iriver LPlayer Review (Part 2)
Photo Viewer
The screen looks great along as do the photos shown on it. It’s a basic file folder view with thumb nails and slide show capabilities much like any other photo viewer. There are a few basic features such as rotation, 2x zoom, and deletion from the device, but really it’s a typical easy to use photo viewer.
The optimal size for these photos are the screen resolution of 320x240, but much larger sizes work as well. However, keep in mind that the larger the photo gets the longer it will lag when flipping though photos. For example, 5 megapixel images takes about 5 seconds to load or to change to the next one.
Text Viewer
Like the previous iriver players the LPlayer also has text viewing, nice for keeping an address book or a phone number list. Just a basic txt file is needed. If the files are very large (max is 10 megs) there are features like “skip to” and bookmarking to help you navigate the text. Font size is also adjustable in small, medium, and large.
VideoVideo playback is actually pretty impressive for a small but relatively high resolution screen. Videos can be in MPEG-4, WMV, or XViD at 30FPS (bitrates vary by codec). At the time or writing this review the iriver Plus media player did not have the profiles to transcode to the LPlayer, but they will be in the next revision of the iriver Plus media player. But in the mean time, the E100 settings work just fine.
AudioSound Quality
As many of the iriver products the sound quality is good, but nothing great. The LPlayer lacks extreme highs and lows and overall dynamics. But keep in mind that if you are not spending more than the LPlayer on headphones, then you definitely find the sound quality more than acceptable. My test bed consisted of the Shure SE530s and KRK RP5 studio monitors.
EQ & Sound Enhancements
The LPlayer has a thorough set of EQ settings with presets and a 5-band EQ. It also possesses SRS WOW and HD settings- these, like I mention in every review with players that have SRS sound enhancements, are useless. This could be my personal preference, but I feel it sounds too fake.
Playlists
Disappointingly, there is not on the go playlists, not even a “quick list” or a “go list”. You still can make playlists, but you need to use any media player in MTP mode or iriver Plus for MSC mode. However there is a saving grace in that there are “ratings lists” where you can play all songs you have rated a particular star rating- 1 to 5 stars.
Audiobooks & Podcasts
For audiobook fans that use Audible, you are out of luck, there is no .aa support. However, if you rip your own audiobooks you will be pleased that they do allow for bookmarks. Bookmarks are placed as a list under their own menu in the main music screen.
Podcast Ready, which is a free podcast indexing program that resides on the player, is available in MSC mode only.
ConclusionIf you like iriver products you will like the LPlayer, since it’s the same great formula iriver has used on the popular clix line of players. But by the same note, there is nothing innovating. The lPlayer is the clix/clix2 minus some features and in a smaller form factor. Overall, it’s a nice package for those in the iriver camp and newcomers alike.
Pros
Solid iriver Design Great looking screen. MSC/MTP User Selectable Good radio reception File Folder and ID3 Browsing Cons
Mediocre sound quality Screen difficult to see outside Not on the go playlist Weak Battery Life Purchase
The LPlayer is not yet available in the US.
(From:anythingbutipod.com)
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