Customer Reviews

Cowon D2 - 16 GB Portable Multimedia Player (Black)

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

(Initial Disclaimer: I am a big fan of most Cowon products.)

The D2 is a great A/V player, but I honestly have to say that I can't recommend it to everyone. If you want a flawless GUI, up-to-the-minute firmware, extensive playlist capabilities, compatibility with AAC files, bluetooth connectivity, superior FM radio performance, high-quality stock earphones, and name-recognition, then it is probably not for you. These are all D2 weaknesses.

Fortunately, most of these don't mean much to me. I don't really even care that much for the video capabilities (though they are pretty good for the size of the unit.) I want true drag-and-drop capability for media files, multiple playback formats (including FLAC and OGG,) superior battery life (EVERYONE admits that Cowon owns this one,) high power output at the phones jack, and superior (not necessarily audiophile) sound quality. The D2 has all of this.

I traded up to the 16GB D2 from a 8GB i7 and I must admit that I miss a couple things about the i7. For one thing, the touchscreen is annoying. (Don't misunderstand me...the touchscreen on the D2 works fine. It's just that ALL touchscreens are annoying to me. Would you prefer to use a mouse on your desktop, or to reach up and use a touchscreen monitor? A touchscreen is wasteful of motion, often difficult to use when your finger blocks your view of the screen, and ends up providing you with a nice fingerprint-filled display. Fortunately, the D2 display shows prints only at certain angles and is very easy to clean.) I also like the size and shape of the i7, which, being built like a little brick, has no wide surfaces to stress and no large display to protect. The D2, on the other hand, has a lovely (fairly-large) display and several firmware features missing from the i7. Both models are available in 16GB versions, with the i7 being slightly less expensive than the D2.

The sound quality of the D2 is very comparable to that of the i7, though I would probably give the D2 a slight edge in transparency. The output is more than enough to drive most earbuds, earphones, and low-impedance headphones, but you will definitely need a high-quality headphone amp if you use less-efficient headphones with this unit. My Sony MDRSA3000s and Ultrasone HFI-700DVDs definitely need the help, but my Grados and Ultimate Ears IEMs sound fantastic without the amp.

Frankly, I was looking at both the the D2 and the 16 GB Sony NWZ-A729BLK. The Sony is probably at least as good as the D2 in terms of sound quality and slightly better in its GUI, but the Sony is $60 more than the D2, doesn't have the EQ features of the D2, and won't play FLAC or OGG audio files. (Most of my audio files are encoded with OGG as I find that OGG files usually sound just as good as MP3 files, but with a 20% reduction in size.)

I haven't yet had a chance to check the battery life of the D2, but if it is anything like the battery life of the i7, it will be nothing less than astounding. My i7 will run for more than 35 hours, playing audio continuously.

One last comment...see the cute little pick-shaped stylus that comes with the unit? Do yourself a favor and just leave it in the package. Unlike most PDAs, the stylus does not fit into any sort of slot or recess in the D2. You're supposed to hang it by its little cord around the carrying strap (or somewhere.) Very irritating. It also functions as a little rest that allows you to lean the D2 at two different viewing angles on a desktop or table. The D2 is very unstable when you do this. If I were you, I'd just forget about the using the stylus altogether and use the back of my nail to select items on the screen.

So, there you go. I won't tell you that the D2 is the best thing since canned beer, but it does the things that I want extremely well. If I hadn't wanted to upgrade from 8GB to 16GB, I probably would have stuck with my i7, but the D2 made a lot of sense when I started looking at the avilable flash players.

UPDATE 3/2/2009: A couple more comments after more months of experience. I've seen several comments about database corruption here and I've got to say that I'm puzzled. The D2 builds a database when you turn it on (which causes a delay that some might consider annoying) but I've NEVER had to fool around doing some of the things other reviewers have described (reformatting SD cards, deleting files from the system folder, etc.) It reads MP3 tags just fine and without a hitch. I've used many tools to edit my MP3 tags (including my favorite, MediaMonkey) and they've all worked great.

You definitely want to remember not to change the SD card unless you turn the unit off. It won't hurt anything (I don't think) but the D2 needs to scan the new card to determine what media files are on it and it does this when you turn it on. Just don't plan on popping 1GB SD cards in and out to find your favorite songs. I keep things pretty simple...I keep audio files on the D2 internal memory and then use the SD cards for movies. I find that I can keep 15-20 movies on a single 8GB card. (I'm currently using Gordian Knot to convert the videos and it works fine.)

