Hands-on with MobiNote's DVX-POD 7010 personal video player
We've had our eye on MobiNote's DVX-POD 7010 personal video player ever since we first caught wind of it back in June. We figured it'd be yet another one of those random Taiwainese PVPs that never actually makes it over here (how many times have we complained about that, right?), but not only is the DVX-POD actually going to be available in the States beginning next month, we actually managed to get our lusty paws on one the other day courtesy of Tight Systems, which'll be distributing them here soon. Click to see some initial impressions as well as a few more photos.
First off, the specs: 20GB hard drive, support for playback of DivX, MPEG-4, WMV, and QuickTime video files, as well
as the standard stuff for listening to MP3s and viewing JPEGs. Besides being bigger than what youll find on
practically every other personal video player, the DVX-PODs large 6.5-inch widescreen LCD screen is crisp and has a
resolution of 720 x 480. Also comes with a detachable stand on the back if you want to tilt it up on a table or
airplane tray table.
Well save you the trouble and just say flat out that theyre trying to ride on the success of the iPod. Besides the
obviousness of putting POD in the name, with its white plastic casing you could probably convince some of your
friends who dont read Engadget that the DVX-POD is some super secret video iPod. At least until the see the clunky
user interface, which is honestly a little disappointing considering how fresh the screen is.
Yep, its big. Really big, especially compared with the Gmini 400 from Archos. But at least you wont have to squint
or worry about being able to read sub-titles or whatever.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Justin Elmore @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
looks great, but how much moola is it?
TheZodiac @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Im thikning like 14 million dollars. I think th Gmini has it right... games, audio and video. Nic elittle package. Nothing great, but right on the innovative side of "this will be a kick ass 2.0 sometime soon" needs widescreen and more video suport ala dvx and xvid, etc. TIGHT is goingt o be distributing this - which is funny since they have been working on their own player for like 2 years now. Sad, this one probably blows theirs away. Styling and otherwise.
Scott McCoskery @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Tight Systems is distributing this? Isn't that competing against their own amazingly vaporous TAZ-1? You'd think a company with a track record for distribution would get the deal, and not one that has never brought a product to market.
Al @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
According to some sites I found, the MSRP is between $500-$700.
I'd pay it. But that's just me...
NEIN @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Tight says $599. Does this thing encode video to all those formats as well? This should be compaired to the AV400 and not the Gmini. Very interesting.
Jon Wilson @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
I'm confused about one stat on every single portable video player I've seen... 20GB hard drive. If some mp3 players are already up to 100 GB why have only 20GB for a player meant to play files that are inherently larger than MP3s???
Also, I think there needs to be an eventual reality check as far as prices go. Take the 40GB Creative Zen Xtra for example. With some careful shopping you can get it for $250 online. So, you add an LCD screen, a video processor, and some more codecs and I could see that adding another $150 to the price. I would pay $400 for something like that. Right now everybody wants to charge $600 for something with less capacity though. And then there's the battery issue. The current batter stats for these devices are unacceptable. 2-4 hours needs to change to 5-10 hours which means they need Lithium Polymer batteries. So, just like with MP3 players, I don't plan on paying the cost to be on the bleeding edge.
ben fowler @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Had one of these to look at a few months back. It looks great, the picture is really crisp BUT the video quality was poor, very jerky and even though the screen is a decent size, ironically it kills the portability. Honestly ? I'd rather buy a 200 dollar DVD player and wait until something really, really good comes along.
stanny @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
I have got one of these and it is superb. I work away a lot and this is perfect for travelling with. spend a few hours encoding dvds and movie files using dr divx add some mp3's and there is enough entertainment for a week away from home. using the right software and recording staight from the sky box or dvd player produces great results with no fault at all. Admittedly the mp3 player is very basic but it isn't designed as an mp3 player. the archos is good but cant compete with this for playing videos. Abit expensive at 450 but if you shop around and get it for under 400 its a great buy.
stanny @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
I have got one of these and it is superb. I work away a lot and this is perfect for travelling with. spend a few hours encoding dvds and movie files using dr divx add some mp3's and there is enough entertainment for a week away from home. using the right software and recording staight from the sky box or dvd player produces great results with no fault at all. Admittedly the mp3 player is very basic but it isn't designed as an mp3 player. the archos is good but cant compete with this for playing videos. Abit expensive at 450 but if you shop around and get it for under 400 its a great buy.
