iRiver iHP 120 20 GB MP3 Jukebox

Rating:
Summary: iPod is not just a pretty face
Review: I got to try both of these (the iRiver and a recent iPod) recently. Without re-hashing what others have said here, a few impressions:

1) I have to say that, despite the supposedly simple "drag and drop" music transfer to the iRiver, I don't want to manually manage my playlists on my audio device. I go through a lot of new music and have a number of so-called "smart playlists" in iTunes that automatically synchronize with the iPod. For example, I have a playlist that contains only "songs rated 4 or 5 stars" (I can rate them right on the iPod, or in iTunes, and the information will transfer the next time it's hooked up) and a playlist that contains "songs added to the library in the past month that I haven't listened to completely yet". And a bunch more. You have no idea how cool this is until you try it, and the iRiver doesn't supply the goods. This is the kind of thing that everyone is talking about here when they say the iPod software is better.

2) WMA and OGG support. OK, I really do wish that the iPod had OGG support- the iRiver does- I suppose Apple didn't want it competing with AAC (which, by the way, is about as good, and also a standard, specifically the MPEG4 standard). But who in their right mind would use WMA to encode their precious music and thus subject themselves to vendor lock-in? "Windows" Media Audio? Do you really think "Windows" is going to be around forever? (I should hope not, being a user of "other" operating systems myself). Have you really let Gates brainwash you *that* much? It's not like AAC stands for "Apple's Audio Codec" (the first A is for Advanced)- I'd have to be drinking some serious Apple kool-aid to rip all my music using a codec with a single company's name in it. Same goes for WMA. Stick to standard formats!! Stay away from crappy WMA!!

3) Many people seem to be under the mistaken impression that you can't mount an iPod as a hard drive. Uh, you are all wrong.

4) Even though the battery life of the iPod (12 hrs) doesn't match the iRivers', it charges a heck of a lot faster, and it also will charge through the FireWire/USB2 connection, which is very convenient.

5) Those of you who think USB2 is "plenty fast" obviously have never used FireWire. It is not just slightly faster, it is practically an order of magnitude faster.

6) the stock white iPod buds do suck, as do the stock iRiver buds. Get a pair of those new in-ear Sonys- they rock.

7) Many people are leaning towards iRiver simply because it's "not the overpopular iPod" or "not Apple". To these people I say: If you want to pander to an underdog, Apple was always the original underdog product maker. While you're buying an iRiver for the underdog-ness, why not check out a Mac to see if it has anything more to offer you than the ever-present horde of Windoze machines do?

Rating:
Summary: The Optical Line Out makes this player!
Review: You can read all the reviews about the specs and technical stuff, but in my opinion the ONE thing that makes this player worth every single penny is the Optical Line Out... Grab a toslink cable and connect directly to your Optical line in to your receiver! The sound is incredible! I no longer need to rummage thru my cd collection -- this is absolutely the best feature in my view and until other players include it, I'm sticking to my IHP!

Rating:
Summary: So, are you into style or substance?
Review: Alright, we have this little hard drive MP3 player market that seems to be getting a lot of attention these days, and lord knows the minute you utter "MP3 player", you'll be hearing iPod this and iPod that. Are there any other choices, or is it just useless to fight fate?

I, for one, was lucky enough to stumble upon the H120 in my quest for answers. The bottom line here is if you're looking for a slick, sexy MP3 player as some sort of status symbol, the iPod should suffice. However, if you really care about the music you're going to put on your new gadget, the iRiver is your ticket.

First up, I'd like to address the database difficulties. I, for one, don't see a problem, because the folder tree system works like a dream. Simply copy your CDs to appropriately prepared folders, and you're ready to roll. I have all my music arranged according to genre, with each artist occupying a sub-folder. This insures that even friends foreign to my music collection can easily find something they'll be into.

The number of file types supported by the player is staggering. OGG file support is a huge advantage over iPod, or you could copy your CDs with Windows Media player and transfer the WMAs to your player. What could be easier?

For a college student like myself, the recording feature works beautifully and is a huge boon. I record all my lectures for future studying (which is made even easier with the cool "study" playback feature), and the sound is crisp and clear.

Sound quality is absolutely staggering. Any self-respecting music lover should already have a decent pair of headphones, so toss out the ear buds and enjoy the H120 unchained. All the levels are customizable, and the volume is very good, with a 10 out of 40 working just fine in areas with little outside noise.

In terms of design, I have no qualms. I find the player to be quite sleek, and while the provided case does detract from its visual appeal, I'd rather keep the device well-protected. The joystick is sufficient for navigation, though not as intuitive as the iPod wheel.

I have very few problems with this player, but if you let me nit-pick, then by God, I will. For one thing, the joystick can be a bit slippery, and it might have been smart to coat it in a substance that would provide more friction. On-the-fly deleting has since been taken care of in a firmware upgrade, but on-the-fly playlists are still missing (but seeing as how iRiver's announced this feature and has come through with their other promises, I have no worries). And, if you insist on navigating by tag, you may have the troubles of which others have complained.

But nit-picks aside, I just don't have time to get into the great 16 hour battery life, or touch on the handy FM radio, or boast of the excellent connectivity, as there simply too many wonderful features to scrutinize in one amazon review. All I can say is that the H120 is not only one of the few products that has meet all my expectations, but has even surpassed many of them. If you care about your music, this choice should be simple.

Rating:
Summary: Great customer service!
Review: I've had my current iRiver for 5 months now and love it! The original player I bought 2 months prior refused to turn on shortly after I started using it. I called iRiver's customer service department and they gave me all instructions on how to return my player for a new one. Turn around time was quick! My replacement player works great and I love all the features. It may not be as slick as the iPod but I'm not one for looks over functionality and value. I'm also pretty techno savvy so I don't need as simplistic a player as the iPod. Unless you're one of those die-hard Apple fanatics (all the more power to you), I would highly recommend purchasing the iRiver Jukebox and get more bang for your buck.

Rating:
Summary: Terrible Customer Service. Do not buy this!
Review: I read reviews before I bought this, and many of them warned that customer service at iRiver was awful. I didn't listen, and I bought the unit. First one stopped operating after two days. I got it replaced, second one stopped working in less than 24 hours. I asked customer service for help, they refused to issue a refund. I finally contacted the BBB (other complaints against iRiver have been filed with the Silicon Valley BBB), my credit card company, and my state's attorney general. After a while, my credit card company got me a refund. This was not worth the hassle in any way. Please, don't make the same mistake and let the features entice you. Bad customer service and poor quality products will make you miserable.