and crappy), and in no way do I use it to quality check my cameras images. Heck, these 2 devices have no bigger display then my camera does. As for the tv hookup... the devices are 16 bit color, I doubt the video capabilities extend to 24 on the tv.
And im not going to argue over the benifits of ogg, if you don't understand em now, you never will. ;)
And yes I would prefer 1 handed operation.. simply because I am less likely to "drop" a unit ment to be held with one hand then I am with two. You may be surprised what youll find youself needing one hand operation for.. cooking... got a beer in one hand.. driving (no, not with headphones on ;p), fits in your pocket easier too. All my mp3 players use the 1 handed form... on the other hand I never used my gameboy as an mp3 player (flashrom cart addon). ^^
jlp, both are "too small" when compared to older pocket PCs wich I deam "bottem of the barrel" for portable movie playback.
The thread is about the iAudio x5 which is pocket media player (MP) with HDD. So it only makes sense to compare it to a competing product, not a PPC !!
For those who want to buy such a device, comparing the x5 to another MP is more up to the point.
And photo viewing is just as usless...
Again it's no use of comparing MPs to PDAs. With its 20 GB HDD the Gmini is the best way to download images, it's not just to view them.
As for the tv hookup... the devices are 16 bit color, I doubt the video capabilities extend to 24 on the tv.
16 bits is much more than the human eyes can distinguish anyway. Heck I still can find some 8 bits GIF pix very nice looking and they display 65,000+ less colors :P.
And im not going to argue over the benifits of ogg, if you don't understand em now, you never will. ;)
How did you come to the conclusion I denied or didn't understand OGG's advantages and strengths? I just said I don't have any such files :P.
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