[rrc589]

1. Is there a bookmark feature or resume play feature?
(I listen to podcasts a lot and need my mp3 player to at least pick up where I left off when I turn it back on.)

2. Have there been any firmware updates? Do you think there needs to be any firmware updates?

3. I've read there are serious issues getting most types of videos to play on it. What are the best converting solutions? What is your favorite method of doing it? What program do you use?

4. Does the screen scratch easily? I want a screen protector anyway. (What is a good screen protector to buy for it? If you use one, what do you use?)

5. How durable would you rate it on a scale of 1 to 10?

6. What is your favorite thing about the player?

7. What is your LEAST favorite thing about the player?

8. If you could improve one thing about the player, what would it be?

9. What minor or major problems have you had with it thus far, and how long have you owned it?

 

[Mr_Junesequa]

1.The sony NWZ series has the best (instantaneous resume play) feature : 0 second bootup...im not joking


2. No firmware updates...doubt there will be...there are no bugs at all...but a firmware update would be nice


3. mp4 use software on cd

4. screen doesnt scratch like an ipod...its fine...no need to a screen protector..easy to clean etc..

5. 9/10

6. sound quality

7. bnit harsh on the highs...bit of hiss...unnatural...can fix with hidden eq menu

8. track display doesnt fill the screen (scroll) / cant convert to landscape mode

9. no major probs

 

[rrc589]

So if I pause a song, turn the player off, and turn it back on . . . the song will resume from where I left off?

How easy is it to fast-forward to certain parts in a track?

 

[tds101]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_Junesequa /img/forum/go_quote.gif 1.The sony NWZ series has the best (instantaneous resume play) feature : 0 second bootup...im not joking 2. No firmware updates...doubt there will be...there are no bugs at all...but a firmware update would be nice 3. mp4 use software on cd 4. screen doesnt scratch like an ipod...its fine...no need to a screen protector..easy to clean etc.. 5. 9/10 6. sound quality 7. bnit harsh on the highs...bit of hiss...unnatural...can fix with hidden eq menu 8. track display doesnt fill the screen (scroll) / cant convert to landscape mode 9. no major probs

All on point!!! And if you pause it DOES resume on at the same spot you stopped it at. To fast forward quickly you pause the song and it greatly speeds up the process. Great players Sony has put out!!!

 

[chongy5]

1. There isn't, and it is a gripe, but if you turn the player off with that podcast file loaded, it will start up very quickly (as Mr_Junesequa said).

2. There haven't, and apparently there will not be (according to various sources across the interwebs). The only bug I have encountered is the year tag one (see further down on my post) but that is minor. If a firmware update improves speed or battery life further then I would welcome it, but speed and battery life are already fantastic on this player so I don't see a need for any 'major' revisions to the firmware.

3. You can use the 'SUPER' software, that one seems to have the most success at the moment. I can't remember the settings off the top of my head, you may have to experiment (unless someone can remember what they were?)

4. The screen, to my knowledge, doesn't scratch as badly as some players, but when I got my player it was just too shiny and lovely for me not to keep it in that pristine condition, so I applied a screen protector on it. It has held up fine, and it keeps the player looking good!

5. 9/10 - it is a solid piece of kit, weighty enough in the hand to feel good, and no horrible plastic-ky feel to it.

6. The user interface is lovely, and I prefer it over the iPod interface. Even though it uses a directional pad (arrow buttons) instead of a scroll wheel to me it feels much slicker, and of course much more tactile.

The other thing I love is the ridiculously fast boot-up times and instant play. It is just incredible. I don't even know how they manage to make it so instantaneous.

7. See the year tag problem that I keep referring to - apart from that nothing else annoys me (from a perfectionist product point of view).

8. The placement of the headphone jack (the bottom) can sometimes be a pain, but it really is a minor niggle, all things considered.

9. Owned it for 6 months or so, the only problem was initially finding the settings for video (just purely to be a geek and test it obviously).

The other problem was it doesn't seem to read the 'Year' tag from id3v2.4 or id3v2.3 tags that I write (which makes the 'Time Machine' feature entirely useless).