Roman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Two words.......... FREAKING WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am blown away by this gizmo as it compares to the RCA Lycra video jukebox, iRiver PMP-120 or even the Creative Labs 20 GB Zen Portable Media Center.
The screen is something to be amazed at it's super bright and gorgeous thanks to the seven-inch windscreen display its beautiful! I owned the Rca Lyra for almost 2 years now and going from a 3.5 screen to 6.5 screen is like going from a b&w tv set to a colored one, yes its that good! Wow, words cannot describe how much enjoyment this has brought me and the attention it got. True story, I took this to the gym and I think I heard the word "DAM!" like 20 times, its that noticeable that people will stop you and ask you if that's a video ipod!
your social life will defiantly increase lol.
Video playback on the on the drive is very sharp and clear almost too sharp that sometimes you notice a few "blocks" but that's only minimum and the way the video was encoded in the first place I highly recommend you use Dr. Divx to encode any video to be compatible with the player (You can watch movies in MPEG-4 and DivX formats).
Recording Videos to the DVX-Pod is really easy all you have do to is just connect the included cable into your TV or dvd player "out" and press rec on the player. Its simple as that! You CAN'T do that on the iRiver or the Creative Labs Media Center.
This feature is EXCLUSIVELY on the DVX-Pod and was many of the reasons why I got it.
Playback from the recorded shows on the player was stunning! It was like watching a true dvd movie from just a basic cable signal, you also have the option to connect the player to any TV and play whatever video you have stored on the device. The videos comes out really good because of the default recording of 640X480.
The only thing I didn't like was the controls of the GUI and the side "fly push" button, its too sensitive and the controls are just too basic on screen. I'm sure once I get used to it won't be a problem.
The other great features include the ability to rec voice memos with the built-in mic. The player records them to mp3 format other features include a photo viewer and the photos when viewed on the screen are just gorgeous. I didn't install the included software because the player is so easy to use, you just use the included usb cable and plug it in your pc,
windows detects it automatically did I mention that the usb transfer speed is 2.0 !!!??
I transferred 180 videos (28-40megs each) in less then 1 min and 20 seconds!
The mp3 feature is just basic allowing you to play any mp3, wav, or wma file nothing fancy but who are we kidding, people will get this for the VIDEO !!
The dvx-pod is a very well made and polished piece of hardware. I would WITHOUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU GET THIS NOW!!, you just can't go wrong and believe me, i seen them all. if i could summarize this player. i would say
"The DVX-POD IS THE ROLLS -ROYCE OF PVP"
I also want to thank Tightsystems.com for shipping this out to me very fast and for almost every question I had they e-mailed me back in just a few minutes I don't know what company does that these days to there customers because you usually have to wait days if not weeks just to get any kind of respond. Very friendly, polite and very helpful. this company is truly going places and I wish them nothing but success!
P.s stop reading this and order the player you will not be sorry.
Never deprive yourself from the things that make you happy in life.
its worth every penny I spent on it
Roman
iitolustii@aol.com
Reality Check... @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Who else here thinks that Post #10 by "Roman" was written by someone at Tight Systems, or one of their friends??? Give me a break guys, get off your asses and finish your Taz 1 player, before it becomes obsoleted by the big bad CE companies you hate so much.
adrienne @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
I'm wondering if the MobiNote’s DVX-POD 7010 has the tivo-like functionality of the Archos 420?
alan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
my question is, will it playback MPEG-1 or MPEG-2?
any comments on this stanny? or roman? have you tested to see if it will playback mpeg-1 and/or mpeg-2? that's an important issue with me. I do all my master video project outs to MPEG-2.
If you can find out, or answer that question, I'd be grateful.
Barry Carter @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Hi
They sell these DVX-PODS at Selfridges in the UK. Its a concession within the stores trading as "Future Now".
http://www.gifts4all.com/perl/product/product.pl?_STATUS=GET_PRODUCT_PAGE&PRODUCT_ID=3575
they are (as of posted date) 445. I just got hold of one of these a couple of days ago, and I have a few comments:
1) Its truly amazing! It actually looks like an @pple product, inspired by ipod.
2) Its light for what it is, and the screen contrast is very good. The Battery lasted much longer than I expected 4.2 hours, although I did tweak some settings.
3)MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 _DO NOT_ work in the machine. I tried multiple files and multiple times to confirm.
