iToos M6HD PMP outputs 1080i without breaking anyone's bank

There's really only two things you need to know about the iToos M6HD PMP, and at the risk of repeating the headline: it can output 1080i via HDMI and its price is pretty hard to argue with. As for the fine print, we're looking at a 4.3-inch TFT screen with 480 x 272 resolution, 4GB internal memory upgradeable via memory card, and the usual variety of codecs you've come to expect from Asian PMPs, including FLAC audio and H.264 video. According to Akihabara News, it technically retails for only $58.50, but for the moment the best we've seen is online retailer Ownta for pocket change under $87.

[JForce Posted Dec 27th 2009 5:42AM]

There's a lot of stuff like this that gets news... but no one has actually had one that worked....

[Hideki Posted Dec 27th 2009 12:01PM]

@JForce

I got a MID from Ownta and other than requiring a speaker replacement at one point it's been fine, cost me £25 for shipping to the UK mind which is a bit over the top..

Also, you can send back hardware if it fails and they'll sort out the warranty replacement for you.

It was the SmartQ 5 I bought, small MID, runs ubuntu by default but you can put Android on it which nips along quite nicely on the hardware.

[johnlevitich Posted Dec 29th 2009 4:19AM]

@Hideki They'er really short sighted. Instead of using just memory card slots they should actually incorporate a mini HD slot so that people can jam in a 500 GB drive if they feel like it Anyway the specs aren't that shabby. Details: http://bit.ly/itoos-m6hd-details

[Broderbund Posted Dec 27th 2009 5:43AM]

The resolution on this thing is simply insane.

[DougieBear Posted Dec 27th 2009 10:39PM]

@Broderbund And for chump change!!

[serrias Posted Dec 27th 2009 5:55AM]

The resolution is no doubt a lie
It can't be 1366x768 for that price,
To be honest, I didn't even know screens that good were available.
Why would a cheap PMP be the first..?

[Dante of the Inferno Posted Dec 27th 2009 6:15AM]

@serrias

The better question is why can't they just have a standard 1280 x 1080 resolution? I swear, it seems like every PMP out there needs its own personal resolution size.

[zomg0t Posted Dec 27th 2009 6:33AM]

@Dante of the Inferno
1366 x 768 is way more standard than 1280 x 1080
now if you were talking about 1280 x 1024 or 1920 x 1080...

[Arthur Grumbine Posted Dec 27th 2009 11:14AM]

@serrias
Kopin makes displays up to 1280x1024 that are 0.97" diagonal.
http://www.kopin.com/commercial-display-products/

[blakeem Posted Dec 27th 2009 3:11PM]

@zomg0t
1920x1080 is perfect 1080p.
The other isn't exactly 720p so it always has to do some scaling because no video that I have ever seen comes in this native resolution (1366x768).
Also 1920x1080 has about 3.80% use and 1366x768 has about 1.81%.

So in all ways 1920x1080 is more of a stranded and 1366x768 is a stupid resolution, why 1280x720 never got wide use I don't know.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Display_resolution#Current_standards

[Alphathon Posted Dec 27th 2009 4:15PM]

@blakeem All very true appart from one thing - Dante of the Inferno said 1280 x 1080, not 1920 x 1080, which is what zomg0t was replying to

[blakeem Posted Dec 27th 2009 4:33PM]

@Alphathon

I figured it was a typo as was the 1360 x 760 that the article says (not 766.) I could be wrong.

[LMcClure Posted Dec 27th 2009 5:34PM]

@blakeem

Every HD podcast I download is 720p (1280 x 720). Likewise, until very recently, all HD videos from YouTube were that same resolution.

At least for legitimate free content, 720p seems to be MUCH more prevalent online than 1920 x 1080.

[blakeem Posted Dec 27th 2009 8:43PM]

@LMcClure

Youtube added 1080p because it's better. Unless you have bandwidth requirements 720p is a somewhat pointless standard that almost no hardware vendor follows. 1080p has a lot more customers with native support for the best experience possible.

[formetopoopon Posted Dec 27th 2009 6:11AM]

Didn't see if it was SDHC or MicroSD for expansion.