It annoyed me so much that I started using MediaMonkey (which then makes it read the year tag just fine), but I realised half the reason why this player was so attractive was it's drag and drop capability, so now I just don't let it bother me (and it doesn't).

It is one heck of a fantastic player and please don't let these very minor problem distract you from the fact that it is a fantastic player, and a really solid piece of work from Sony.

 

[rrc589]

Awesome answer Chongy.

By the way, I'm having a hard time finding the A818 so I'm looking at the A728. Same screen size and features, just looks a bit different aesthetically. I kind of like the look a bit better anyway.

 

[chongy5]

Yeah I have always appreciated when people give highly informative and useful long posts, so hopefully mine resembled one like that!

The A818 is relatively easy to find where I am (UK), for about £75 delivered to your door. I bought it for £100 when it was new and it was, and still is, a fantastic piece of kit for the price.

The supplied headphones are also very decent for pack-in ones, and the screen is a joy to use and look at - stuff which I'm sure you've heard/read already, but re-iterating this does not hurt!

Any other questions that I might be able to answer?

 

[rrc589]

Yea that's the price it's going for here in the states as well. Very tempting. Lack of bookmarking feature is really the only thing that's holding me back at this point. Sound quality, nice screen, solid build quality, ease of use, and especially NATIVE DRAG AND DROP make it really appealing.

 

[soozieq]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rrc589 /img/forum/go_quote.gif By the way, I'm having a hard time finding the A818 so I'm looking at the A728. Same screen size and features, just looks a bit different aesthetically. I kind of like the look a bit better anyway.

The 728/828 has a 2.4" screen while the 818 has a 2" screen.
It doesn't sound much bigger but it really does make a difference visually.

 

[rrc589]

I didn't know that about the screen, anyway, yea I'm def. not getting the 818 anymore, it wouldn't make sense. Either the 728 or 828. Leaning towards the 728 because I have no need for Bluetooth right now, it's not worth the extra 100 bucks and wireless crap headphones.

 

[chongy5]

Yeah bigger screen, but.......

it's in my pocket the whole time.

(I don't use it for video watching).

At £75 it's very good value for money, and the A2xx series doesn't offer me personally anything really worth upgrading for.

 

[rrc589]

Believe me, the screen size isn't what's holding me back from the 818. It's the fact that I can buy the 728 at the store down the street for less than the 818.

The 818 isn't in stores near me, and it's more expensive than the 728 when I do find one online.

 

[tds101]

The 818 is no longer being made by Sony, they'd been selling them as clearance items a while back on sonystyle.com. Try Amazon in the states. But, personally, I think your right to go w/the A728. The 818 price has been jacked up so it's now the better bargain. Though between the 2 the 818 does have slightly better SQ. The A72X/A82X series needs for you to access the hidden service menu to make a few adjustments. Not a big deal - just a minor inconvenience.

 

[rrc589]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nywytboy68 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The 818 is no longer being made by Sony, they'd been selling them as clearance items a while back on sonystyle.com. Try Amazon in the states. But, personally, I think your right to go w/the A728. The 818 price has been jacked up so it's now the better bargain. Though between the 2 the 818 does have slightly better SQ. The A72X/A82X series needs for you to access the hidden service menu to make a few adjustments. Not a big deal - just a minor inconvenience.

What do you mean "hidden" service menu?

 

[tds101]

Here ya' go:

DAC settings (firmware menu)
(enable "hold" switch, then while holding the menu button press:
up, up, down, down, right, left, up , down, up ,down, right, play/pause)
Bass: -0.0 @ 50Hz
Treble: -4.5 @ 15kHz

Clear Bass: +2
Equalizers: +2, -1, +1, +2, +1
DSEE, Clear Stereo: OFF and Normalizer: ON

These work for me. I'm glad to see I'm not alone w/my adjusting of the DAC settings to clear up Sony's strange sense of SQ upgrade. Now, this is on par w/my D2!!!!

Well worth the trouble!!!