- Lightweight portable multimedia player with 1 GB flash memory
- Plays music (MP3, WMA, Ogg Vorbis), videos (MPEG-4), and still photos (JPEG) as well as games
- FM tuner with record capability and voice recorder; line-in recording to MP3
- 1.8-inch LCD screen; customizable EQ with 3D virtual surround sound settings
- Internal rechargeable battery with up to 20 hours of life
The media would have us all believe that the IPOD is the only player worth getting. It's popularity has certainly stimulated the medium of portable digital audio, but upon further research I came to discover there is so much more out there that is actually just as good, if not better, than the IPOD...and much more affordable.
The Samsung YP-T8 series sold me with it's small package and huge features. It is actually much smaller than I anticipated it to be. I wondered how well I would be able to see the display once it was turned on, however once I was up and running with it I never looked back.
This thing is amazing! If you are a Windows user then this MP3 player should be your top consideration. The included software lets you create play lists and then transfer them to the player.
Further more, the player has seperate files for you to transfer not just music, but photos, text files (in txt. format, no WORD docs) and MPEG videos! I was able to upload movies and episodes of the simpsons with ease.
Additionally it comes with an FM tuner that will scan your region and create the presets for you. If it selects presets you don't want you can simply delete them.
As if that weren't enough you also get a voice recorder built in. It not only lets you record voice, but also FM radio. This has been great for recording NPR and Howard Stern! The voice recording quility is actually very good. You just have to be aware of moving the unit in your hand while recording as the slightest touch gets picked up by the mic.
Another nice feature is the games included. It has 4 simple little games that won't require a whole lot of your attention span but definitely are ideal for long car or train rides or in my case, in line at DMV. This truly is a portable entertainment player!
The big question one may be concerned with is the audio quality. No worries there. The audio is fantastic. The included ear buds are not stellar but they do the job. However to really get the most out of the sound output that this unit can produce I would highly recommend investing in some quality head/earphones.
The display itself is small, but it is extremely clear and bright. I didn't find myself squinting unless I was looking at some of my photos, but the actual built in display texts are clear and easy to read.
There are a couple of negative things I can mention, primarily regarding the button layout. Sometimes I found myself getting confused as to how to find a proper file if I wanted to delete it or to adjust a setting. THere are a good number of menus to go through in some cases and the button lay out it doesn't make it any easier. However, over time, with practice and experience it will become a moot point.
The only other complaints I have are cosmetic. First, I wasn't too fond of the neck strap. It reminds me of a bolo-tie you would buy in Tijuana. It's this black, entwined, pleather mess that is impossibly frustrating to loop onto the unit. It was such an eyesore, and such a complicated task that I just gave up on it altogether. It's too bad too because this unit really could stay handy around my neck.
Also, the condom case that comes with the unit is great, but it has no screen protecter. I always feel like I have to hold this thing like a delicate egg...always being aware not to let the screen come in contact with ANY kind of abrasive surface. Even certain clothes materials. I'ts kind of rediculous and I wish samsung offered some sort of peripherals to remedy this. Until then I will have to remain very careful and just hope that the screen doesn't get scratched, but I feel like I am on borrowed time.
With all that said and done, I still absolutely recommend this player. For the price ($179.00 for the 1gig version on amazon) you can't beat it. It sure beats the snot out of the IPOD, and while the screen may not be as big, and the profile not as thin, you would be cheating yourself to not at least give this unit a try.
I hope this helps.
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I finally got to play with ine after I got it as a present on the 25th. This baby is amazing. I have tested out every feature on it. I downloaded about 200 songs, about 20-30 music videos, and 2 30min. t.v. shows. They all play excellently.Audio: The music sounds great on this device. The sound options really come in handy also. You can choose between Rock, Jazz, 3D Stage, 3D Studio, and 6 or 7 others. The Lyrics option is ok if you want to sing along, but the words sometimes separate in the middle of a word if the screen runs out of space, so I just don't bother with it.
Video: The video needs to be converted in order to play. It's not that big of a deal unless you need to do it in 5min. I usually just set a few videos and movies to convert and then just leave the computer along. The playing quality of the videos depends. Some of mine look dvd quality and others look like high-speed internet quality. The sound on videos is also really good.
