Product Description
Cowon always tries to forecast and understand what the market and customers want. Cowon believes that the customers should be satisfied with the best-quality products, and this is the key to the company's success that drives creative research and development without failure.PRODUCT FEATURES:4" TFT LCD display (16:9 Wide Vision);DivX networks certified;Direct playback format (DivX, Xvid, WMA 9, MP3, OGG, etc);Video in recording (TV, VTR, DVD);DivX DRM files supported;Powerful BBE sound;Built-in stereo speaker.
Amazon.com Product Description
Satisfy your music and video cravings wherever and whenever with the Cowon A2 portable multimedia player, which features 30 GB of storage and a crisply colorful 4-inch widescreen LCD. In addition to a wide range of audio, video, and still image compatibility, the A2 also offers an FM radio (with record function), voice recording (via built-in microphone), direct line-in audio recording, text reading, and PVR capability to record your favorite TV programs. Attractively sleek with rounded, ergonomic corners, the A2 measures 5.2 x 3.1 x 0.9 inches and weighs just 10.5 ounces.
Slim form factor with rounded, ergonomic corners. |
A 16m color 4-inch TFT-LCD presents high-quality images anywhere, anytime. |
Carrying case for safe transport. |
Wide Compatibility
For music files, the A2 can handle MP3, WMA, Egg Vorbis, FLAC (free lossless audio codec), and WAV (which provides the ability to configure the sound with a 5-band equalizer). BBE sound technology is included to aid in restoring the lost harmonics of digital music to its original clear sound. On the video side, it's compatible with AVI, Windows Media, ASF, and MPEG-4 file formats and DivX 3.11/4/5, XviD, and WMV9 video codecs. Movie file formats that are not supported at first try are easily viewable after a simple conversion using the included JetAudio Basic VX software. You can record video directly from external AV devices (TV, VCR, camcorder)--just connect the A2 with included AV cable and start recording. Video will be recorded in MPEG-4 up to a 640 x 480-pixel resolution at 30 frames per second.
Recording Capability
The A2 also allows professional-level voice recordings through its built-in high-fidelity microphone and direct encoding through a line-in cable. You can record important lectures or directly transmit sounds from CD players or other audio devices with the line-in cable and save them in your A2 in MP3 (encoded up to 192 Kbps). The FM tuner has 25 station presets, and has immediate and scheduled recording capabilities.
Image Viewing, Storage
The 4-inch widescreen displays provides a comfortable view of text files and image files (JPG, PNG, BMP). Images can be viewed in slide show mode or be magnified for detailed view. You can also use the A2 as a USB mass storage device to store and transfer your most important files. Additionally, it offers USB host support, enabling you to connect external devices such as digital cameras or other MP3 players directly to the unit for easy transfer of music, images and other data files without the need for a PC.
Additional Details
It connects to PCs using a super-fast USB 2.0 connection and it's compatible with Microsoft Windows 98SE, 2000, Me, and XP operating systems. It is not compatible with secure/DRM WMA content from online stores or subscription services. The A2's ultra power-saving circuitry enables up to 10 hours of video and 18 hours of audio continuous playback with its built-in, fully charged, 4300 mAh lithium-polymer battery.
What's in the Box
30 GB Cowon multimedia player, carrying case, strap, earphones, AC adapter, USB 2.0 cable, line-in recording cable, USB host cable, installation CD-ROM, printed operating instructions
Customer Reviews:
Excellent PMP, but relatively hard to find........2007-12-10
I bought this item for my girlfriend for her birthday back in May and have used it a bit myself(mostly reading ebooks, but also the occasional tv show/movie). She loves the thing. She hooks it up to the TV using the supplied composite/RCA cables and watches/records shows. She brings it to work and listens to music, and store data on it. Since it supports so mnay codecs its great as a music player but it is quite bulky/heavy compared to an ipod, but, of course, it isn't marketed against the ipod/SSD based media players.
The screen quality is, to me, unreal. Best lcd screen I've ever seen. NO ghosting/artifacts, even during fast motion. Nice vivid colors, and even good contrast(for an lcd). Of course, glossy screen helps the colors stand out, but it can also increase glare, though I've not had that problem, even while riding in a car during daytime(in the passenger seat, of course!).
