questions for HDD100 reviewers...

[Unregistered]

I'd use a recording mp3 platey like the HDD100 for three purposes--recording interviews, listening to time-shifted radio content, and listening to music.

A few questions based on my experiences with other players:

How does the HDD100 work for recording?

How does skipping during movement compare with ipod and disc players?

Does it handle seeking in vbr mp3 files well? Does it calculate the time properly?

Does it play and record very large mp3 files well (1 hr)? ipod often stutters on files larger than buffer size.

How does it handle audio-book style files? (I listen to time-shifted radio programs--1 hr long programs). Does it remember pause points properly? Does it have a quick review feature (jumps back a few seconds)? Does it ff and rew quickly on large files?

Does it allow the exporting of recorded mp3s? What is the sound quality of recorded files with internal mic and external input?

What is the startup time for simple voice recording--is it reasonable for one-touch on-the-fly recording? ("Note to self" moments...)

Does it look like the firmware can add extra features (like ipod did -- address book, etc.)? (I don't recall philips being open to this with their previous techs, or of upgrading earlier technologies, but this feature seems to be an important part of the success of archos, ipod, and riovolt.)

My benchmark for an excellent basic mp3 player operating system is the riovolt/iriver series, which has many user-configurable features.

Many thanks...

[Unregistered]

Hmm
I can't answer all of your questions. I have not tried everything possible ;)

1) Internal Mic:
Good Quality, records in 64 kbit mono
I have conducted some tests at meetings, the quality is sufficient - you can reasonably good understand the conversation.

2) Exporting of self-recorded files:
That's the only type of file one can export from this baby, everything else ist via DRM "unreachable"

3) Quality Settings:
You can set three different recording-qualities for the external intput (optical + analog), 64 kbit / 128 kbit / 196 kbit , but as I have said, I have not tried it so far, I wanted to by me an optical cable beforhand ;)

4) Start-Up Time of recording:
When you are in Listening-Mode, you have to press 6 or 7 times to come to recording-mode (only 3 different buttons though). To make different files whlie you are in recording-mode, only one keystroke is needed.

5) Skipping:
For me, no skipping occured at all.

Everything else was so far not in my personal schedule, but I will post some more impressions later. I have used it to listen to audiobooks, but not tried the things you have suggested.
With the extra features I would go with you and say, the only thing, that is fully customizable from Philips, is the (almost not affordable) PRONTO-Line of remote controls

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by Unregistered

Does it look like the firmware can add extra features (like ipod did -- address book, etc.)? (I don't recall philips being open to this with their previous techs, or of upgrading earlier technologies, but this feature seems to be an important part of the success of archos, ipod, and riovolt.)



There are philips mp3-cd players, the streamium serie with firmware upgrades, but I don't know if it adds new features.