Specs look amazing but unfortunately like most other Chinese PMPs you really have to see it in action and check out the UI to know if it's even worth a one dollar, not $87.

[Bashere Posted Dec 27th 2009 6:56AM]

@formetopoopon
um. SDHC is the standard. MicroSD is the form factor. MicroSD can be SD or SDHC.
So the answer is logically YES.

[formetopoopon Posted Dec 27th 2009 3:10PM]

@Bashere

Everyone except you apparently says SD or SDHC when speaking about the larger of the two formfactors.

I appreciate your attempt at being a smartass but please head back to your parents basement.

[HW90 Posted Dec 27th 2009 6:12AM]

The only company which can get a HD pmp right at the moment is Archos as they're the only one's which will put a HDD in their player or because their players are at a high enough price that they can afford to put large amounts of flash memory in to them.

However due to them trying to get their reputation back up with the Archos 5 IT by actually updating it, we probably won't see something from them for a good few quarters,they might have something at CES but I can't see them releasing it with 2 quarters of the 5 IT.

[max1001 Posted Dec 27th 2009 11:33AM]

@(Unverified)
Can Archos output 1080i yet? Plenty of Chinese PMP can do it already, so Archos isn't the only one.

[HW90 Posted Dec 27th 2009 12:11PM]

@max1001 I didn't say they had a 1080x PMP already, I said they're the only one's who can do it right

[yulebellow Posted Dec 27th 2009 2:27PM]

@(Unverified)

1080x sounds like a badass video standard

[eternity0022 Posted Dec 27th 2009 6:21AM]

While almost all of these Chinese companies emphasize on HD which they barely deliver and not many users care about, none makes a decent PORTABLE player.With 5 hours (max) of battery life, they are not really portable.

one should learn a few lessons from Korean Cowon with players running 10+ hours of video

[chen Posted Dec 27th 2009 6:44AM]

Why don't just change the "iToos" btand to "meToo"

[octoberasian Posted Dec 27th 2009 7:07AM]

I think that resolution of 1366x768 is a lie, or it's interpolated where there'll be scrolling on the screen.

The reason being is because after doing some searches on Google, I cannot find a 4.3-inch LCD screen manufacturer or supplier who makes these LCDs at a resolution higher than 800x480 pixels. Anything else were lower: 500 horizontal or 480x272 pixels.

[NeoDarkSaver Posted Dec 27th 2009 7:16AM]

after reading form a chinese site. the display resolution is not 1366*768.

[NeoDarkSaver Posted Dec 27th 2009 7:16AM]

@NeoDarkSaver
*from*

[Dahis Posted Dec 27th 2009 7:56AM]

@NeoDarkSaver

What is it?

[NeoDarkSaver Posted Dec 27th 2009 3:23PM]

@Dahis
it did not say, it just said the machine is capable of playing back resolution of 1366*768, the word "screen" never showed up.

[aslpop69 Posted Dec 27th 2009 7:22AM]

it have wifi browser?

[Wallyum Posted Dec 27th 2009 7:40AM]

Under $87? That's a bargain. I would still pay more for a cowon just to be assured that it would work.

[interested Posted Dec 27th 2009 8:07AM]

From the ownta website:

"Maximum support 1360 * 768P, 1080i resolution"

I think they're talking about the HDMI output not the screen resolution.

[deshliem Posted Dec 27th 2009 8:10AM]

@interested
yeah, I found on some Chinese site that the resolution is 480×272.
I think like you that "Maximum support 1360 * 768P, 1080i resolution" is what it can output.

[deshliem Posted Dec 27th 2009 8:26AM]

@deshliem
ok, after reading through a Chinese site using Google Translate I understand that it can support sources of up to 1360x768 resolution and output 1080i but the screen itself is 480×272.

if you want to read the site this is the link:
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fdigital.it168.com%2Fa2009%2F1217%2F825%2F000000825322.shtml

[Nokia N900 Posted Dec 27th 2009 8:18AM]

Guys , that's not the resolution of the screen. It says it can play video with a resolution upto 1360 x 768. Its like Zune HD playing a 720p clip..