3)the unit _IS_ a TIVO. You can record straight to the unit via the supplied cables. You can also play straight back to a tv. Recording quality is good, although there are slight jitters occasionally (not really noticable). Playback is fine, no jitters at all.
4)User interface: I like it. Its got a very minimal and zen style approach. Its easy to navigate the menus using the little jog wheel o the side. No more options than you need, and no more buttons in the unit. (it has very few buttons on it)
5)20gb... hmm... well I got lots of video in it, recorded a few movies, put some mp3's on it...
and very quickly filled it!
THis is not a problem. Portable mp3 players are for mp3's, so dont bother with that function. Its just too big to be an mp3 player ;)
If you transfer new video off the pvr regularly, this isnt a problem, you have enough watching time easily.
As a side note as 1 out the the 5 pages in the instuction manual refers to updating the ROM, there is a strong possibility more features will be added (fingers crossed for a schedular, or timer)
Hope this helps!
Barry
Neil @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
DO NOT BUY ONE (unless present in the shope at the time!)
I have already sent two back as both contained dead pixels on the screen.
2 out of 2 with dead pixels - not good!
Gerry @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Sent 1 dvx-pod back the other day as it had bad pixels. I was told Mobinote ships these out as long as no mre the 3 pixels are dead.. My thoughts here are save your money it really was not that impressive...
Dirtboy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
180 files at least 28MB each in 1 min 20 sec. That means you transferred at least 5 GB in that time. I can't even do that between two SATA drives.
Web Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Just bought a DVX-POD a couple days ago in 12-04 and love the video and audio output quality. The ability to record DVD and TV broadcasts are very hot features, indeed.
I'm happy with my purchase, but I'd still like to see some minor improvements made to upgrade the downloadable MManager software provided to current DVX-POD owners, ASAP.
I expected that I could play most typical AVI videos, like those obtained from P2P sources. It would be nice if more support was offered to help end-users find and configure 3rd party software to convert video formats to those the DVX-POD supports.
The DVX-POD's buttons and OS currently lack the media control functions that enable you to "go to" or jump to somewhere in the middle of a media file being played, which is very discouraging when viewing a long movie file.
Auto-sorting of MP3 titles into play lists based on the info imbedded in MP3 files would be nice too, like the features found on most media playing software apps.
Thanks!
Web Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
I've answered a couple of my own questions, without any outside help.
1. The control buttons to enable me to use a relatively obscure fast forward and reverse feature (holding down the next/back buttons) while playing a file, but being able to skip around using a slider like function would be much better.
2. A cool product known as Dr. Divx will transcode video files into usable DVX-Pod video files. (I located this info on the Mobinote support page at http://www.mobinote.net/na/service_dvxpod_eng.asp
and was able to immediately download and begin using the trial version of Dr. DivX http://www.divx.com/divx/drdivx ). Using the Dr. DivX default "portable device" setting did the trick...very user friendly indeed. Transcoding files is a slow and resource hungry process, for those of you, like me, who are impatient and want instant gratification.
I'm a happier camper now, although I an anxiously awaiting future updates and improvements to to the slugish Firmware OS and the Mmanager programs.
Thanks.
Web Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
I've answered a couple of my own questions, without any outside help.
1. The control buttons to enable me to use a relatively obscure fast forward and reverse feature (holding down the next/back buttons) while playing a file, but being able to skip around using a slider like function would be much better.
2. A cool product known as Dr. Divx will transcode video files into usable DVX-Pod video files. (I located this info on the Mobinote support page at http://www.mobinote.net/na/service_dvxpod_eng.asp
and was able to immediately download and begin using the trial version of Dr. DivX http://www.divx.com/divx/drdivx ). Using the Dr. DivX default "portable device" setting did the trick...very user friendly indeed. Transcoding files is a slow and resource hungry process, for those of you, like me, who are impatient and want instant gratification.
I'm a happier camper now, although I an anxiously awaiting future updates and improvements to to the slugish Firmware OS and the Mmanager programs.
Thanks.
cman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
thanks for all the info I was thinking of buying one of these units but after reading the above reviews I did a little research I found the MEC station duluxe being sold by avias at www.iavias.com. It is more or less the same stats as the xpod but not as good to look at but comes in 20,40 and 80 gig sizes,supports mpeg1,2 and 4 and avi which is what I want along with the web guy as I too use p2p. It also comes with add ons to turn it into a gps or a wifi unit, I'm no techee but it seems a all round better gadget for the money please let me know your thoughts guys thanks
cman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
*******WARNING******** WENT TO PURCHASE AND FOUND THIS ON WWW.MECSTATION.COM TAKE A LOOK!!!!
DO NOT GO ANYWHERE NEAR A MECSTATION DULUXE IF YOU ARE WONDERING WHY CHECK OUT SITE ABOVE AVIAS IS STILL TRADING WITH NO UNITS OR BACKUP AVAILABLE.