Battery life continues to be phenomenal. I have only dropped to a single battery segment on the indicator once or twice.

I use a rubber (silicone?) skin and a screen protector, rather than an actual case. Works great and I have zero scratches on the screen or unit. Unlike some other players, the D2 will use basically any mini-USB cable or charger to connect. I normally charge it on trips using my Motorola Razr charger.

I've done two firmware upgrades since I bought the D2 and neither one erased my media files from the unit. I'm not suggesting you take a chance, but my files survived just fine.

You can get an adapter which allows you feed the composite video and analog audio to a TV and/or stereo system. You would be shocked by the picture and sound quality you can get doing this. A lot of my movies are converted to 480p image, which is more than adequate for a standard (non-HDTV) TV set. This is really cool when you're on vacation.

While my fingertips work fine on the UI, flipping your finger over and using a fingernail is more practical. I also use a standard pen (not the writing tip) even if it's made of metal. The screen protector keeps you from scratching the screen at any normal pressure. The little stylus they give you continues to be virtually worthless, though I'll admit that there have been times I would have liked to have used it as a stand for the D2 while I was on a plane. Holding it in your hand can cause a bit of a cramp.

My SDHC cards work fine in the D2, though I've only tried 8GB and smaller cards. I don't see any difference in the speed with which the D2 accesses the files, regardless of what type or size SD media I use.

The biggest gripe remains the lack of a playlist feature. I just don't understand why Cowon is so hardheaded about this. You don't have true playlists on newer Cowon units, either.

Where to start... Well first off my experience with MP3 players in general...

I have had 3 Ipods (1 4th Gen 2 5th gen (one of which was a 5.5 comp upgrade from the apple store because they didn't have any regular 5th Gen there), and borrowed another Ipod Nano. I have also set up my brother's M:Robe Not to mention, I have been given, Sansas, and Zens, and not to mention Irivers... All of which I messed around with shortly after. In comparison to those I can make a few comparisons.

First off GUI. Needless to say some of the best GUIs came from apple, they are gurus at the interface. Intuitive and so easy a baby could use them with little trouble. I am also quite fond of the m:Robe too, its different but simple (and that red screen is nice too, who needs color if its just an MP3 player?) I'm not going through all of them, all in all in comparison, the D2 is slightly more difficult. But there are only a few quirks to get used to... Like the number of touches to actually get it to play music (I counted 3 from the selection screen)

Next sound quality: What can I say, the best I have heard other than the sansa Clip. And hands down it is THE best EQ. 5 band plus a plethora of enhancements. A notable is MP enhance. Now that doesn't mean its only for MP3s... its for EVERY lossless format. What it does it corrects any losses from conversion in the player. Its pretty noticeable difference too. So for this player it gets top scores for SQ. BTW, its better than all others unmodified (modified ipod 5th gen has one of the best, (look up IMOD)).

Battery life is one line... BEST. I have had it for a month. I have charged it once. After one week I had to charge it (note I did NOT charge it out of the box). Since then its been 3 weeks since its last charge (minus the updates, and the putting music on). Its FANTASTIC!

Features. Hands down the BEST. Lets list: Dictionary (with korean firmware which is entirely worth it), drawing application, calculator, scientific calculator, voice recorder, fm radio.... Not to mention flash capability. Text viewer, and of course pictures and video. Video is good but not why I got it, but it looks really nice and I have no problems with it.

Anything else? No need for any software except for video conversion. Oh and I love the OS they used. Which is a heavily modified version of Linux, open source and awesome. No apple or windows proprietary software. It's beautiful. I think thats it. I will never go back to Ipod, and I'll never touch a Zune either. I hope this helps any of you hopefuls searching for a new PMP. This is the best i have seen/used.

The three main reasons to get a Cowon D2:

1. Pristine Sound Quality
2. Will play lossless audio files including FLAC and APE
3. Doesn't rely on propitiatory software or file types

Sound Quality:

Cowon makes some of the best sounding MP3 players on the market today. They surpass every other brand, including Apple in that department. The D2 is no exception. It produces accurate, high quality sound that when paired with a good pair of ear phones (like Shure SE110s), will impress even the most picky audiophile.

