A TechLore "Ask the Experts" Question...
Question:
I am going to buy a new portable video player, and am confused as to which one, considering the prices. I have a Canon S2IS, which has JPEG EXIF 2.2 image format, and I want to know which of the players are compatible: Zen Vision W60, Archos 504/604, Cowon A2, or Vosonic VP8360. Also, do these players work like an iPod using a Monster Cable playing through FM radio in a car?
-submitted by pbailey
Answer:
There's a lot of things to look for in a portable multimedia player. Based on what you've mentioned in your question, it would appear that photo playback is the most important function you're looking for. Typically, video playback is what most folks look for when shopping for a device of this nature.
As far as photo playback is concerned, all of the options you've provided handle the JPEG format, but the Vosonic VP8360 and Archos 504/604 specifically mention support for EXIF data. In the end, that really shouldn't matter in terms of just viewing images, but support for EXIF will allow the device to sort images by date, name, etc.
The other thing to consider is any size constraints the device employs for viewing images. I didn't see many things mentioned for each device, but the Cowon A2 specifically states that images greater than 1.6 MP will not be compatible. The Vosonic handles TIFF and RAW formats, so I doubt size is a factor. The Archos only states that some resolutions and sizes may not be compatible... but not which ones. The Creative W60 manual didn't state anything specific.
There are significant price differences in this category, but most will be related to the size/resolution of the screen and the size of the internal hard drive. The least expensive players will likely sport 30GB hard drives, while the more expensive players will contain larger. The Vosonic is a bit of an oddball in this lineup, since it forgoes the standard 1.8" hard drive for a swappable notebook sized 2.5" drive. This gives you flexibility in what size drive you want, but may eat through battery power faster than other units. The screen sizes were mostly comparable, but I'd opt for the 4.3" size on the Archos and Creative units over the smaller square screen on the Vosonic.
As far as sound output goes, you'll find accessories to broadcast audio from these players to your car's FM radio. The Monster RadioPlay line and Belkin TuneCast are just a few of the options. Whatever device you choose, it needs to plug into a standard headphone output on your player.
If forced to make a recommendation, I'd opt for the Archos 504 or 604 over the others listed. I feel they're the most flexible, and don't require a ton of goofy software to manage your music, videos, and images. Depending on what your exact needs are, you may also want to look at Sony's PSP. It handles basic photo viewing, can do video (with effort), and also handles most music formats. The Core system is only $199, and while you won't be able to haul around 60 Gigs worth of pics and videos, you can grab a 2GB memory stick on the cheap this holiday season, and carry around only what you need.
Matt Whitlock - Editor, TechLore.com
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