Cowon sets release dates for Q5 and Q3

[DrBenway]

Anything But iPod has a story about Cowon's planned European release in late October of the Q5 and A3 PMPs.

They both look smokin' hot, and also plenty expensive. I've been drooling in anticipation of the Q5, particularly since it seems like it will soon be time to move on from Minidisc (heavy sigh).

The article mentions SPDIF output for the Q5, which as widely reported will support a slew of formats, including FLAC. But the story leaves me with several of the questions that I've had about the device since it was first rumored.

Most important of these to me is the degree to which the Q5 will function as a full-fledged WinCE machine. If it will read and write Office files, and if you can add CE compatible sw and peripherals to it, I'm gonna jump on this thing with both feet. Even at nearly a grand for the maxed-out unit, this thing would be a good value if it is both the good PMP it seems to be and a laptop replacement.

Edit: the less expensive model is the A3, not the Q3. My bad, sorry.

 

[rockin_amigo14]

for me, it'll be a competition between the Archos 605 and the Cowon Q5. Even after a dock and the internet plugin, the Archos is cheaper (i think). i guess we'll wait and see.

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockin_amigo14 /img/forum/go_quote.gif for me, it'll be a competition between the Archos 605 and the Cowon Q5. Even after a dock and the internet plugin, the Archos is cheaper (i think). i guess we'll wait and see.

Yeah, both of the new Archos models look very good; CNET has a review of the 605 and also of the 405.

One way in which the Q5 trumps the 605 is support for FLAC, and the A3 apparantly supports both FLAC and Apple Lossless.

Edit: The links in this post now point to the pages they were supposed to (slapping himself across the head).

 

[MarcusL]

I hope the Q5's SPDIF on Flac doesnt run out of juice after 5 hours of playtime.

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarcusL /img/forum/go_quote.gif I hope the Q5's SPDIF on Flac doesnt run out of juice after 5 hours of playtime.

Yeah, you do have to wonder what the batt life is going to be on a device like this with lots of power-hungry features; big screen, wireless, etc.

I'm just psyched to see any relatively portable audio device with a digital out and lossless support. I could kick myself for not buying an iRiver SlimX 550 PCDP when they were remaindered at iR's online store for $30 bucks. Thirty freakin clams, and I didn't get it together to order one. I'm a twit, yes I am.

 

[epaludo]

This SPDIF output REALLY caught my attention. Besides, i'm a big fan of Cowon. I'm a proud owner of a Cowon A2 ...

 

[oalex]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockin_amigo14 /img/forum/go_quote.gif ...Even after a dock and the internet plugin, the Archos is cheaper...

You even have to pay for the all the extra codex AFAIK.
I hate thier pricing as its a lead-on. Just make sure to add the price of everything you need before decinding which is better bang for buck. I know you (rockin) know this, just saying it generally.

 

[OverlordXenu]

I think the reasoning for Archos separating the codecs is that those codecs require some licenses, so it allows the device to be cheaper for those that don't need them.

I wonder if it really does have SPDIF, and what's it's through? Optical? Coaxial?

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I think the reasoning for Archos separating the codecs is that those codecs require some licenses, so it allows the device to be cheaper for those that don't need them.

That seems pretty reasonable to me, just as long as they reasonably price the add-on codecs. I think the Web browser add-on on the 605 is quite inexpensive -- about $30 -- so if they carry that over to the other extras, it shouldn't be too bad. Most people won't want all of them, so the price increase should be pretty modest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif I wonder if it really does have SPDIF, and what's it's through? Optical? Coaxial?

Pretty much all of the digital I/O I've seen on portables has been in the form of an optical mini-jack, with the same jack accomodating both digital and analog line-out. My experience with this is limited to PCDPs and minidiscs, however, so your guess is as good as mine.

 

[OverlordXenu]

Also, anyone know what kind of HDD size/interface it uses? If it uses 1.8" ZIF dual-platter HDD's, I am definitely putting in a 120gig HDD...And then this would make the perfect transportable setup with a good DAC and amp.

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, anyone know what kind of HDD size/interface it uses? If it uses 1.8" ZIF dual-platter HDD's, I am definitely putting in a 120gig HDD...And then this would make the perfect transportable setup with a good DAC and amp.

Wow...mod-itis over a unit that hasn't even been released. Cool...

 

[OverlordXenu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrBenway /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow...mod-itis over a unit that hasn't even been released. Cool...

60gigs isn't even enough for my music, let alone movies. Those FLAC albums add up. (And no one give me the "You can't tell the difference between FLAC and high-bitrate MP3..." jazz, I probably can't, but I use FLAC for archival purposes, I like to keep a portable backup of my music, and my time could be spent better than re-encoding all of my music.)

And it appears as if it's SPDIF is through the dock, to a coaxial connector, not Optical. (Looks like I will need to get someone to make me an SPDIF --> Optical breakout box for today's portable DAC's.)

 

[MarcusL]

This baby looks sweet. 5inch screen means this is no portable. Perfect transportable with a DAC and amp though, if the outbreak box can be done.

 

[DrBenway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverlordXenu /img/forum/go_quote.gif And it appears as if it's SPDIF is through the dock, to a coaxial connector, not Optical. (Looks like I will need to get someone to make me an SPDIF --> Optical breakout box for today's portable DAC's.)

Ummm...I had seen that promo shot before, and I didn't notice that the SPDIF appears, as you rightly point out, to be on the dock. Since an RCA plug connector is shown, it would have to be coax, not optical. Good call!

Too bad. This puppy is already big, and the need for an external box to access the SPDIF makes portability an even less workable proposition. Transportability still seems viable, though, as MarcusL points out.

But the main unit does have a USB host port...which means it should support external USB hardware, with appropriate drivers (if they exist). Maybe someone will offer a compatible, portable USB DAC? Would be nice, but that sounds like a very, very long shot to me.

 

[OverlordXenu]

Well, the iBasso D1 accepts Coaxial. It runs on Windows CE, so if it works with Windows CE, it should work with it.