File Support and software:

Unlike the Ipod or Zune, the Cowon D2 does not use proprietary software upload files. It is recognized by Windows (XP and Vista) as a UPnP or Universal Plug and Play Device. It is listed in My Computer as a hard drive, and you can copy files back and forth using windows explorer. You CAN sync it with WMP if you like, but if you prefer to sort music by files instead of tags as I do, this player is the one to choose. Without this becoming an anti DRM, Apple, and Microsoft rant, I enjoy having the ability to upload any file I like to the player at any time I like, in almost any format I like without having to commit to Itunes or WMP or DRM infested files. Buy your digital music from Amazon (no DRM) and play them on the D2!

A few complaints:

I can't give the D2 a 5/5 overall. The GUI or graphic user interface leaves something to be desired. While the more recent firmware allows you to upload custom made GUIs, the touch screen can be finicky for someone with larger fingers, and no amount of tinkering with different GUIs will solve that problem. This is the one area where the Ipod beats out the D2.

*****Update 7-22-2009*****

The ability to load user designed GUIs (including Flash based designs) has opened the doorway to some very nice and improved GUIs that minimize the downsides to the D2. I know that not everyone will want to spend the time and effort to load a custom GUI, but I can tell you that it's worth it. With a custom GUI loaded, the D2 is every bit as good as all mp3 players with the exception of the Ipod Touch. You can find custom GUIs at several Cowon related forums, one of which I have left a link for in the comments section of this review.

Another issue is the long string of less than perfect firmware releases from Cowon. While ironing out some kinks, some new ones were created, and although each new firmware release has improved the performance overall, it wasn't until firmware 2.57 that I was satisfied with my D2s performance. If you buy a D2 (any variety, not just the 16gb model) make sure you download and install firmware 2.57 or newer to avoid any problems.

*****UPDATE 07-22-2009*****
The release of Firmware 2.59 clears up virtually ALL of the problems with id3 tagging and OGG files, making the D2 by far one of the best mp3 players of all time. The player's firmware has gone through MANY permutations in the last 18 months and they've finally gotten it just about perfect. 2.59 is rock solid and coupled with the D2s excellent hardware makes this player really standout. You can download the newest firmware from Cowon, or from a web page that I have listed in the comments section of this review.

In sum, the D2's pristine sound quality, and its ability to play lossless audio files including FLAC and APE, as well as the more common WMA and MP3 file types elevate it above all competition. There is no other player that gets a 5/5 for audio quality and a 5/5 for variety of file types playable, unless it's another Cowon product. The D2 only gets a 3/5 for GUI and another 3/5 for firmware. I've rounded my score to a 4/5 to reflect those few blemishes.

*****Update 07-22-2009*****
I've owned the D2 for nearly two years at this point (actually I own several of them!) and they are all fantastic and still working flawlessly. The only thing I've noticed from a wear-and-tear perspective is that the screen is prone to getting minor scratches if you don't use a protective layer of plastic. I've housed mine in a silicon casing that has protected the body of the player very well. For a two year old device, I am still thrilled with my D2 and use it almost every day!

I just received my Cowon D2 MP3 player this afternoon. So far, I am very happy about my purchase.

Other people had good comments about the player and I mostly agree, but I just wanted to add some things that I considered useful.

Initially I hesitated to buy the product because it had bad reviews about its bad FM radio, but reception is excellent for the two stations that I listen to. I actually purchased another radio player just to listen to the radio, but I can safely return it to the seller now. I have to warn though that some (only a couple, actually) of the stations did have some minor sound issues, which is none of my worries. You can actually record what you hear from the radio as well, which might be useful if you want to record interesting bits of a radio broadcast (like title of the radio clip so you can download it from the internet or something).

Another feature that I am really excited about is D2's voice recording capabilities. I am a student and am planning to record some of my lectures this semester. I tried recording my own voice this afternoon and the recorder works really well. I am really pleased with recording function.

It's also cool that it can automatically display multiple languages. The MP3 player that I had before displayed boxes or other symbols whenever there was asian language. I did not have to do anything to D2 and it displays different languages--Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

I don't like or dislike the pen thing that came with D2. Most of the time I can navigate the screen without it, but is is needed when I want to use the notepad function or want to play a music clip from the place I like or something like that.

I still have not explored all the good things about D2, but I am really happy about what I got so far.