Web Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Both this website and the site which sells PDX-Pods @ www.tightsystems.com seems to have quality content and insight into these types of products. CNET doesn't yet have much to say, but Wired magazine seems to be taking notice of this type of product category.
I just look at the avias site and then the mecstation site.. jeez.. talk about credibility... these guys are scary. Still the product description, features, etc. would make this type of product the best of the bunch, if it is reliable and really does what they said it can do.
Nick Hunter-Reay @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Tried to purchase a unit from Tight Systems but that proved impossible as they won't answer eMails, sent to ALL addresses on thier web site and even went to Network Solutions 'Who Is' listing and eMailed the registered owner and tech folks...nada....
Finally reached amatechnologies.com and they sold me a unit immediately and sent it overnight UPS.
No paper instruction book included but however the included install CD has a online instruction book but it's pretty tight with the info....
Beautiful bright display... the photos are displayed in the center of the screen with two black bands on dead space on either side (I think you can change the resolution of the imported photos to fill this space but I'm not there yet). Same with the recorded video, the black bans are an annoyance but perhaps with a DVD Wide Screen Video that area will be fully utilized?
Doesn't seem to matter if you use the included 'Manager' to transfer photos or Windows Explorer. At first the photos were displaying with a ton of noise destroying the bottom 50 to 75% of the photos... I tried using their 'Manager' and Windows Explorer over and over without success. Then I noticed if after transferring the photos you disconnect from the USB2 connection and cycle the unit off and then back on all the photos showed fine.... Windows Explorer worked equally well and you can transfer over entire files to keep things organized but you can't import subfolders (no idea why).
I have just started to record my first DVD to the unit I'll see how it goes... it displays on the unit while it is recording... sure wish I could figure out how to make it display over the entire 7" screen and eliminate the black bands on each side.... if anyone knows please post the answer here... thanks...
Web Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
I found when recording DVD directly from the player into the D-pod that it did fill the entire screen, without the black bands. I didn't convert the DVD into a Divx file first. The D-pod saved the DVDs as ASF files, about 1 meg at medium res, per movie.
Bummer you had problems with Tight Systems. They shipped and I received my Dvx-Pod within several days, from Calif. to WA. They also replied to my E-mail once I submitted the order and e-mailed them, asking when they would ship the product.
Tight Systems sold me the DVX-POD, but I'm still confused ... AMA TECHNOLOGIES and MOBINOTE both seems to be in bed together and are promoting the same product, but it appears that Mobinote got there first.
Alien Al @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
I ordered one the other day and got it much cheaper than the retail of $585-$599 found on the web (though for professional reasons, I'm unable to reveal the dealer's name). I'm expecting it tomorrow and will be photographing and testing it thoroughly and will report back here with details. Looking forward to this. - Al
Alien Al @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
I ordered one the other day and got it much cheaper than the retail of $585-$599 found on the web (though for professional reasons, I'm unable to reveal the dealer's name). I'm expecting it tomorrow and will be photographing and testing it thoroughly and will report back here with details. Looking forward to this. - Al
Alien Al @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
First impressions of the DVX-POD that arrived moments ago.
iPod white, plastic case construction is a little on the cheap side, and has that kind of feel to it, one note about the supplied stand, it's not great on a slick surface such as a polished desk, etc. The stand tends to slide out a bit more than it should but seems okay that way. Needs a minimum of 5 hours charging so no immediate display to be (hopefully) dazzled by.
Accessories: the usually cheap A/V cables, so you'll want to replace those with at least a set of Monster cables if not better, though personally, having used extremely high end top of the line cables on my extensive home theater, I can't honestly report a lot of difference in quality, so use your own judgement as far as how much you invest in cables for the DVX-POD.
The screen wipe looks to be of better quality than expected, though some kind of screen cover would have been a good idea, which brings me to the supplied zipper case...
Mine shipped with a black fabric (not vinyl) zipper case, though I've seen models with a white zipper case that looks vinyl. It's got a half zipper, meaning it zips on one side so you can slide your Pod into it, though already I'd recommend some care in inserting and removing it as that metal zipper looks a little screen scary if you get my drift.
