Aigo E235 hard drive-based PMP plays VOB, gets reviewed

While Aigo's no stranger to the DAP / PMP universe, the firm typically focuses on flash-based players, but as with its 50-hour A215, F209 wristwatch, and Linux-based units, the E235 sports something that differentiates it from the host of other alternatives. Boasting a 3.5-inch LCD screen, 320 x 240 resolution, black enclosure, and a rather simplified "joystick-based" control mechanism, the E235 comes in 40GB, 60GB, 80GB, 100GB, 120GB, and 160GB flavors, all designed to hold quite a vast library of music and media files. The standout feature here, however, is its native ability to play VOB files, which should probably send notorious DVD rippers into fits of elation, but before we all get too excited, it was noted that content laced in Macrovision may not play back at all, and unoptimized (read: not downsized) files may not display properly on the monitor. Regardless, the device handles AVI, DAT, and MPEG files with ease, and also plays nice with MP3, WMA, and WAV on the audio front. Additionally, you'll find an FM tuner for when your own library gets stale, and while the paltry 2.5 hours of battery life proved less than impressive, reviewers suggested that the sheer ability to playback VOB could be a fair tradeoff to many. Overall, the unit ran about par for the course, with nothing in particular garnering major criticism, and if you're a diehard VOB lover in need of a PMP / PVP, Aigo's got you covered.

[Thanks, Oracle]

[Jamar @ Jan 5th 2007 7:40AM]

This is a Chinese product. I'm confident that some form of decryption has been included for the Macrovision files. This is the same country that distributes litte text files saying "death to paid sites" in the rar-ed CD albums that they put on eMule (well, I've done it too- I'm Chinese). I'd use a paid site, but when I can't access the iTunes JP site with a US-based credit card I provide feedback about this issue (and no one wants to do anything about it, which makes me furious- this is the age of globalization, isn't it?).

[Bruno @ Jan 5th 2007 10:47AM]

It's got a 4:3 aspect screen. You're going to play VOB files on that? Don't forget about the lovely black bars top and bottom. nevermind it's more convenient to do a simple transcode for portability's sake.

There are many players out there far and away better sounding/looking than this.

[Neil2047 @ Jul 26th 2007 2:15PM]

I have an aigo mp-e235 80gb media player plays xvid and other formats wonderfully ....BUT NO SOUND SAME PROBLEM AS PIKAONE FLYCASE TV NO FIRMWARE UPDATES TO BE FOUND EITHER DISGRACEFUL POOR CONTACT ON WEBSITES NO HELP APART FROM BUY MORE SOFTWARE SO THAT THEY WILL PLAYBACK ....BUT WHICH SOFTWARE your guess is as good as mine nero dont cut it either!