Pros: Great video (.avi) & sound (.wma & .mp3). Battery seems to last forever - longer than its competitors. Light and an easy pocket size especially for 32G total capacity flash device. Menu system easy to use and well designed. Touchscreen with fingernail or attached stylus. Easy to handle files. Basically an open platform, i.e. unlike iTunes or microsoft designs, the Cowon is not designed for potential big-brother corporate strategy DRM control limitations (e.g., possible duration-of-use expiration on user-purchased content). For those who think independently from mass-media-influenced herd, quality bang for the buck.

Cons: Since ipod has so-far easiest fastest user interface patented/locked up, this is next best thing and bang for the buck (better sound quality, IMHO, anyway). But if you organize your files well you won't have to look at and tinker with it so often to have it playing the tunes you feel like at the moment.

Details/Pros:
I did a lot of research before buying this. I'm still happy with it. Only reason I haven't given it 5 stars is the good user interface (which is only because ipod has patent on the fastest-to-use [user presentation] interface)... But the user interface is very good, and overall, this thing is great. Very easy to use. Sound is superior to ipod, zune, creative, etc. competitors, as is battery life even with videos playing. (Use decent quality headphones or earbuds, please.) You can mount the device via its USB cable to your PC like a regular drive to move files around the 16G main memory and/or up to a 16G SDHC flash extension memory card. Plays .wma's, .mp3's, and .avi videos just great... good screen resolution & motion on videos. You can use the screen with the supplied stylus (has a string) or with your fingernail - tap or drag like a mouse... Cowon also has on/off and sound controls via physical buttons on top edge.

Sound capability: I listen to trance, progressive and alt rock mostly, but a sprinkling of newage, classical, older classic & other rock, world/ethnic remix dance music, regular world music, and fusion jazz as well. This player handles all types of music with great bass, midranges and high tones accurately represented. There are preset and custom equalizer settings in the control menu as well if you want to tinker.

It has bookmark and playlist features as well, which my friends have used on it, but I haven't much used yet because I have my content well-organized in folders for my typical uses/wants.

Comes with conversion software (JetAudio, easy to use, & documentation available) or you can use any freeware to convert files to these formats. Since it's designed with no requirement to use DRM software for populating the device with your songs & videos, if you are ripping from your own non-DRM downloads or CD's, you won't ever be affected by arbitrary business-driven changes to DRM policies by online music content vendors. Most people are unaware of that angle - they just use iTunes and ipods because it's what everyone else uses... DUH!... So you have more freedom if you avoid iPod or other DRM-content controlled vendor product strategies. I feel that if I paid for the content, I should have rights to use it on my own devices forever as with legitimate use of CDs - i.e. not subject to someone else's potential business changes.

You can mount the SDHC card (purchase a large capacity card separately; I recommend Kingston or SanDisk) to handle files independent of the Cowon, or move files to/from it while in the Cowon.

Recharges quickly. Files transfer speed is average - neither very fast nor terribly slow. Also check out the multimedia (larger size, screen & capacity) Cowon, equally well rated for sound, video quality and flexibility by users at forums.

I got an aftermarket "armor" rubbery sleeve for it (yes available, e.g. JAVOskins, & I recommend such for any expensive device). Relatively sturdy flash device, however. Be sure to apply a LCD screen protector (comes with armor, usually) - like all such screens this will prevent scratches.

Minor Cons:
Found that the font size is fine for younger folks but a bit small for over-40 eyes, even after I set them to be a tad larger (only 2 choices); OK but wish there was a larger one. Discovered that it doesn't recognize video files on the memory stick - have to put those in the main memory area... so most of my huge music collection is on the memory stick in folders by type of content... so I have 16 G of videos and some music on the main memory, and another almost 16G of music on the stick. But it's all easy and quick to get to.

(It doesn't have the proprietary Apple-type user interfaces so) you have to go thru 1 or 3 menu levels to change music folders (depending upon whether what you want at the moment is on the main memory or the extended storage card). Unlike Apple iPods with iTunes, however, you are free to organize everything easily by mounting it via USB to your PC and using your file utility to make or change folders, move files around, etc.

You can figure how to use this device pretty easily without documentation; it comes with some but isn't the best. Searching online forums is helpful supplement, and there's one or more show-n-tell items on youtube as well. Cowon's JetAudio software documentation is decent, however.

