Want to buy a "new" HDD DAP to replace my iRiver H340...

[saab_rider]

Hey guys... Been using rockbox for the past 3 years on my H340, and boy is my iRiver starting to look old! The hardware is great, and made even better with rockbox, but I think it's time for an upgrade...

Here's what I want in my "new" player...

First off, the player MUST run Rockbox, needs to be thinner than my H340 (which might be thicker than two iPods stacked!), has a larger LCD screen/resolution (which makes the gigabeat F out of the question).


I actually have a few players that I have in mind... The Gigabeat X/S,

ALERT! ZUNE MENTIONED BELOW! SKIP IF NOT INTERESTED!

or the Microsoft Zune...

Yeah I know... Rockbox doesn't work on the Zune. I know, it is very difficult to find an exploit on it... Most of all, I know that there is very very little interest in the Zune among the developers. I just wanted to mention that I like the design of the Zune, and that I like the touch-pad/d-pad combo on the new Zunes. Since I think all iPods suck, the zune (in my opinion) is one of the very very few currently available HDD DAPs which would be cool to have Rockbox on... There, I said it :-) Please don't close my thread!

No more mention of zune after this point!

Since there is no port for that player ;-), I'm left with the Gigabeat X and S. Both  of these players are difficult to find brand-new these days... The X was only available in Japan and Australia as far as I know. But even though, I like the idea of getting an S more, because of its better CPU.

I'd like to either get the thinner S30, and swap the hard drive with a single platter 120GB drive, or get the S60 and put a double platter 240GB in it....

I want a brand new one... But these players are already over 4 years old, and they were never very popular to begin with. Found a few sites that had them in stock, but found out that they actually didn't have any!

So I have a few options now:

1) Go ahead and buy a used Gigabeat (may need to replace the battery as well)
2) Try and find a new one straight from Japan (some sites offer this service for a fee, getting hard to find stuff from japan)
3) Just stick to my H340

What do you guys think?

FYI, the used Gigabeat S players I found (also very few) are quite expensive USD 150-250!

Also, if you know of places where I can still get it brand-new, please let me know...

Notes:
1) I know the Gigabeat S isn't officially supported yet.
2) Again, I don't like iPods
3) Sorry for mentioning the zune! :-)

[GodEater]

Sorry, I don't understand - why is the Gigabeat F out of the question? It has the same screen resolution as the X and S.

[soap]

Sorry, I don't understand - why is the Gigabeat F out of the question? It has the same screen resolution as the X and S.

I assume because it does not take a ZIF drive.

[LambdaCalculus]

I assume because it does not take a ZIF drive.

It sounds like a valid reason. The largest 50-pin drive I've seen is 80GB (IIRC the Toshiba MK8007GAH), and it's quite expensive.

With that said, to saab_rider: I got my Gigabeat S60 from eBay for $100 USD. You just have to browse around until you find a good deal.

[GodEater]

Ah, the OP doesn't seem to make that clear, he says :

First off, the player MUST run Rockbox, needs to be thinner than my H340 (which might be thicker than two iPods stacked!), has a larger LCD screen/resolution (which makes the gigabeat F out of the question).

Which implies it was something about the screen resolution that was unacceptable

[soap]

Damn you and your reading of what (s)he said not what (s)he means!
 

[Llorean]

If the Gigabeat F's screen is unacceptable, there is no Rockbox target current or upcoming that has an acceptable screen.

[saab_rider]

Sorry, I don't understand - why is the Gigabeat F out of the question? It has the same screen resolution as the X and S.

I assume because it does not take a ZIF drive.

If the Gigabeat F's screen is unacceptable, there is no Rockbox target current or upcoming that has an acceptable screen.

Guys... My bad! For some reason, when I posted I was under the impression that the Gigabeat F had resolution of 176 x 220 (same as my H340)... The reason for this confusion is that I was shopping for both a Gigabeat and a Sansa e200 (got the Sansa btw..)