(During the conversion process, the video is resized to 160x128. So if you have a widescreen video, then you might want to alter it with virtualdub by resizing it and adding borders to the top and bottom. Also, some compressed movies' audio and video may get out of sync. In that case, you just have to change the frame rate with virtualdub. It's easy to figure out when you learn where everything is. You can download virtualdub at videohelp.com )
Games: The games are entertaining and hold your attention. The motion sensing controller is a cool idea, and is fun, but it takes time to get use too.
FM: You've seen one radio, you've seen them all. However, you can record songs and programs off of the radio.
Photos: Viewing photos is just the same as viewing them on a digital camera, except there's not zoom-in function.\
USB Host: You can plug in your portable hard-drives and thub-drives and copy files back and forth. This comes in handy if you have a lot of multimedia files. I just bought a 6gb mini drive so I can stores all of the videos on it and then transfer them to the YP-T8z if I feel like watching it. I have a 4gb of movies and t.v. shows so far.
Looks: Looking at the picture, I thought the YP-T8z was black. Then when I got it in the mail, it looked like a cerulean blue. Then when I opened, it turned out to be a beautiful midnight blue. So to the naked eye, it looks black, but if you look closer, it's a little bluish, and that is exactly how I wanted it. I know they also come in Red, Black, Blue, and White, but I don't know where you can get it.
-------Overall-------
Overall, this is an excellent item. I recommend this to anyone who wants to play and watch music and videos. If you strickly like music, then this won't be worth it. If you only like music, then get an Ipod because it has more memory.
I like to carry my videos with me and at the same time litsen to all my favorite artist, so I chose this little beauty.
Good luck on your decision!!
Read Best Reviews of Samsung YP-T8Z 1 GB Music & Movie Player Black Here
I agree with the other positive reviews and I'm happy to own this media player. However, I did want to mention that there is an issue with the order or sequence in which it plays the MP3 files. At first, I thought it was playing them in random order. However, I discovered it has the same issue that Windows has, where if you have tracks numbered 1-25, it will start with track 11 first. There is some technical reason for this, but the bottom line is that if you want your tracks to play in sequential order, number your MP3 files starting with the number 11. Do not start with 1 or 01. You can find freeware programs such as ReNamer that will automatically rename and number your MP3 like this and it will save you a lot of time. Other then that, the sound quality is excellent, the battery life is good, it's small and light weight and fun. I like the fact that it has more features then the IPOD and doesn't require special softwareyou can drag and drop your MP3 files like you would to any flash drive.Want Samsung YP-T8Z 1 GB Music & Movie Player Black Discount?
I was impressed by the YP-T8z and picked one up in mid-December. The YP-T8z is a very good Mp3 player, and I preferred it to the current market leader (the Apple iPod). While the unit is small, it boasts a flashy elliptical design and a clear 1.8inch colour screen.Pros:
The 1.8 colour screen handles a good 160 by 128 pixel resolution and plays mp4 video files perfectly after conversion to .svi format (a process made simple with the bundled Samsung Multimedia Software)
Music quality is excellent, with an adjustable equaliser and solid bass.
The FM radio was useful, particularly on long trips after my song database had been exhausted.
The recording function was excellent, and I successfully recorded FM audio, voice and music from a CD player.
Cons:
While marketed as an "e-book" reader, the unit CAN ONLY READ .TXT FILES. The font size is not adjustable, and words are frequently cut off at the right side of the screen.
I was originally mystified at the concept of "motion-detecting games," but in practice the games are simple, though unusual. In hurdles, you can move the athlete by vigorously moving the player from side to side, swinging the unit vertically to jump (Yes, I did get some odd glances on the train). However, when energetically swinging the mp3 player to encourage the athlete to run, it is nigh-on impossible to see the screen, let alone determine when to jump a virtual hurdle. This problem continued through all of the "motion-detecting" games.
The 20 hour projected play time only applies to music playback. When watching mp4 video, I managed a mere 8 hours, which is still decent considering that I could only coax 2 hours from a more expensive iPod.
The 1GB memory is not expandable.
The unit ships with a simple rubber case with no protection for the screen.
In conclusion, despite a variety of unusual features and games, the Samsung YP-T8z is a very good mp3 player with mp4 video playback capability. Small, with an attractive design and finish, the YP-T8z is far superior to similarly-priced mp3 players.
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