iRiver PMP 120 (Portable Media Player)

Excitement, Frustration and Sadness On The Go

The Tao of the iRiver PMP 120 Portable Media Player

After thinking it over, I've determined that the audio/video spirits are punishing me for buying this device for myself during the holiday season. I must have demonstarated intollerable selfishness by dropping 5 bills on this little guy in the month of December.

I wasn't wreckless in my decision to buy it though. I researched all of the comprable media players on the market. I basically was shopping for a device that could do three things:

1. Play MP3 files
2. Record voice notes
3. Display photos

The additional features I discovered that really really pushed me towards the iRiver PMP120 were the following:

1. Internal speaker. I use this to play audio books while I'm at my computer. No headphones needed.

2. FM Tuner - headphone wire acts as an antenna

3. Movie player that supports AVI, MPEG4, DivX and Xvid

4. Video OUT jack - nice!

5. USB 1.1 & 2.0 jacks with on the fly connectivity to digital cameras and other devices.

6. Plays MP3s AND WMA, ASF & WAV files. Great!

Sold! I went to Micro Center in Tustin California and picked up the PMP 120 (not before checking out the new iPod with picture viewing abilites - nice, but way overpriced). The product comes packaged nicely with care. The unit has a clip-on battery pack the fits the stylized body of the unit seamlessly. The charcoal hard clamshell case is very nice and durable. You really feel like you are getting your moneys worth when you unpack the box contents. Not at all like a toy.

The iRiver PMP 120 ships with a media conversion program to install on your PC. this lets you get video clips in the correct format to view. For the record, I hate the idea of a user having to convert video on any of these players. All mainstream codecs and supported bit-rates should be imbedded in the firmware in my opinion. Still, the unit plays AVI files which many don't so I didn't complain. Speaking of firmware, the box advertises that the unit's firmware can be updated. This sounded great! However, no updates have been made available as of yet.

When I finally booted the PMP120 up I was greeted with a decent color screen with simple looking menus. The boot time is too lengthy. It boots the OS which accesses the HDD like you're booting up a PC. 20+ seconds.

The unit has 4 buttons situated vertically on the right side of the screen, a DVD like nagvigation menu with a select button to the left of the screen with 3 additional buttons below. Looks slick and easy to use - almost like a gameing system. Unfortunately, navigation involves an akward combination of holding and tapping these buttons. Timing is critical and a real pain in the ass. Not intuitive at all. The initial function menu at boot up fakes you out. You use your DVD controls to pick music/video/FM Tuner, etc. and then click the select button. That is how everything should work. Instead, you have to navigate the file system with a combination of select button and pressing right/left on the directional pad. Lame. Confusing. The playlist function is awful. I was experiencing random track repeats so I called iRiver support. They told me it was due to the way my files were names - a known issue. What the Sam Hell is that about??? I could go on for days about the craptastic interface menus - but I think you get the idea.

The drive space is 20GB which isn't bad, but just a few short weeks after buying this I saw the PMP140 for sale which is exactly the same but with a 40GB drive - for the same price!!! I was bummed out! I got over it fast. I loaded the PMP 120's drive up with tons of audio books and cd rips and still had about 12GB free. No need to cry, right?

Wrong. In January I went out to Las Vegas to attent the CES (Consumer Electronics Expo) to check out all the new gadgets. The pre-show has Bill Gates on stage with Conan O'Brian. What do I see in Bill's hands? A new, improved iRiver PMP with a very slick Windows Media Player like menu system with a suggested retail price the same as my PMP120! The body was black, and frankly not as nice as the silver PMP120, but you could easily navigate and use the device features quickly. I went to the iRiver booth and talked to the gal there (really just whined like a baby about my recent purchase). She had a blank look and just continued to tell me about the new unit - as she should I guess. Whatever. I went home and got used to my clunky little Portable Media Player. And... it became tollerable over time.

Not so fast grasshopper, we don't have a happy ending yet. I used the unit daily in and out of my car. I noticed in April that every now and then the MP3 player would go crazy and play a track at about 1/3 normal speed or with mass distortion. The only recovery was to reboot. I don't expect technology to work 100% of the time, but the problem became more frequent. I called up iRiver and the technician on the telephone quickly diagnosed the problem as a failing hard drive and issues me an RMA. I was impressed with how quickly and hassle free the support call went. I packed up the unit and sent it off the same day for a replacement (April 20th, 2005). I still have not received my replacement yet. For such a straightforward issue I would expect quicker turn around. I do miss the little guy, but I believe the audio/visual spirits are trying to now teach me a lesson in patience. Eh, F&5! 'em, I want my damn player back!

Adding to my pain is the fact that a friend of mine just got the new Archos PMA400. It's about $700 but... wow, what I nice toy. Nicer than my toy... if it were here for me to play with. Seeing that look of pride on my friend's face as he connected to the web over 802.11g hurt. Then I saw the reasonable Unix kernel OS. Oh well. I should have waited and spent the extra $200 bucks. Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda. I have to go get some tissue now...

*** 5/23/05 UPDATE ***

I recieved a brand new PMP 120 in the mail from iRiver yesterday! Not just the base unit, but a complete brand new retail boxed package. Took a bit longer than I'd like, but that is commendable service for replacing a defective piece of high-end electronics. A+ for effort on their part. Unit works great so far. www.iriver.com