[Shane King]

My Cowon S9 that I have used daily for about the last 5 years or so bricked on me this evening.  Soooo, I am in the market for a new Cowon. I was just about the drop the money on the Plenue D, but have found there is no bluetooth.  What the what?!  I use a small bluetooth speaker around the house simply for convenience and the new car I bought this weekend doesn't support an AUX in, but uses bluetooth which I paired with my S9 with success.  I have loved my Cowon products all the way back to my X5.  Time to ponder my options I suppose.

 

[jbolia]

   
I can confirm that the 128GiB limit applies independently of any external file/folder limits, based on my experience with the latest firmware (1.14).
 
The external memory has a limit, I believe, of 16000 files and 8000 folders.
 
My music collection (all in FLAC) is currently is 7574 files across 587 folders. Though I can successfully format a 256GB (~238GiB) card in the player as FAT32 and copy across all files within Windows, the player itself will not read or play files above 128GiB, which suggests a software issue rather than a hardware one.
 
It has been suggested that this may be a 28-bit addressing issue. (2^28 = 268,435,456 sectors of 512 bytes each, resulting in a max readable size of 137,438,953,472 bytes, which equates to ~ 137.4GB or 128GiB.) It could just be a coincidental correlation of course, rather than a causative link. Perhaps someone just put in a 128GiB software limit so they could guarantee it worked for cards up to this amount or for more nefarious reasons.

Interesting.
Here's what I found out by trial and error.  My 200gb card hits the wall at 137GB.  There are 1300 files in 33 folders on the card, which rules out the 16000/8000 limitation.  Beyond 137GB new folders can be created and files added to them on the computer no problem.  The files and folders do show up on the PD when browsing in folder mode.  However, when playback is attempted an "invalid file" error is returned and sometimes the PD locks up which requires hard reset (press & hold Vol+/Vol- simultaneously).  
The tracks and albums corresponding to those files and folders are NOT listed at all in library browsing mode (albums, songs, artists, etc.).  <---  This is an indication of invalid files that cannot be played.
 
Basically, any files that are put in newly created "FOLDERS" beyond 137GB is unplayable.  The library update is unable to add them to the library even though they are there physically in folder browsing mode.  I reformatted the card and started over several times.  Same results.
 
I tested the card with the Cowon C2, D20 and M2.  Same problem.  Files & folders show up in folder browsing mode but NOT in library mode.  When playback is attempted in folder mode, "invalid file" error.  
I tested the same card with the original Sansa Clip, Sansa Clip Zip and Sansa Fuze (all rockboxed).  All is normal.  Everything playback normally.  Files shows up in folder and library mode.
 
 
This is what works for me.  Beyond the 137GB, I dumped all the files to the root of the card.  (No individual folder for each album.  It's a big mess when browsing in folder mode for those albums. But if I really wanted to I can re-organize everything by renaming them.)  Everything works.  The PD successfully updated the library.  Everything shows up both in folder and library browsing mode.  Everything playback normally without a hitch.  Because all my files are tagged properly they all are listed properly as they should in library browsing via artists, songs, albums, genre, etc.
 
Tested it with Cowon C2, D20 and M2.  They all work.  Right now the card is 170GB filled with 13GB free space.  Everything works.  

 

[whatislife]

Has anyone else had this issue with the plenue where holding it near a phone causes it to spontaneously turn off? Mine seems to be doing that whenever I hold them in the same hand.

 

[Vitor Valeri]

Guys, let's meet the problems on this topic to be easier to find a solution: http://www.head-fi.org/t/812142/cowon-plenue-d-problems


Another thing, I think even if one does not miss the limitation files, I recommend to all Plenue D users report the problem on Cowon Global website here: http://www.cowonglobal.com/zeroboard/write.php?id=B16&page=1&sn1=&divpage=0&bmenu=B&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&select_arrange=headnum&bmenu=B&desc=asc&no=&mode=write&sn1=&divpage=0&bmenu=support

 

[anselhelm]

  Guys, let's meet the problems on this topic to be easier to find a solution: http://www.head-fi.org/t/812142/cowon-plenue-d-problems


Another thing, I think even if one does not miss the limitation files, I recommend to all Plenue D users report the problem on Cowon Global website here: http://www.cowonglobal.com/zeroboard/write.php?id=B16&page=1&sn1=&divpage=0&bmenu=B&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&select_arrange=headnum&bmenu=B&desc=asc&no=&mode=write&sn1=&divpage=0&bmenu=support

I shall make a note of that thread
 
I've also already reported the issue to Cowon, via their Q&A board. I suspect they will take many months to reply, based on my previous experience. (I really wish they just had a smegging email address!)
 
I've tried reporting the issue as well to the USA branch of Cowon (Jet Audio) but I've not had a response yet and wouldn't be surprised if I don't get one at all.
 
I love Cowon's devices, even with their flaws, but their customer service is just non-existent.

 

[Vitor Valeri]

 
I shall make a note of that thread
 
I've also already reported the issue to Cowon, via their Q&A board. I suspect they will take many months to reply, based on my previous experience. (I really wish they just had a smegging email address!)
 
I've tried reporting the issue as well to the USA branch of Cowon (Jet Audio) but I've not had a response yet and wouldn't be surprised if I don't get one at all.
 
