Customer Reviews

Macvision MA823T-5SB Blue 512MB MP3 Player

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I wanted something small which could accompany me to the gym and keep me moving. And that's just what I got. Due to "sticky fingers" at the gym I did not want to spend too much $$$ on it, and the price on the MacVision was reasonable. I do regret not getting one with larger storage capasity, because by the time I figured out how to download music files it was so much fun that I didn't want to stop! Downloading is easy, by the way: store the files you want in your Music Folder on your PC, plug in the MacVision with the USB Cable that came with it, and juice it up.

I was vaguely familiar with the iPod, on which you can scroll to and from different folders to find the type of music you want. The MacVision does not have this feature, but that was solved easily by making separate folders for different music types in the PC Music Folder; the music files will then play in sequence.

I have not fully explored the instruction manual or had a chance to figure out all the different features this player comes with. I was only able to pick up 2 radio stations, but as I'm using it primarily to play my stored files that is not a big issue. The player is a bit bigger than a lighter, so it's very light and portable; I have attached it to a "hook" so that I can clip it on to my clothing. I did not care much for the headphones or "necktie" it came with; I use my Sony headset for better sound. It's probably a good thing, and might help prevent hearing loss, but even on maximum volume it is not very loud. Navigating the menues and options is a bit confusing, but as previously mentioned I need to study the manual. The buttons are tiny, but not causing problems. Battery life is good (Uses 1 AAA, which lasted over two weeks with a hour worth or so of daily use)

Conclusion: for little money I got what I wanted, not more, and not less. I'm holding back a star because it doesn't feel like a 5 Star...

PROS: Cheap price.

Does exactly what it says it will do.

Can download music very fast using drag-n-drop.

Very small and lightweight.

Good sound quality.

CONS: User manual is very poorly written and confusing.

Ear buds are uncomfortable.

Overall, the most bang for the buck of any player I've ever owned.

Over all not a bad MP3 player. Unit was purchase for a ten year old who enjoys it. Low cost and functions had me sold, sound quality is not bad. Need to replace headphones.

While the player itself is easy to use and works well, the earbuds that came with it are garbage. One set quit working after 3 days and within a week the other set fell apart.

Just got the unit and what a nightmare?!I own Zen Touch from Creative Labs and I've been very happy with it!I decided to buy this,relatively cheap unit for my son.

To cut the story short,here are the pros and cons:

pros:

-small and light weight

and that about sums it up

cons:

-no support(updates for firmware)-company changed name to NEXTAR

-USB 2.0 connection misaligned-hard to plug the cord in

-as soon as you put the battery in,it says "starting..." and either something happens,after awile or nothing happens at all?!

-if you have some other mp3 player software on your computer,it will not install it's own until you remove the other one

-very slow transfer of songs(using Windows Media Player);note:you could do drag and drop-it's faster,but complicated for those who are not computer inclined(there is instruction available)

...there is more to it,but not worth the time!

My advice,avoid this manufacturer,unless you want hassles!

If you are wondering how a 512mb MP3 player could be so inexpensive, the answer is obvious. This player isn't worth the money. Within 48 hours of delivery, the MP3 function stopped working. Files could be copied to and deleted from the flash drive, but whenever I attempted to play an MP3 the player would lock-up and shut down. The FM radio continued to work fine, but not the MP3 player. The MacVision website offers no support help whatsoever. No firmware upgrades, no knowledgebase articles, nothing. There was a link to send an email for support. This generates an automatic reply email stating that for support issues you should consult their website. After two weeks I still hadn't got any kind of reply, so I called their toll-free number. All requests for phone support are dumped into a voicemail box, where the greeting suggests that you check their website for support tips. The greeting also says if you received a defective unit you should leave a detailed message and someone will get back to you (and of course I left a detailed message). After another two weeks with no response I gave up hope and called the 3rd party that Amazon uses to issue extended warranties on electronic devices (I had bought the extended warranty for $6.00). This proved to be useless as well, as they insisted that they would only honor the extended warranty after the initial year of warranty offered by MacVision had expired. Eventually I got Amazon to agree to a refund. So, at least I didn't loose any money, just lots of time and frustration. To make a long story longer, don't waste your money. Spend a few dollars more and buy an established brand with real support. (Aside from the device failure and non-existant support, the device isn't designed very well. The on-screen menu is nearly impossible to read (terrible backlight) and difficult to navigate. The rocker switch that is used for menu navigation and playback control is tiny and prone to mis-keys. A real pain in the arse).

Wow!! Record your own, listen to the radio, store file. What a great little device. Love it!!