... All the time I've spent with it has been very good, and aside from the utterly wretched "RioPort Audio Manager" software shipped with it, it's great! (I replaced the supplied software with RioGeo, http://www.riogeo.freeserve.co.uk/)
The player is the perfect size to fit in the little key ... Read review
Advantages: Small simple but fully-featured Disadvantages: I guess the peak volume could be higher
I wasn't in the market for an MP3 player, but got this for my birthday. All the time I've spent with it has been very good, and aside from the utterly wretched "RioPort Audio Manager" software shipped with it, it's great! (I replaced the supplied software with RioGeo, http://www.riogeo.freeserve.co.uk/)
The player is the perfect size to fit in the little key pocket of my jeans, and even though there is a "lock" ... ...working while it's playing, I don't need it because the buttons only get pressed when I want... and I've learned where the buttons are so I can pause, FF and rew without pulling it out of the pocket!
Using 128kbit MP3s, I fit about roughly an album plus four songs on it, but since the headphones are so tiny, I'm going to try resampling some of my MP3s to 64kbit so I can fit more. Pairing that up with an additional 64MB on a flash card, ... more
I wasn't in the market for an MP3 player, but got this for my birthday. All the time I've spent with it has been very good, and aside from the utterly wretched "RioPort Audio Manager" software shipped with it, it's great! (I replaced the supplied software with RioGeo, http://www.riogeo.freeserve.co.uk/)
The player is the perfect size to fit in the little key pocket of my jeans, and even though there is a "lock" setting on the power switch to keep the buttons from working while it's playing, I don't need it because the buttons only get pressed when I want... and I've learned where the buttons are so I can pause, FF and rew without pulling it out of the pocket!
Using 128kbit MP3s, I fit about roughly an album plus four songs on it, but since the headphones are so tiny, I'm going to try resampling some of my MP3s to 64kbit so I can fit more. Pairing that up with an additional 64MB on a flash card, you could conceivably have up to 6 albums' worth of 64kbit MP3s! That's just really, really cool.
Of course, everyone who tries it has to prove to themselves that it doesn't skip, so they shake the heck out of it. No kids, it doesn't skip.
One thing to check if you get one... check the firmware revision. Mine came shipped with version 1.04, and the current as of this writing is 2.12. It's a quick, easy upgrade and increases the capabilities of the Rio.
The MP3 player cost £180.
STRENGTHS: It's all that and more. Small, simple, but fully-featured.
WEAKNESSES:
The supplied software sucks to an amazing degree. It tries to be your MP3 player on your PC and requires you to build a list of files, then create a playlist, then you can upload to the player. I already have Winamp, don't need this awful PC MP3 player, I just want to upload the darn files! Just trying to upload a single album is a pain in the butt and the first time I tried it took me about 10-15 minutes. With the RioGeo software it took me the 30 seconds it should have.
The Koss headphones that come with it are a bit weak. (but they are secure and comfortable) I got a pair of Sony earbuds and they sound better but don't stay put as nicely as the originals.
I guess the peak volume could be higher but it'd probably kill the battery faster.
...x 60mm x 12mm, the Rio 500 MP3 Player is certainly small. This means it can fit in a shirt or trouser pocket without you really noticing. So what can it do?
Plenty. It packs a punch. The instructions that come with it consist of one folded sheet, the rest of the information you will require is on the 2 CD-ROM's that come with it. These take a few minutes to install on your PC, and for technophiles it is surprisingly easy to get started. I had copied ... ...perfect sound quality that the Rio is capable of.
When you are online, the software that is bundled with the unit is a surfing experience in itself. You can get it to search out MP3 tracks from virtually anywhere on the web, making finding music a delight, and when you want to copy your own music from a CD, the Rio Software will find the artists and track names at the click of a button, which saves entering all the data yourself.
So, a clever bundle ...