I love Cowon's devices, even with their flaws, but their customer service is just non-existent.

 
I got more rapid responses by sending messages to the Cowon page (representatives of China) https://www.facebook.com/cowonpages/?ref=ts&fref=ts
 
But I did it at the same time I posted about the problem I had on Cowon Global website.

 

[Soundtrap]

  Interesting.
Here's what I found out by trial and error.  My 200gb card hits the wall at 137GB.  There are 1300 files in 33 folders on the card, which rules out the 16000/8000 limitation.  Beyond 137GB new folders can be created and files added to them on the computer no problem.  The files and folders do show up on the PD when browsing in folder mode.  However, when playback is attempted an "invalid file" error is returned and sometimes the PD locks up which requires hard reset (press & hold Vol+/Vol- simultaneously).  
The tracks and albums corresponding to those files and folders are NOT listed at all in library browsing mode (albums, songs, artists, etc.).  <---  This is an indication of invalid files that cannot be played.
 
Basically, any files that are put in newly created "FOLDERS" beyond 137GB is unplayable.  The library update is unable to add them to the library even though they are there physically in folder browsing mode.  I reformatted the card and started over several times.  Same results.
 
I tested the card with the Cowon C2, D20 and M2.  Same problem.  Files & folders show up in folder browsing mode but NOT in library mode.  When playback is attempted in folder mode, "invalid file" error.  
I tested the same card with the original Sansa Clip, Sansa Clip Zip and Sansa Fuze (all rockboxed).  All is normal.  Everything playback normally.  Files shows up in folder and library mode.
 
 
This is what works for me.  Beyond the 137GB, I dumped all the files to the root of the card.  (No individual folder for each album.  It's a big mess when browsing in folder mode for those albums. But if I really wanted to I can re-organize everything by renaming them.)  Everything works.  The PD successfully updated the library.  Everything shows up both in folder and library browsing mode.  Everything playback normally without a hitch.  Because all my files are tagged properly they all are listed properly as they should in library browsing via artists, songs, albums, genre, etc.
 
Tested it with Cowon C2, D20 and M2.  They all work.  Right now the card is 170GB filled with 13GB free space.  Everything works.  

How did you work around album art , all of them been named "cover.jpg"? My understanding is that you would have to have them in the same folder with the audio files, or you managed to embed them all in the songs ?

 

[jbolia]

 
How did you work around album art , all of them been named "cover.jpg"? My understanding is that you would have to have them in the same folder with the audio files, or you managed to embed them all in the songs ?

If multiple albums are in the same location/folder (root of the card in this case), there should be no "cover.jpg" or it will cause random album art showing up.  All my files are embedded with album arts.  

 

[Soundtrap]

  If multiple albums are in the same location/folder (root of the card in this case), there should be no "cover.jpg" or it will cause random album art showing up.  All my files are embedded with album arts.  

Thanks man, I'll have a crack at that. PD is so awesome that even though my collection of players is vast I enjoy this little fella immensely.

 

[Nebucatnetzer]

I've returned mine.
It would've been my first portable high-end music player. The sound was really amazing and the battery life just perfect.
However the software is in my opinion just not worth the 260 CHF it costs here.

Made me actually a bit sad I really enjoyed how it sounded.

 

[Hi-Fi'er]

Truth about Audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5S_DI99wd8&feature=youtu.be

 

[Vitor Valeri]

I've returned mine.
It would've been my first portable high-end music player. The sound was really amazing and the battery life just perfect.
However the software is in my opinion just not worth the 260 CHF it costs here.

Made me actually a bit sad I really enjoyed how it sounded.

 
Cowon launches its products with bad firmware and then improved considerably over time. It's always like that. One has to have a certain patience in this case. Despite this inconvenience, I believe very worth still get the player.

 

[Nebucatnetzer]

   
Cowon launches its products with bad firmware and then improved considerably over time. It's always like that. One has to have a certain patience in this case. Despite this inconvenience, I believe very worth still get the player.

That's what I'm hoping for but until then it has to wait in the store for me .
In it's current stage it would annoy too much to be able to fully enjoy it.

 

[HiFiChris]

 

I've returned mine.
It would've been my first portable high-end music player. The sound was really amazing and the battery life just perfect.
However the software is in my opinion just not worth the 260 CHF it costs here.

Made me actually a bit sad I really enjoyed how it sounded.

 
Cowon launches its products with bad firmware and then improved considerably over time. It's always like that. One has to have a certain patience in this case. Despite this inconvenience, I believe very worth still get the player.

 
In what ways does the current Plenue D firmware differ from the initial release and first firmware update? I might probably get it again.

 

[Soundtrap]

   
In what ways does the current Plenue D firmware differ from the initial release and first firmware update? I might probably get it again.

I did not have any issues straight out of the box, neither with latest fw I believe is 1.14 if I am not mistaken. Not sure about the issues that people had, but in my long history ( over 10 years and 8  different players) with Cowons, I only had an issue with X7 which  died few days after I've got it, but was quickly sent replacement and it has been my bedside wake up music alarm for quite a few years. Cowon has been famous for clunky UCI, but I don't remember people having a lot of issues with their usability, unlike some other brands (Ibasso and FiiO step forward you lot!).