The speakers aren't terrible, but they can sound a bit tinny (though not as much as I had expected). Still, I've heard worse speakers on laptops, and you can always plugin the adequate, though uncomfortable, supplied earphones.
The thing that really surprised me, however, was the quality of the video-out. Truly excellent! I don't know if there is some upscaler included(though I seriously doubt it), but video comes out looking as good as broadcast(ditto on recording from the tv with it).
Now, while the video was excellent, the sound was disappointing. The tv-out jack has the three sections you would expect from a regular RCA connection(composite video, left & right audio), but I swear the sound that the tv output was monoaural, but not just that, it sounded like the actors were speaking from inside a large drum, with a sort of cavernous/echoey/tinny quality that's a bit hard to describe but results in sound that, to my ears, has greatly reduced dynamism/range.
Now, since I haven't used this as much as my gf her thoughts, or at least her complaints, what I can recall of them, would probably be useful.
From my recollections, her only complaints are that it doesn't support pdf (this bugs me as well, since you have to convert ebooks to .txt format{i.e., basically no formatting] and you end up with words wrapped over two lines, and footnotes appearing in the middle of a page, etc.), and the hd/battery are not upgradable. Now the hd isn't really much of an issue since she's got many seasons of various shows on it, along with copious music files and books, not to mention the raw data she has on it(I believe she's got a few linux distros stored in it), and she still has many GB of space. The battery, thus far, hasn't been an issue but it's only been cycled, I'd estimate, maybe 100-150 times at most, so maybe in 2 or 3 more years it'll show some wear, but right now you can watch something for about 4-6 hours on a charge, and read a book for around twice as long (you can probably extend it if you turn down the brightness). She also loves the gui. She took to it immediately, and moves about it rapidly.
For my part, I'm not fond of the joystick/button. I find myself navigating the menus and accidently pressing down on the joystick and thereby activating a movie, opening a book, etc. Also, the joystick itself I find a bit slippery, as though my finger will slip off it and punch a hole in the screen (no, I'm not pressing THAT hard, but that is the image that comes to mind). A small mod could fix that bit, however.
Those few nitpicks aside, this is a great PMP, though I have little to compare it to(basically just laptops, and a few portable dvd players that my niece and nephews have), but when I was shopping around for a PMP the things that stood out to me regarding this unit over an Archos were: the fantastic number of codecs that are supported, the near constant firmware updates(I'm still waiting on that pdf update, dammit!), the relatively low price(at the time), and the user(NOT editor) reviews I'd found around the web.
An Awesome Personal Video Player!.......2007-11-25
Because I hate boredom when I travel, and I have a lot of digital media, I decided to look for a personal video player. Through a lot of searching, I stumbled onto the Cowon A2. While I had never heard of the company before, its screen size, build quality, video support, long battery life, and positive reviews all convinced me to try it out. Here's what I've discovered:
Pros
-- Excellent video quality
-- Plays XVID/DVIX files up to 720p
-- Awesome sound quality; comes with BBE sound processing (which is really cool)
-- Nearly 10 hour battery life when watching videos; even more when just listening to audio
-- Comes with a radio
-- Can act as a host for other devices (MP3 player, camera, etc.)
-- Build quality is very good
-- Supplied power adapter is 110V - 220V, despite the fact that the plug says that it is only 110V
-- Unit allows you to start watching your videos where you left off if you open files from the "Recent Files" section of the menu
Cons
-- GUI is okay; it isn't as intuitive or fast as I'd like
-- Joystick's center button isn't easy to press; but after some practice, you get better at it
-- Volume can take a couple of seconds to react to your input when you are watching videos
-- Fast forward and rewind is non-linear and can quickly zip to the very end or beginning of a video file (respectively); stopping exactly where you want to takes some practice and intuition
-- Not great for MP3s; the audio quality and interface are excellent, but the player itself isn't the most convenient way to move through your music without looking at it
-- At some point, a few small particles of dust will find their way under the display's glass screen; but this is only visible when display is viewed under direct sunlight
-- Watching video in direct sunlight is next to impossible
Despite the cons, which are annoying, I truly love this player. On trips across the Atlantic I can watch movies for the entire 9 hour flight and still have some battery life left. Personally, I would only recommend this player to other people looking for a PVP (if you listen mostly to MP3s, then I would recommend a dedicated MP3 player). All the other video players either have poor battery life or require you to convert all of your XVID/DVIX files to their proprietary video standard, which takes time. So, with the Cowon A2, if you have a lot of XVID or DIVX videos you can simply place them on the hard drive and watch them. However, if you do come across a standard that isn't supported, Cowon does include a free video converter. All things considered, you shouldn't be upset with this player.