PS tangental comment:
Kudos to S.Korea for their competitive products for the world consumer market these days - not just fine consumer electronics like music players, cellphones and flat-panel tv's... Check out, for example, their historical drama tv series (subtitled available here at amazon or yesasia, and broadcast on cable/satellite tv), or if you can find import stores run by and selling for american ethnic koreans, you will find that korean-made modern or traditional quilts, synthetic plush blankets, and decor seating cushions are generally superior and better-priced than other retail stuff found in US stores.

I recently owned the Cowon Iaudio7 and when that one went missing there was no doubt where I was going to go for my next player.

The first reason is simply because this player has the exact same audio hardware and effectors as the iaudio7 which frankly delivers the best sound from any portable player I've ever heard. The main difference is that the amp in the D2 is stronger which unfortunately can cause some bass roll off in the extremely low ranges, but that can usually be tweaked out via effectors. For those debating this product just think of it as the "Audiophile's player." The D2 like the Iaudio7 also plays ogg, flac and other formats that allow for ridiculous audio quality.

Videos look good on the screen and conversion isn't all that difficult with 3GP (profiles can be found online easily.) The bitrates it supports for videos aren't going to wow visually though. Over a certain bitrate they get choppy or go black entirely, leading you to reencode to a so-so looking video.

The player itself isn't pretty like a touch or iphone, the trend follows into the device's interface as well but if you're reading this review I assume you're not here for pretty (hence the review title.) The player is quick and responsive, and the touch screen is accurate enough to not hinder usability. While there's a notable improvement in the interface design compared to previous Cowon products it's still pretty basic. You can change the background image, and if you upgrade the player with the Korean version of the firmware you'll be able to insert user created flash files to use as the menu for the actual music section, and install custom icons for the main menu.

One of my favorite features of the D2 is the external SDHC slot which has been tested and proven to work with the newer 32gb cards. The D2 doesn't need any extra junkware to transfer files, just plug in, drag and drop. It will show its internal and external memory as separate drives which is oh so nice.

Another great point is the battery life. On one charge I usually get about 45 hours of music and 8 for video. It's frankly amazing how Cowon gets that much time out of their players. The D2 will charge from the wall with the included charger (which oddly enough came with a European attachment out of the box) or via USB. USB takes about twice as long (up to 7 hours) for a full charge however.

The Good:
-Good screen
-EXCELLENT audio
-Up to 32gb external storage
-Amazing battery life
-Excellent customization (with Korean firmware)

The Bad:
-So-so video quality
-Lack of customization in default firmware
-Bass roll off at low frequencies

The Cowon:
-Not the most visually appealing player
-Basic interface
-In hold mode volume buttons can be used for previous/next

Final thoughts: This player is perfect for those who buy their own headphones. You'd be wasting your time with regular in ear headphones. Personally I use Sennheiser PX-100's on the go and HD220's at home. While it won't drive super high end headphones it will power more than most.

The sound is amazing, and it's very slick to look at. I chose it based on reviews that rate this player best in audio (after creative zen which seems to break easily), and I just love it. It's very cute and compact, and all my gadget-geek friends are ready to fling their new iPods out the window when they see it. It's awsome. I love that it mounts on the computer like a regular hard drive, making file management very easy. Also comes with a great utility for compressing audio to loseless formats. (Recommend AviDemux for the video, though.) Has a handy stylus pen that doubles as a kick-stand for the player, which is a nice touch. Has an equalizer utility, and other audio settings, also has a text reader and notepad with you can draw or write on. Radio sounds fantastic, too. I recommend the Cowon leather case to protect it, because it closes right over the screen with a magnetic catch, and also get the D2 JAVOScreen 2 Ultra Clear screen protector. Also recommend Sennheiser cx500 earphones.

Aug 2009 - Have to update this to note that after 5 1/2 months the touchscreen just stopped responding. That was disappointing. Cowon was however easy to reach online via live chat, issued an RMA promptly and within two weeks had reviewed the device and shipped a new one. They claim it's not a common problem, but who knows. Still love the player but would take it the rating down a little for this reliability issue. My previous player had lasted 4 1/2 years with 0 hardware problems.

**************
The Cowon D2 16G is a pleasant surprise, not without some small negatives, depending on what is important to you in a music/video player.

To put my review in proper context: I use the player mostly in one place, so I am not concerned with "mobility" issues such as being able to control the player by touch while walking, running, etc. My priorities are quality audio and stable firmware. Video and other functionality is secondary. I have been using the player for about 2 months.

