(n.b. Since a couple of people asked about a review for this player, and since there aren't any reviews yet in this new area, I thought it'd be good to place my reviews here, where they can be more easily accessible, and kick off the new review section of the board).
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Received a new 1GB 1.8" screen Full Metal Platinum from
UXcell. (This is the kind that looks exactly like the 2nd gen iPod Nano). Very impressed with this player, overall. (I would upload a pic but you can see a better one on UXCELL's site).
It features:
"Real" 3.5mm headphone jack
Standard mini-USB jack!
Defects: My unit had a small mark in the centre button that does not appear to be removable. The headphones didn't work right out of the box (only on one side). Neither is a big deal.
The mostly green WELCOME screen is much nicer than I've seen, more tasteful (firmware is a newer v9.1.50). The firmware is superior to previous versions in other small ways. ie. Besides the file browsing, it scrolls the line you are on in the menus. The screen itself is delightfully better than my 1st gen Nano clones, even if it were the same size. Bright, sharp, perfect contrast.
Unlike the 1st gen Nano clones I've had (but like the Glacier), this player actually remembers where you were in music, ebook and videos. VERY important detail!
CONSTRUCTION:
Overall, it has more of a quality feel than the Nano clones. The loop for the lanyard though appears to be plastic, and looks like it'll break if you look at it hard. I like the feel that it has in my hands, more so than the Glacier. Its smooth and feels sturdy, plus the buttons are easier to use.
COMPATIBILITY:
Not sure about MP3 VBR's (since I don't yet know how to identify them in windows), but I found it played more non-protected WMA's than the Glacier did. The one OGG file I tried gave a squealing sound, as on the Glacier. It played a WAV file no problem, which the Glacier couldn't without major problems.
USAGE:
I found the USB connection dodgy, as with the Glacier, but not as bad as with my Glacier (so far the FMP seems to work more times than not). It might connect okay the first time, but then it might lose connection, or connect at 1.1 USB unless you specify a port, etc. In case anyone thinks its my computer, note that I also have a new 1st gen Nano clone that connects correctly and stays connected.
VIDEO:
I like the Full Metal Platinum's screen. Its very bright and peppy, and makes the Glacier look dark. You watch it with the player turned sideways. Some people don't like that, but it makes perfect sense. Movies are wider than they are tall, and so is the screen. If it were designed any other way, either the player would be wider or the images would be stretched.
In most cases, the Glacier screen is superior. The colors are richer, the screen is larger, and things are a bit sharper. This is most notable on the cartoon show called The Family Guy, where the Glacier portrays angled lines without the rough jaggedness of the Full Metal Platinum (or even worse, the 1st gen Nano clones). But there's a bit of a "slurring" on the Glacier when scenes cut from one to the next. You can see the screen change, whereas on the Full Metal Platinum, the video is smoother, and you're not bothered by the "slurring" of scene transitions nor is there any ghosting effect (which 1st gen Nano clones are famous for).
Full Metal Platinum vs. Glacier (sound)
Well, the sound of the Full Metal Platinum surprised me, at how good it was. Listening to the new George Martin remix of The Beatles "Get Back" (from "Love"), sounds were extending way beyond the headphones (which were slightly modified Koss SportaPro's). Direct comparisons to my Glacier made it even harder to choose which sounds better.
After doing a comparison with Destiny's Child's "Bills", it was clear the Glacier could reproduce timbre more accurately, whereas the Full Metal Platinum had a same-colouration across the band. In short, they both sound good, they both have their strengths. But if I have to say which was immediately more impressive, it would be the Full Metal Platinum. Although bass was looser on the iP compared to the Glacier, it, like everything else on the iP (audio & video), was also more clearer, due to the separation. (The iP has a much wider soundstage, which causes greater separation between instruments, it also has a taller and deeper soundstage, which in total creates something of a surround sound effect on good material and phones). The Full Metal Platinum was also more forward, sonically, and in some ways more musical and fun to listen to (the Glacier was more musical in other ways, such as with vocals). I don't think you could go wrong with either of them, for sound, provided you have decent phones. The Glacier would probably make more sense with really good phones, like Grado's or SuperFi's.
CONCLUSION:
The 1.8" Full Metal Platinum is better in some ways than the Glacier, not quite as good in others. I'd be happy with it in place of the Glacier, were it not for the battery. It does not appear to be easy to replace, and assuming you can find a replacement battery, once you pop off the white tabs at the end to take the unit out of its sleeve, they may not fit properly after that. If you gave me the choice of real Nano or Full Platinum, guess which one I'd choose....
My advice is to forget about the old 1st gen Nano clones. The Full Metal Platinum is where its at, and its worth spending a few bucks more on. I for one am avoiding all players that don't have a 3.5mm jack!
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