[yjwong Posted Dec 27th 2009 8:26AM]

@Nokia N900

You're right. The screen resolution is 480x272. It can play videos up to "768p" (weird notation imo). Outputs up to 1360x768 via HDMI. There's also a TV-out interface, but of course you won't get your 720p out of it.

Anyway, the 8GB variant costs 398 RMB, equivalent to USD 58.
There's also a 4GB variant, 299 RMB or roughly USD 44.

[htd Posted Dec 27th 2009 8:45AM]

I dont think the screen has such high resolution, it's probably able to decode up to that resolution instead?

[Hazdaz Posted Dec 27th 2009 9:01AM]

Well even 480x272 screen resolution isn't too bad for such a tiny screen... after all, that's the same resolution as the PSP.

I actually wouldn't be surprised to find out it's the exact same part since this iToos screen is listed at 4.3" and that is about the same size as what's listed for the PSPs (4.5").

So basically it's a PSP screen mated to a controller chip and some memory. yeah, I could see why it could be made for such a small price.

[Eraser Posted Dec 27th 2009 10:22AM]

i wonder how the sound quality is on this. any info on what Digital to Analog converter it uses?

[mflembeck Posted Dec 27th 2009 10:51AM]

Beware the little red note on their website saying they are shipping without the HDMI function as default. It's just another crapgadget after all.

[tylersmyler Posted Dec 27th 2009 11:14AM]

I want someone to do a review on this, now!
For that price I'm still interested.

[Turnipus Posted Dec 27th 2009 12:09PM]

Yeah there is absolutely no way this could have a resolution of 1366x768. 480X272 is much more likely especially at that price. I would not expect much from this device, I'm not sure what cpu it is using perhaps chinachips, but I would not expect very smooth MKV 1080i playback. The UI is also almost certainly appaling, a common problem with many Chinese pmp devices.

If people are interested in HD PMP's China is simply over run with them at the moment, some of which are very capable. I would pay more and opt for a player from one of the larger more well established chinese brands like Ramos/Oppo/SmartQ etc.

Stores like www.houseofdap.com, www.mp4nation.net & www.allpmp.com all hold a large selection. Better to do research first though as there is a whole heap of junk around. Personally I think the Oppo s39 is the best HD PMP available at the moment In China. It is only 720p capable and does not have TV Out but it's UI and FW is superior to any other HD PMP avilable on the Chinese Market. for 1080p and tv-out the Ramos T11TE is looking good although is pricey and the FW cannot match that of the Oppo S39 IMO.

[Wwhat Posted Dec 27th 2009 1:45PM]

They should enable using all those 1080p players as graphicscard for your netbook or notebook.
I joke of course but why can't they get those cheap chips and put those in netbooks at least if they feel ions are too expensive.

And while they are at it, I'd also like an rar/unrar addon card for my PC, I bet they could make one that makes raring 100 times faster than the best i7, for 60 bucks, if they wanted.
And yeah there's eternal promise of using the GPU for that kind of thing, but I can't wait 200 years until they get their act together.

[theevil Posted Dec 27th 2009 5:48PM]

If anyone has one of these please put a review on the GDGT site!! i might buy one as i have HD copies of Stargate Atlantis on my computer and this would be an awsum storage/viewing solution!!!
BTW, i think i 4gb capacity is a bit crap when you consider it can play HD content!! and yes i did see that it can be extended via SD card!! lol

[ChrisK15 Posted Dec 27th 2009 11:52PM]

Was "fine print" a joke? If not, it certainly fits. I want that screen. :(

[theevil Posted Dec 28th 2009 4:36AM]

@cherryboom No the real deal is having enough freaking memory to put more than 2 or 3 freaking HD movies on it at a time!!!!
I am not going to get one of these things until they support SDXC and i can move all my HD content onto it and play it on my HD tv!!!!

[why0918 Posted Dec 28th 2009 7:59AM]

我艹。。暗黑之破坏 威震天。。。。
里面是擎天柱。。。。。
彻底被征服了。。。

[Wwhat Posted Dec 28th 2009 11:38AM]

And I'm not getting a HDTV until they are foldable and I can put it in my pocket, so we use the same logic it seems eh.