MikeScoates 03.12.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rio 500 64 MB
Advantages: small, lightweight, no moving parts Disadvantages: woefully inadequate memory, add on memory expensive
yes, the invention of MP3 files has been a huge step forward in being able to download music from the internet. The best thing of all is that you can get away without paying for it! 64 meg may seem alot of memory but most mp3 files are about 4meg or more each. that doesn't give you many songs for your 64meg. Now that is fine if you are taking the player for an hours workout at the gym. But, what if you are away for a two week holiday in the sun and ...
iansingleton 14.09.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rio 500 64 MB
Advantages: Easy to install on your PC. Quick downloads Disadvantages: No FM tuner
The big strength of the Rio 500 MP3 player is that it is very easy to install on your PC.
Plug it into the USB port, and the installation CD will give you an installation wizard that will have you downloading and playing music from the Internet within minutes.
You also get a software pack called the Audio Manager.
This pack gives you loads of additional features, that make using your Rio very simple to use.
It has a transfer wizard that allows ... ...suit what you prefer.
The Rio has 64 MB of memory, and with good transfer speeds of the Internet via the USB connection, you can download music within minutes rather than hours.
One big drawback of the Rio is that it hasn’t got a FM tuner.
But this is still a good MP3 player. It’s light and portable, with good download speeds, and adequate memory.
It has come down in price recently, and can now be found for sale at about £150. ...
ranter 22.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rio 500 64 MB
Advantages: FAST file transfer Disadvantages: space is tight
...I decided to get the Rio 500 and a friend got a Minidisk player.
Now each has there strengths and weaknesses so its all a matter of personal preference. And it seems that everything that the MP3 player is good at the minidisk sucks at, and vise-versa.
SOUND: It sounds REALLY good with your typical 128bit MP3s, on a minidisk it sounds not so good very hissy. The minidisk does win in sound quality then you use the optical out to record from a CD.
... ...the advantage here. Also the Rio downloads the song name for you while you have to put it in by hand on the MD player. Its not a big deal but something to take into consideration.
LOOKS: I really like the Rio’s looks and layout. The buttons all work well, and are in easy to reach if your not looking at it. The display is great, its backlit and the text is very clear and easy to read. The carrying pouch it comes with is nice but has problems. ...
joshnev 17.01.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rio 500 64 MB
Advantages: Spoken word features Disadvantages: A little a small
...their music capabilities. The Rio 500 has features dedicated for the lovers of the spoken word. You can listen to the latest thriller or a classic novel in a unit smaller and lighter than a single cassette. The 64 megabyte memory is capable of storing up to 30 hours of content. Hours of listening pleasure can be downloaded from sites such as audible.com and audiohighway.com. These sites are vast and varied, everything from self-help to cutting-edge ... ...Rio 500 comes into its own is its bookmarking feature. You can mark exactly where you are in the story and go back to it at any time. Content is stored in folders, where you can store a personal mix of stories and music. The player comes with quality in earphones and beltclip case. Sound quality is good, but not fulll CD and battery performance not bad at around 14 hours on a single AA.
The Rio 500 comes complete with a USB cable and full software ...
steverob 13.12.2000 (19.12.2000)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Rio 500 64 MB
The latest Rio 500 is the hulk of MP3 players. The Rio 500 is the beefed up version of its predecessor, Rio PMP 300, delivering twice the amount of RAM, Mac and PC support and numerous other capabilities you asked for! 64MB RAM pre-installed in the Rio 500 means two hours of playback of your favorite digital quality jams or up to 32 hours of spoken content! Rio features integrated Rio Audio Manager software for digital music management that lets you search, locate, create and playback your music in one application and also gives you direct access to RioPort.com, the premier site for MP3 music, and other sites through an integrated Web browser. You can even convert your personal CD collection into MP3 files to store on your PC and transfer to your Rio 500.The Rio 500 is also the first MP3 player to ensure spoken audio playback. Listen to your favorite novels, learn a new language, hear news stories and lectures! The Rio 500 offers a set of features specifically designed for voice audio use including a bookmark control that lets you stop playback and resume later exactly where you left off.