Unlike the new S9, which costs about 33% more, everything you need to charge and begin using the D2 is included in the box.

The size of the player is to me ideal. I feared it would be too small but it fits nicely in the palm of the hand - too large to misplace easily, not too large to just keep in a pocket. The feel is relatively substantial, not cheap or "plastic." A stylus is included for the touch screen but it's been easy to just use my finger. The screen wipes clean easily when necessary.

No freezes, reboots, or other firmware malfunctions have occurred.

Sound quality is, as advertised, extremely good. I use Bose noise-cancelling headphones nearly all the time, even when the noise cancellation is not required, because I enjoy the sound quality. With the Cowon, I have noticed increased detail in much of the music I've played so far as compared with prior devices I have used and am enjoying the music much more. Music clarity and enjoyment is great at what I would consider low volume, though I have noticed no deterioration in quality when I've pushed the player to much higher volumes. The flexibility to adjust the sound using EQ, BBE, and some other tweaks is a great addition and allows one great flexibility to match one's individual listening preference. In short the audio quality and features are worth the price of this player.

The video quality is outstanding and the screen is surprisingly easy to watch, but there does not seem to be too much in the way of Cowon-ready legal video available. The included desktop software will allow conversion of video files you do have to a format playable on the D2 and is very easy to use.

The interface is a little clunky and one has to learn it by trial and error as there is no real helpful manual (there are a couple of forum sites available where you can find tips). This is a negative, small for me but possibly more meaningful to others. Navigation is not too difficult but frankly was easier on a prior player I had used which was several years old. There are also some weird quirks that I have not solved. Ex, 1) a random album that plays in the correct order on other players will not play in the same correct order on the D2. 2) Songs that seem on my desktop or other players to be properly identified by song title may be listed as only "Track xx" ("xx" = a number) on the D2. Upon playing the song the proper info, album art, etc. is visible. 3) The player won't play an album such as "Dark Side of the Moon" where tracks blend into each other without a space between the tracks (my prior player could handle that easily). 4) If you have navigated to a track you don't seem to be able to get detail on that track without playing it. 5) No ability to set up playlists other than the Dynamic Playlist (DPL) on the player (that's one playlist). The DPL function works fine but many people might miss the ability to set up their own multiple playlists.

The desktop SW, except for video file conversion, is not useful to me.

A final plus is that the device is easily recognized as an external storage device by my PC. This allows drag and drop functionality through Windows Explorer. This also allows perhaps a way around the playlist issue by allowing one to create a folder of songs which can then be selected on the player.

I recommend a protective cover. I purchased the form-fitting leather cover for around $20 from Cowon (JetAudio). I am a fan of these types of cases for electronic devices and it offers excellent protection and access to all features.

I would buy this player again as it delivered what I had hoped for - great audio quality and (despite the minor issues I noted) fairly trouble-free use. At $160-$170 on Amazon it's a great value.

There's not a better mp3 player on the market. It has great sound, long battery life and will easily drive my high-end headphones without any extra boost to amplification.

Some people have complained of database corruption, but that problem has been solved with the latest firmware, readily available online and no trouble to update, if you you don't get the latest firmware when you buy it. My Cowon has 16gb onboard, and I have a 32gb SDHC card, plus two 16gb cards for extra storage. (The only limit on a single card is 4000 files and folders per card.) That is a huge amount of music, and I can listen for days without having to recharge.

I can't comment about video because I only use it for mp3s of classical music. I am very happy with my purchase and can recommend it without hesitation.

I am very pleased with the Cowon iAudio D2 player.

The sound is terrific - the best of any MP3 player I've tried. And it plays a great variety of formats, from MP3 to WAV. With a good pair of headphones, tunes can sound better than on most stereos. I'm impressed with the clarity and accuracy of the sound.

The video capabilities seem to be the equal of any good MP3 player with video. Playing a movie ripped from a DVD at high quality settings is an immersive experience, although dark scenes or those demanding visual detail can be frustrating to watch - which would be true with any other similarly sized device.

The controls and the touch-screen interface are awkward, although quickly learned. This is the only place the D2 falls down. I'd prefer more physical buttons for control rather than the screen. And the screen interface could stand significant improvement for ease of use.

Highly recommended, unless the controls mean more to you than the sound and video capabilities. In that case, get an iPod. Otherwise, you can't go wrong with this product.