reddoggie.......2007-11-19
This is a wonderful media player with loads of features. The problem
I have had is that it breaks after just a couple weeks of use. I have
had this model replaced three times and my thrid one broke the first
day I used it.Cowon A2 30 GB Portable Multimedia Player
Worst customer service ever!.......2007-09-26
First of all, I wish I had done a little more testing of this unit before the 30 day Amazon return period was up. Tried it out and was very satisfied with the picture quality and sound through the demos. After owning it for about 5 weeks, finally loaded music on it and took a road bike trip for about 4 hours. Battery died at 3.5 hours. Fully charged it up and tried again, this time dead in an hour. Charged again and did a test playing only music, made it about 10 hours this time. Haven't found anyone else in the reviews who has had this problem. The spec says 18 hours of audio and this is due to the larger battery. Never tried the video. Tried contacting CowonAmerica through email, phone and signing up for their online help site. They have to verify your email address before you can enter the site. Got a email verification back and tried to logon, no luck, said email address was not verified even though the email I received from them said it was. I was not willing to take the risk of NO CUSTOMER SERVICE for a device I paid over 300.00 for. I loved the A2 when it worked, easy to load music, great sound, and the video demo was crystal clear. Sent it back to Amazon for a partial refund and will probably buy an Archos, as I was able to contact their service department by phone in about 30 seconds. Great machine bummer service.
Do not buy it.......2007-09-22
This product was great until it started freezing all the time, even during recording. All this in less than one month after purchase.
Product Description
Crosley stylings, the 4-in-1 Entertainer features a hand rubbed wood veneer cabinet, wrap a round woven grill cloth corners and quality components that only Crosley can deliver. And while careful attention to original detail lends an air of authenticity, modern technologies add the perfect finishing touch. The Crosley Entertainer comes complete with discreetly integrated solid state AM/FM radio, programmable CD player, side mounted cassette deck, illuminated LCD display, EQ presets, built in amplifier, full spectrum speakers and multi function remote control. All this, plus the option to record your records, CDs or radio programs on to a cassette, along with a witty design, makes the Entertainer a must-have in any home. Features:
Amazon.com Product Description
Not all modern electronics sport a high-tech housing. Witness Crosley's CR79CD four-in-one Entertainer, which teams a solid-state AM/FM radio, programmable CD player, three-speed turntable, and logic cassette deck in a nostalgic '40-style cabinet. The Entertainer's distinctive look includes a hand-rubbed, oak-finished wood veneer chassis and wraparound grill corners made of woven cloth, along with a gold-plated front control panel. The attention to detail lends an air of authenticity to the device, making it a great fit for listeners with traditionally furnished homes. By contrast, the interior electronics are fully modern. The CD player features a 20-track programmable memory and a repeat play (one and all tracks) function, letting you create custom soundtracks for parties or casual listening. The belt-drive turntable, meanwhile, supports 33-1/3, 45, and 78 rpm speeds, giving you access to full-length LPs and classic singles collections.
Should you tire of prerecorded tunes, simply turn to the digital AM/FM tuner, which lets you catch up on the morning or evening news. Finally, the side-mounted cassette deck records all three formats--CD, LP, and radio--letting you easily archive your favorite music. Additional features include an illuminated LCD display, built-in digital equalizer presets that vary based on genre or personal preference, a built-in amplifier, full spectrum speakers, and a multifunction remote control. The Entertainer even offers a pair of external outputs for connecting to detached stereo speakers.
The Entertainer measures 17.75 by 9.25 by 14 inches (W x H x D) and is backed by a 90-day warranty.
What's in the Box
4-in-1 Entertainer, remote control, 45 spindle adapter, diamond-stylus needle, user's manual.
Customer Reviews:
Satisfied- so far.......2007-07-06
Have not used the recorder as yet. All systems have worked to our expectations. Only improvement would be a way to increase bass and/or treble.
Would purchase again.
Antique Entertainment.......2007-05-09
This is great product. There is nothing to assemble and the box looks like an antique. No complaints with sound quality!
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