hardware recommendation

[mkny13]

My much loved Cowon iAudio X5 is crapping out--something's up with the headphone out, it keeps cutting out (whether I'm using Rockbox or default firmware.) I'm going to open it up and poke around inside but I'm expeting to have to replace it.  Anyone care to offer a recommendation for a new rockbox-compatible mp3 player? It must have 80 GB of storage, 120-160 GB preferred.  After that, prime consideration is cost.  Of secondary importance are things like form factor, controls, battery life. Video is NOT required.

Thanks.

[bakseetdrivr]

just got an ipod 5th gen used off of ebay for ~80 US shipped to canada and am very pleased. Its 80 GB but to use the original firmware as well, you have to sych it with media monkey or itunes and it puts it in that stupid rediculous file format. other than that though, an enormous improvement from my e200

[froggyman]

The Gigabeat F/X are two excellent large hard disk players. You may also want to consider the Gigabeat S as well, despite that it is "Unstable". A large amount of people do enjoy using it, just be sure to keep a back up of the Gigabeat S at all times. It has a nice little "feature" where it spontaneously deletes everything on the hard drive... but other than it is an excellent player. Seriously.

[mkny13]

just got an ipod 5th gen used off of ebay for ~80 US shipped to canada and am very pleased. Its 80 GB but to use the original firmware as well, you have to sych it with media monkey or itunes and it puts it in that stupid rediculous file format. other than that though, an enormous improvement from my e200

Only thing that worries me about getting a used (as opposed to refurbed) iPod is the chance of getting one with a battery that needs replacing soon after purchase.

The Gigabeat F/X are two excellent large hard disk players. You may also want to consider the Gigabeat S as well, despite that it is "Unstable". A large amount of people do enjoy using it, just be sure to keep a back up of the Gigabeat S at all times. It has a nice little "feature" where it spontaneously deletes everything on the hard drive... but other than it is an excellent player. Seriously.

Are large gigabeats still being manufactured? Couldn't find any of amazon, pricegrabber, or pricespider. Guess I could hunt eBay, but I have the same concern about old batteries.

[Llorean]

I'd rather a good player with a bad battery that I can replace (Gigabeat, in my opinion) than a worse player with a relatively fresh battery, personally.

[mkny13]

Yes, but is it necessarily a choice between one or the other?  Replacing the battery means sending it back to the manufacturer, I assume, which needs to be factored into the cost.  Getting a warranty with a new or refurbed player also has value.

[Llorean]

Replacing the battery means "opening it and putting in a new battery." New batteries are fairly cheap.

[mkny13]

The Toshiba's have a user replaceable battery? That's nice.

[Llorean]

The iPods Rockbox supports also have user replaceable batteries. It may not be *easily* user replaceable, but it doesn't require anything in the way of particularly specialized knowledge or anything.

The fact that the back doesn't simply slide off doesn't mean "it can't be replaced except at the factory."

[froggyman]

And if you go to YouTube and just search for "My player Battery replacement" and several videos will most likely pop showing exactly what you have to do.

[mkny13]

Fair enough, thanks for the info.  So is the consensus for a Gigabeat or old-Gen iPod?

[froggyman]

I would choose the Gigabeat

[mkny13]

But does the Gigabeat come in 80+ GB varieties? Doesn't look like it from my searches.

[torne]

No, only 60GB. If you want a very large player, one option is to get an iPod and replace the disk with a much bigger one: there are 240GB drives available which will fit. Some places online sell iPod Videos pre-modded with 240GB disks, even.

[mkny13]

Thanks, but 80-160 should sufficient.  I took the plunge from FLAC to MP3 couple years back and I don't plan to go back anytime soon.  So my collection is larger than 60GB and growing, but not so large as to require the supersized options.  By the time I near that point, I expect there will be a reliable option for streaming from my PC or a server to my portable device.