The AC adaptor is also a little on the cheap side, this is no Apple white power brick, the quality is typical Asian cheapo plastic, and it has that feel too.
No paper documentation of any kind, and the recommended online user guide is bare bones basic with no troubleshooting and hardly any info besides what the function buttons do.
The whole thing comes wrapped in a mod London style green polka dot box which also smacks of cheapness though I rather like it, all the same. You can bet that once the Pod starts showing up at brick and mortar dealers like Best Buy (groan), you'll find it in a more point of purchase friendly attention grabbing box.
Will load some content tonight and report back.
Alien Al @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Continuing my hands on review of the DVX-POD...
Before I get into picture quality and all other things Pod-like, a quick follow-up or two to the first part of my review...
The A/V cable included with the DVX-POD is a standard A/V cable on one end, and a phono plug on the other end, so if upgrading cables, you'll either need one of those or an extension A/V cable. While I'm at it, I'd like to see a much longer cable included with the DVX-POD, as the cable included is woefully short for most connections, and once again, the quality of the cables included are even poorer than the variety you'll find included with even the best DVD player you can buy...
Another note about the aesthetics of the DVX-POD, then on to it's performance. Though iPod white in color, this is not the same white plastic you'll find on an iPod. It's of much cheaper quality and the sort of plastic where one could easily envision hairline cracks if improperly handled. This is no reason not to buy the DVX-POD, but if you're expecting the case to be of the same quality as your iPod, you'll be disappointed. The attached stand is of the same cheap plastic too, and not very hearty, though you shouldn't encounter any problems when using it or snapping it back into place for handheld viewing. On a positive note, if you've got a Mac or a Mac keyboard or Mac mouse or anything Apple white, the DVX-POD wonderfully compliments those devices when displayed on a desk. I've got mine sitting in front of my white Apple keyboard and my 23" Apple HD Cinema Display and all of it together looks quite striking indeed!
Performance and more:
I buy or aquire all the latest gadgets, so I was quite enthused about being an early adopter of the DVX-POD, and aside from a few complaints, I've been seriously impressed thus far. Whatever you may have heard about the brightness and quality of the 7" screen, it's actual brightness and quality is even better! This is one dazzling display!
I first connected the DVX-POD to my HD satellite receiver, one of two I own, and the lesser of the two. In using this receiver with my Sony HiDef TV, I found the quality to be much poorer than should be expected from a higher end HD receiver. However, when feeding video from this receiver to the DVX-POD, I was knocked out by the video quality! The DVX-POD actually improved on the brightness and quality of the signal, and while some of this can be attributed to the smaller screen size, the rest of the credit should go to what's inside this wonderful toy!
MobiNote wisely kept the front of the unit unfettered by anything. All you see is the white plastic frame and the beautiful poly-silicon screen. If Sony had made the DVX-POD, you'd get a logo and a row of buttons, but MobiNote has placed the control buttons on the top of the DVX-POD and in a bizarre move, they've hidden the MobiNote brand logo under the built in stand. Unless you retract the stand, you can't even see it! Expect this to change once later generations of the DVX-POD are made and begin appearing on shelves in large brick and mortar stores.
The top mounted controls do require some getting used to though. The first time I picked the DVX-POD up when it was playing, my finger hit the top mounted power button and turned it off. The buttons aren't touch sensitive either, like you'll find on an iPod, and seem to require some extra pressure when being pushed. The thumbwheel on the right side of the unit is fairly intuitive to use, but requires a little getting used to as well. Give it a little time and all of this should become second nature to you.
Someone mentioned the black bands on either side of the display when playing, and I've found this as well when playing video fed from satellite. The black band on the right side of the display was somewhat wider than the black band on the left, though I noticed this changed as the program material changed. These changes in aspect ratio may be due to changes in the source, but I'll play around with it some more and let you know.
My wife likes those sketchy true crime stories you'll find on A&E or The History Channel, so I loaded an hours worth and will send her upstairs tonight to give us all an "average consumer" point of view.
So far, I'd highly recommend purchasing the DVX-POD, though the quality of it's construction, the cheap cables, and poor documention ALL are in serious need of improvement.
I'll post again soon with some final notes about the DVX-POD. In the meantime though, if you've got the cash, place your order now. You won't be disappointed.