So yeah, there's nothing wrong with the F series in terms of its screen resolution... Yet I still don't want it cause I want a) I want a 120 GB drive, b) the F is a bit fatter than the X and F, c) the screens are a bit larger on the X and S...

I guess no one knows where to get a new Gigabeat huh?

Right now I'm thinking an S30 with a 120 GB drive would be sweet...

[Walrus]

Can you really swap a 240 GB hard drive into a Gigabeat S60 and run rockbox on it?

That might eliminate the need for me to buy an Archos 5.

[Llorean]

While the S and X have larger screens, we're talking fractions of an inch with the same number of pixels. I know the Gigabeat V's screen is larger, but actually looks a good deal worse because of, I believe, the dot pitch since it's larger with the same number of pixels.

Really, a screen usually needs to be actually looked at in-use to compare.

[saab_rider]

Can you really swap a 240 GB hard drive into a Gigabeat S60 and run rockbox on it?

That might eliminate the need for me to buy an Archos 5.

1) As far as I know, the 240 GB was only announced and isn't available for purchase yet
2) hasn't been tested on the S60 for compatibility

While the S and X have larger screens, we're talking fractions of an inch with the same number of pixels. I know the Gigabeat V's screen is larger, but actually looks a good deal worse because of, I believe, the dot pitch since it's larger with the same number of pixels.

Really, a screen usually needs to be actually looked at in-use to compare.

Very true... But again, the screen size is only one of several reasons why I chose the S over the F and X...

To name a few more:
1) I don't think I will like the touch sensitive controls on the X/(F?).
2) Don't like the idea of side buttons (play pause etc..) on the X/(F?)
and again...
3) S is slimmer
4) has a better CPU
5) looks better than the F at least.... (in my opinion)

[LambdaCalculus]

To name a few more:
1) I don't think I will like the touch sensitive controls on the X/(F?).

The X's touch pad has one thing I like over the F's touch pad: it's raised just a little bit out of the case, so you can actually get a little feel for it.

2) Don't like the idea of side buttons (play pause etc..) on the X/(F?)

There are side buttons on the S as well.

3) S is slimmer

The S30 is indeed thin, but you won't have FM radio capability on it. The S60 is about as thick (if not a wee bit thicker) as the X30.

4) has a better CPU

It's ARM11 over ARM9 from the F/X. While it is a nice CPU, don't forget: it's how you utilize it.

5) looks better than the F at least.... (in my opinion)

No arguments there.

[saab_rider]

There are side buttons on the S as well.

Again, my bad! I was aware that the S has side buttons, but it also has more buttons on the front.. back, window$ (kind of a turn off) and the center OK button.

The S30 is indeed thin, but you won't have FM radio capability on it. The S60 is about as thick (if not a wee bit thicker) as the X30.

Having an FM radio would definitely be nice. You know what? I actually have nothing against the X series (other than the slight chubbiness and touch-sensitive plus pad). But you know what too? The X is actually harder to find than the S!


I found a few used ones on-line... Contacted the sellers to see if they have the S30 in black (can't stand white devices!)

[gevaerts]

The S30 is indeed thin, but you won't have FM radio capability on it. The S60 is about as thick (if not a wee bit thicker) as the X30.

My S30 has FM

[saab_rider]

Yeah.. just checked the specs and found that the S series does have an FM tuner...

But to my disappointment, the S30 only comes in white in the US?

I thought it came in black and red too? Maybe that's only in Japan/Australia?

Edit 1:
BTW, anything specific that the X is better in than the S?

Edit 2:
Look at the attachment for a comparison of the thickness of different player. At 1st place is my H340  Joking aside, the slimmest is the 120GB iPod Classic...

But with a single platter 120GB drive inside an S30, it would be only slightly thicker than a 120 GB Zune, making it the 3rd player in thickness!

Not so bad!