Customer Reviews

Digitalway MPIO DMK 256 MB MP3 Player

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(19)

 

 

The MPIO DMK mp3 player is a great little device that is endowed with a 128 megabytes of internal memory, which quite surpasses the 32 megabytes that I was used to in my old Nike mp3 player. Before actually purchasing this, I researched many other MPIO models and many other brands as well. Of the countless number of players that are for sale on the net, ... MPIO, to me, was the oustanding company in value, appearance, and performance. Compared to many America-based companies, such as Rio and Creative Labs, MPIO, a Korean company, definitely designed their models with a touch of pizazz that lacked in many mp3 players that you see in stores. Furthermore, most of their players were equipped with 128 megabytes at the same price of other 64 megabyte players! This was indeed a steal.
After narrowing my choice to MPIO, I decided to choose which mp3 player would be the best for me. Of their wide variety of players, the three top models, without a doubt, would be the FL100, FD100, and the DMK. Take a look at each of their specs and their prices and you will see that they are all quite top-of-the-line. The strengths of the FD and FL models, which are nearly identical except for their appearance and that the FD model has a cool remote, are their voice recording cababilities, fm radio, memory upgradability, and large LCD screen. THe strengths of the DMK are its miniscule size and weight (21 grams!!!) , its unique pendant-style earphones that prevent the all-too-common tearing of wires from wear and tear, and the cool blue-purple lcd display. (i have never seen such a unique color) The cons, because I won't call them weaknesses, is that the FD and FL players are bit more expensive even though the onboard memory is the same. The FD model is a bit bulky and was too reminiscent of my minidisc player, but if you care about battery life (which many do), it has an amazing capacity to play for over 20 hrs on one AA batter!!. The FL model was quite attractive and had a sleek look to it, but no remote like the FD. The cons of the DMK are that it cannot upgrade its memory and the lack of a FM radio. ALso, its battery life is not as long as the other two (about 10-13 hrs on a AAA battery).
However, after long consideration, I decided to purchase, yes, the MPIO DMK player because of it's distinct look, the cool color of the player itself and the lcd, its small size, and its arm band (which comes with some i believe). So, I placed an order and eagerly awaited my package. When I got the player, I was extremely satisfied because it was what I expected it to be. The case that it comes with is translucent plastic, and the arm band is firm and sturdy. The MPIO manager was also very easy to use and transferring files was fast and effortless. The player's buttons were efficient and simple, and the player had many equalizer modes and play modes (repeat , repeat all, shuffle, intro). Moreover, you can even adjust the duration of the lcd's light. (0-30 seconds) All in all, this was probably the best mp3 player you could get for your buck. But here comes the one major flaw that I did not expect from the DMK.
IT CANNOT PLAY WMA format!!!! Even though I perused the details of many auctions and of the manufacturer's website, I saw that they were never clear about the formats the DMK could play. One auction on ebay said it could play mp3 and wma, but he was wrong!! Thus, I was very disappointed when I found this out because WMA allows you to put nearly twice the number of file into your player than large-sized mp3s can. After some frustation and tinkering with transferring wmas, I had to admit that this player will never play WMA. If I had known this vice of the DMK, I would have preferred the FL100 over it. So, as a word of warning, do not get this player if you expect it to play WMA format files for it only plays mp3s. But do get it if you want a mp3 player that is different from everyone elses, has a cool screen, and is very james bond-ish in style. Hopefully, I'll be able to get the FL model some other day.

Thanks for reading and pick up a MPIO branded player!

I bought my MPIO yesterday and couldn't be happier with it. However, thanks to the above reviews, I was under the impression that I wouldn't be able to listen to any WMA files with my new MPIO. THIS IS NOT TRUE.

First, using the CD-ROM enclosed with your MPIO, you must select the "Install Windows Media Plugin" from the main menu. If you install this plugin, you will not need to install MPIO Manager 2.0.

Next, once you have connected your MPIO to your PC through the included USB cable, enter Windows Media Player and select the action "Copy to CD or Device" (This feature is on Windows XP, I assume it's included with older versions of WMP). You then have the option of selecting a drive to copy the MP3 and WMA files to. Usually this will be a CD burner. Simply change it (using the dropdown menu) to "Internal Memory"... it should have the MPIO logo beside it. Then click "Copy" and you are able to download WMA files to your MPIO.

Just thought I'd clear up the misunderstanding regarding WMA files on the MPIO.

KM

I'm brand new to the world of transferring music to the computer and not especially computer-savvy, but I just got this player yesterday and within 2 hours had loaded the software and filled it up with songs from 6 CDs. As others have said, the interface for the installation software is confusing (and if you only have internal speakers, you should turn them off before loading the software as an annoying percussion sound plays constantly and it, combined with the confusing interface, can start stressing you out.) But if you just click on everything that shows up as you roll the cursor around, you can easily load the MPIO software and RealOne and be all set to go.

The player itself is much smaller and lighter than I expected, and the necklace-type holder with attached ear buds is perfect for use on an airplane or the subway (which is how I plan to use it.) The sound quality is amazing.

I am really looking forward to using this to drown out screaming babies on my Christmas plane ride home!