Web Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Jeez.. Al maybe they'll mail me a free DVX-POD if I promise to write a book about it and kiss everyone's ass too.
Web Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
oh and Al, please mention whether you've been able to sync the audio to video when transcoding files. Mobinote's website recommends using Dr. Divx to convert video files into a format that the DVX-POD uses, it works, but but the audio doesn't keep up with the video. Also mention how ineffective the vodeo controls are, with regard to not having a slider like control to jump to locations within a video being played.
Alien Al @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
In reply to Webguy...no ass kissing here, and I didn't get a free DVD-POD, but I did get a lower price thanks to my job as a writer. In transcoding video using Dr Divx I've not encountered the sync problem yet. Thus far, the top mounted buttons haven't been much of a problem either, other than requiring more pressure to push, but I'm with you insofar as a slider type control would perhaps be easier to use. As for the audio/video sync problems again, I ran into these same issues using the Formac for Mac that allows you to use a Mac like a PVR, play and record TV or any A/V input source. A simple software upgrade did the trick as I recall.
Not a lot more to report, the thin plastic kick stand is still a low point, as is the cheap construction, poor cables, and less than cool zipper case. video play back has been stunning with no pixilation or stutters thus far.
My wife has yet to give us all an "average consumer" point of view, but perhaps she'll get around to it tonight. Until then - Al
Alien Al @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
DVX-POD pro's and con's
Pro's:
Dazzling video, and that great 7" screen
Good setup options that allow you to switch between video and audio quality, etc.
Cool looks, at least from a non-critical point of view
Con's:
Cheap platic used for case
Cheap cables, AC adaptor, and case
No screen cover
Thin plastic cheapo kick stand
Less than intuitive top mounted buttons
The WORST online documentation ever, and none included in the box.
In summary:
Great looks cosmetically (if you don't look too close) Dazzling video. High cool factor. Easy to stream video to device. But poor cables and documentation.
Alien Al @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Finally got my wife to take the thing upstairs and offer an "average consumer" point of view. We fed the DVX-POD 40 minutes worth of satellite. She says the display was often pixilated, especially in darkest or lightest scenes, and that she felt the edges of the GUI were often a little too jagged. What she hated most about it though, is the jog wheel, which serves as navigation/play/volume control. She found it clumsy when adjusting volume. She says the DVX-POD is a good size, but she'd like to see more and better operational buttons, or a touch screen, as well as a built in speaker or two. Of extra strong dislike was the top mounted rewind button which when pressed and held will scan back to any point, but if you just press the button, it returns you all the way to the beginning of the recorded content. She said she accidentally restarted her show that way, and that it's too easy to make that mistake. So overall, she's not too impressed with the DVX-POD, though she wants to see DVD content recorded to it next.
Web Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
for more info about the file encoding/sync problems, go to
http://www.tightsystems.com/bb/showthread.php?t=613
The thread is entitled: Video Conv.? New Ownership support?
Alien Al @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
DVX-POD reset. The Pod locked up when recording video last night. It showed 1 hour and 5 minutes recorded, but in truth it didn't get one second of what was intended to be recorded. The reset was immediate, and it's working like a charm again, but this was a frustrating and bizarre incident preceded by nothing.
Also of note but forgotten when posting about the POD is that mine came with a slideshow of pre-installed photos that show off the Pod's ability to display jpegs.
Still some pixilation in recorded video from satellite dish
curious kid @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
So al r u saying that it does'nt hav any speakers?
I'd like to buy one if u told me were u got it soo cheap?
curious kid @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
So al ur saying that theres no way to listem to it with out some sort of speakers or headphones?
I'd like 2 buy one of these if you would tell me where u got it so cheap?
Web Guy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Headphones or speakers are required.
I encoundered a problem the 1st time I tried to directly record an entire DVD into the Pod, too. I actually thought the Pod was recording the entire movie, but it wasn't recording anything. When the Pod is recording, there is a "REC" comment that appears on the upper left side of the screen. You'll need to get used to this feature by pushing the record button twice when trying to record into the Pod.
Also, a program that is reportedly better than Dr. DivX for encoding files is PocketDivx Encoder, a link to a site with the free download is @ http://divx.ppccool.com. At first glance the user interface is cool, except there's no pre-existing profiles for PDX-PODs, like there are for the Arcos players.
Alien Al @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
the pod failed, don't buy! getting a refund
Need Help @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
What are the optimal Divx encoding settings for the DVX-Pod? I keep getting unsynced and choppy video with Dr. Divx. Can anyone help me?
