MP3 Player Video Review

The Good

Look for large LCD displays; many useful features; decent hard drive space

The Bad

Problems transferring files with the Coby; high price of the Sony Walkman; no customer support for the Pro Ebiz

The Bottom Line

If you want to avoid the big names in the MP3 player video industry, that’s fine. Just remember to pick names of companies you recognize or you might end up wasting your money.

Review

When you think about MP3 player video models, your mind probably automatically goes to the big names, such as Apple’s iPod or Microsoft’s Zune. However, there are other possibilities on the market. And not all of them come from obscure companies either.

The Sony Walkman MP3 player video is one example. Launched back in 2007, the produce hasn’t made a huge name for itself in the industry but does have some features that might be of interest to consumers , especially those who don’t want to be in the middle of the Apple/Microsoft battle.

The 1.8 inch LCD screen is comparable to that of the other MP3 player video models on the market and the 4 GB hard drive is capable of holding a large amount of viewable footage and photos. Plus, the fast refresh rate means the videos are going to run better than on comparable MP3 player video devices.

The device comes with an FM tuner and has an impressive 33 hours of battery life (music playing only). Priced at around $120, the Sony Walkman player is a bit more expensive than the under $100 Microsoft Zune.

If you want to purchase an affordable MP3 player video device, then you might consider the Coby model. The device seems to have all of the bases covered: 2 inch LCD screen, built-in FM tuner, 4 GB hard drive, and iPod-like navigation.

Even better is the price for all of this is under $50 which is more than half the price of the Sony Walkman model. Of course, the product does have some potential snags. Customers have complained about difficulty in moving files from their computer onto the device.

Keep in mind that the device is only compatible with the Windows Media Center, too. Other consumers have complained about the device locking up during use and losing the battery charge after only a short time. The Coby MP3 player video model might be a good choice for a younger user or for a casual user.

Both of the above models are from companies with names recognized in the industry. What about a device that’s only claim to fame is looking like an Apple iPhone? That’s the issue with the Pro Ebiz 4 GB MP3 player video device. Like the Coby, you’re going to find most of the same features you’d find on similar products, including built-in voice recorder and support for a wide range of media formats.

The 2.8 inch screen is large and the $44 price tag seems like a great deal. However, many consumers reported broken devices and a lack of customer support for the product. In other words, you sometimes do get exactly what you pay for.

You may want to check out my other guide on Sansa Mp3 and Streaming Video Hosting.