I really love this player.
It does exactly what it says it does. It is compact and very light. After receiving it I can see why it won design awards. It is a very cool looking unit. All I wanted it for was to listen to my tunes at the gym. I have already used it for other things. I connected it to my BOSE wave radio and the sound was incredible. The ear buds that come with it have a incredible output. The only negative thing I have found was the same as others the length of the ear bud's cord is a little short.
After going to the companys web page I figured out what I was doing wrong in tryig to play WMA and now it does play both MP3 and WMA files. I know the 128 MB does not play the WMA files. I would by this product again. It is great for the gym. It does not have a voice recorder or a fm tuner. I did not buy it wanting those features. Like I said all I wanted to do is listen to music at the gym in something compact and it has already proven that and more. The preset equalizer setting is a nice feature.

I received my player just a few days ago and have enjoyed using it tremendously. Once you load your songs, it's simple to use and the sound is quite good. That being said, actually getting the songs from your computer (or CD, etc.) to the player requires some intuitive computer wizardy. The included manual provides the same amount of assistance in this area as, say, reading the rules of golf will help lower your score. It's just not a useful item. Still, I recommend the player to anyone who is comfortable enough with the idea of an MP3 player - just be prepared to spend 30-45 minutes learning how to navigate. The included software is quite good, and once you get the hang of it, it's very easy. Downloading from the 'net works fine, too. Playback has been great through running, working out, and mountain biking. Finally, I have 42 songs on my playlist, with room for probably another 15-20. Compare that to how many CD's you'd need to carry!

I've had this mp3 player for a year and a half (yes, it's been around for that long!). I did a lot of research before settling on this at the time. I wanted something with enough memory (128m), small and lightweight (for the gym), and looked cool. At the time, I thought this was the best player for what I was looking for. After a year and a half of constant use and after checking out the current crop of players, I still think this is one of the best players for my needs. First of all, the sound quality is more than adequate and it can pump out enough volume to make my ears hurt. The player is generally easy to use (though I think the volume button labels are reversed). For those who workout, there is a lock feature that locks the keys so you can't accidentally change songs, volume, etc. while moving around. The software (upgrades at mpio.com) is easy to use and transfers are fast. What changes would I like? Well, more memory is always better for a mp3 player. It would be nice if it were able to play wma files. (I see there's a new 256m version that plays wma files, too, now.) I didn't care for the necklace headphones but I already had my own headphones so that was a none issue for me. The one thing I wished it had was a belt clip built into the back of the player instead of the separate bulky plastic clip that's included now. But that's really not a big deal because the player is so small and light, I just put it in my pocket. Overall, I have been very pleased with this investment; it sure has made working out much more tolerable.

I purchased this player after a lot of research. I wanted something lightweight for running. This player is great! The sound quality is excellent. I use my own headphones because I do not like earbuds, however, the quality of the earbuds is very good. The belt clip works wonderfully, I have not had a problem. I have not used the armband. I like the player so much I listen to it in my car! I had no trouble with the music software. I was up and running w/ in minutes. I would highly recommend purchasing this product. I have had this player for 7 months and it still works great. The only problem is it does not play WMA files. I did not care about this when I purchased it, everything I downloaded was MP3. However, all I can find now is WMA files.

I bought one of these from another website before Amazon had them. When I got it I thought it seemed a little light. In-other-words it didn't seem to have that "heft" that most electronics have. I've now had this unit for about two to three years and it has been nothing short of perfect. I use it primarily to work out and run and stuff and could not ask for anything better. The new software that you can download for transfering files and stuff is easy and doesn't have a bunch of proprietary stuff with it. Buy a brick of AAA batteries at Costco and just plunk them in and out (this is better than rechargeables trust me). Holds just enough music so that I can mix and match stuff. And it's a great price on Amazon. No problems, light and easy to use. I use a pair of great Sony MDR E888 headphones too and the sound quality is as good as my old Sony SPORT Discman. Just buy it.

I've been using the 256 meg version of the player for over a year now. Its main use for me is when I go to the health club 3 time a week to work out. It hangs from cloth band around my neck which is really convenient. I'm basically happy with it for it performs quite well for its size. However, there are a few details you should consider before to purchase it.
1.
The advertised battery life of 11 hours is a basic lie. I never got more than 6 intermittent hours on a Duracell Ultra AAA battery and since I've installed an additional 256 meg of memory (total memory=512 meg) the battery life is down to about 4 hours. Still,,, this does not bend me out of shape
2.
The software that comes with it (MPIO Manager 2.0) really lacks the control that you need. The playlist feature is next to useless so I choose to upload files directly from their folders without using a playlist.(I, therefore, am not able to reproduce the exact download for future use). Real Player does work with the FL100 on a limited basis. It only recognizes the root directory and will not see any subdirectories. This is not good if you want to pick from the middle of the list of 512 meg of music.
3.
The FL100 a little weak on power/amplification but if you consider its size you probably need to be somewhat forgiving here.
Overall I like the FL100. It serves it purpose well. If anyone knows of some better software that works with the FL100 please drop me a note.

Thanks...

I received this MP3 player for my birthday. It's a great player for those who are content to load your songs on and go. On average, I can get about 30 songs on there of high mp3 quality. The biggest con is that it won't play wma format.

I have been extremely happy with this mp3 player. I wish that I could expand the memory to play more songs, but I usually don't even use all of the memory anyway for a typical amount of listening time.

The battery lasts about 10 hours long, so on long trips I have had to change out batteries. But the sound quality and the size are the best features of this great player. I would recommend this to a friend.