Rach @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Hi everyone. Some of these comments have been helpful to me (i was lucky enough to revieve a DVX-Pod this morning as a christmas gift from my parents and i'm very excited about it. unfortunatly, i'm not a super computer/electronic buff and really need some help with putting movies onto my Pod, would anyone consider emailing me and giving me some help? it would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much for at least reading this. - rach
p.s. happy holiday!
email: heylush@gmail.com
Rach @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Hi everyone. Some of these comments have been helpful to me (i was lucky enough to revieve a DVX-Pod this morning as a christmas gift from my parents and i'm very excited about it. unfortunatly, i'm not a super computer/electronic buff and really need some help with putting movies onto my Pod, would anyone consider emailing me and giving me some help? it would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much for at least reading this. - rach
p.s. happy holiday!
email: heylush@gmail.com
Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Al,
I am trying to decide between the 7010 and the Archos 420. Could I get you to email me your phone number, so I could call you and talk about some questions I have. Anyone else with experience with the DVX-POD is also welcome to send your number. If you are reluctant to send your number, I will send mine. Thanks!
Steve
chwest@knology.net
Lawrence Craig @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Buy at your own risk!!
I love the looks of the Pod. Its sleek and sexy. The most disapointing thing is the software. the UI is of poor quality, the colours are disgusting and when I tried using it, it doesnt work. The file system is not the greatest either. Also, the documentation is the worst I have ever seen. For the price you pay, you deserve better. I think this was thrown together and it frustrates me. Im phoning the customer helpline to resolve some issues and hopefully future upgrades will make everything better!! Someone should actually attempt to make a dummies user manual...I think everyone who gets a Pod will need it.
Charles Berg @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
I was sad to see Alien Al's final note...I am very interested in purchasing this unit, and for the life of me I cannot understand why this supposed writer would give so much primary info. then bail out with a single sentence. At this moment I think I might wait for the software patch before I purchase. From all the research I have done so far it sounds like most of the basic problems of the units could be handled by a firmware upgrade. Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to post their experiences, and I will keep checking back for more info.
Ross H @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
I received the DVX-POD as a gift and I am sad to say that I am going to return it. The unit has an aswesome screen, with no peer for size and clarity in its product class. When it works it provides a great video experience.
However, the only time I could get it to work was when I played video files that were recorded off of a video source by the unit. Which is nice, but not the ideal way I want to put video on the player.
The specs of the unit claim compatability with DivX and specifically recommend encoding with Dr. DivX. However, after trying many, many different configurations I could never get DivX video to play properly. Either the files wouldn't play at all or when they did, the audio would lag the video horribly.
Queries to Mobinote were responded to with unhelpful answers in fairly garbled English (better than my Mandarin, but I am not offering customer support to customers in Taiwan).
Perhaps forthcoming firmware upgrades will address these issues, but there is a certain standard of performance I must have if I am going to play "Wait & See" on a $600 piece of electronics and the DVX-POD isn't there.
It seems to me a great screen technology was rushed to market with an alpha/early beta version of the firmware that was not ready for primetime.
Kudos to Tight Systems for offering a no fuss 100% refund on the purchase.
PS. Audio and photo viewing worked fine, but I didn't buy the unit for those features and I assume no one else will either.
Zack E @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
I am really interested in buying a DVX POD but all these return comments are getting to me i want a pvp that has a big screen size like around 7in. anyways now i can't decide why all these people are sending these back i thought i would see if any one knew of any other gadgets like this that can record movies and play them on a BIG screen with good quality
if someone could email me about exatly why they sent it back i would greatly appreciate it i really want a gadget like this i just don't know if this is the right one now dr.zeek@gmail.com
Fabien from Belgium @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
Very disappointed because pictures are enlarged (means extended).Their OS is not right. Even with the upgrade of the firmware. And it's also impossible to put pictures in subfolders : so, you can't see them..
I am waiting for a new upgrade but I am a little scared.. Will it come or not ?
Sorry for my english, I speak french.
maze @ Dec 19th 2005 12:05AM
i agree w/ben fowler, the screen is crisp and bright, but the video playback was NOT all that great, there is alot of 'jerkiness' when watching any type of video format. don't expect it to playback video as well as an Archos for example. The idea is great, the size of the screen is great, but the video playback performance ruins the whole thing, hopefully in the later models it will improve.