Brand NameiRiver
Number of Items1
Remote Control DescriptionRemote control
Product Specifications
Technical Details
- Digital music player/recorder with a 1.8-inch, 20 GB hard drive for more than 330 hours of audio (128 kbps)
- Compatible with MP3/WMA audio files, JPEG image files, and even TXT documents for light reading
- 1.8-inch full-color TFT LCD supports up to 260,000 colors, rendering your favorite digital photos with breathtaking clarity
- Integrated Microsoft Windows Media Player 10 simplifies media management
- Internal battery gives you about 16 hours of continuous playback between charges
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
Amazon.com Product Description
The iRiver 20 GB model H10 is the perfect portable digital player/recorder for true music and audio enthusiasts. Hardly bigger than a deck of cards, its 1.8-inch hard drive has space for over 5,000 songs (128 kbps MP3, 4 minutes per song) or more than 330 hours of music. Yet the whole player measures just 2.4 x 4 inches (W x H) and less than an inch deep. Sensibly arranged controls--including an intuitive central touchpad--make it child's play to setup and use, and an internal battery delivers up to 16 hours of non-stop music between charges.
But the H10 is about more than just music. It comes complete with a brilliant, full-color 1.8-inch TFT LCD that supports up to 260,000 colors, rendering your favorite JPEG digital photos with breathtaking clarity. (Yep, it does slide shows, too.) What's more, an integrated text viewer lets you lose yourself in paperless novels, news, essays, short stories--you name it.
A built-in microphone facilitates use as a voice recorder, with 3 quality settings to choose from. The unit also features a built-in FM tuner with a choice of automatic and manual channel-search functions, including 20 station presets for one-touch tuning to your favorites, especially handy for traffic and news updates when you're out and about. An antenna built into the supplied headset ensures crystal-clear sound quality, and a timer lets you set the H10 to record radio programs with real-time MP3 encoding at specific times of your choosing.
The H10 is PlaysForSure compatible and fully integrated with Microsoft Windows Media Player 10, which makes it even easier to enjoy your digital media. In addition to a range of options for managing digital content, you'll enjoy fast access to the H10's "digital media hall," where you can scavenge the virtual shelves of numerous online shops (including Napster To Go) in search of cool songs old and new. With the player/recorder connected to your PC, you'll be able to purchase and download songs straight into the H10. An auto-sync function synchronizes music and image files on the H10 with those stored on your PC, just like a PDA.
Icing on the cake, the H10 also a guaranteed head turner with a high-grade aluminum casing whose purist elegance is as pleasing to the eye as the touch.
What's in the Box
Digital music player/recorder, stereo earphones, a carrying case with belt clip, a USB 2.0 interface cable, an installation CD, an AC adapter, a user's manual, and warranty information.
Product Description
iRiver's H10 20GB Digital Audio Player is a portable hard drive and digital media player in one. This sleek device feature 20GB of storage space, for all your favorite songs or important images. Transfer your data more easily with the super-fast USB 2.0 interface, and preview photos and text on the bright 1.8-inch screen. The ultra-intuitive interface and convenient touch strip let you access your files just by pushing a button. PlaysForSure - lets you know what digital content online will work with the H10. Just look for the PlaysForSure logo on the digital music website Rechargeable, internal Battery that lasts up to 12 hours Touch Strip Interface USB 2.0 Connection Dimensions - 4 x 2.4 x 0.86 Color - Trance Red
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
120 of 121 people found the following review helpful
I purchased the iriver H10 20GB (Blue) about three weeks ago after saving and researching for about 6 months. In summary, I have been very happy with the player and would definitely buy it again.
The Good
The sound quality is very good. The included ear buds are fine (I'm not a fan of ear buds in general), but the source is clean and accurate and you can spend as much or as little on after-market headphones as you like. There is a lot of control over the EQ.
Virtually all of my music is in Variable Bit Rate MP3 format. The H10 supports MP3 and the Microsoft format (WMF). I don't use iTunes (ACC) or Audible so lack of support for those formats is not an issue for me.
The form factor is nice. It's about the same size as a deck of cards and fairly light. It fits in my hand or a pocket easily.
The user interface works well with either one or two hands. The controls are simple, intuitive and make sense. (I recommend you read the short manual or it might take you a while to stumble onto some of the more subtle features.) The thumb slider works well, even with a large list to scroll through-when your thumb hits the end of the slider, the display keeps scrolling. Using the slider to control volume rather than a physical knob or wheel is a good idea.
One of my main reasons for picking the H10 was the FM tuner. I like to listen to National Public Radio and other local stations. The tuner has good reception and it is easy to program stations as presets. I have used the ability to record an FM transmission a few times already.
The color display is bright and clear. The screen layouts make sense and have useful information. I don't have a reason to use the player to display pictures (other than when showing off the player), but it does have this ability.
I had no problems getting Windows XP to recognize the player-it shows up as a USB drive. Data transfer rates have been good for a USB device. I've loaded my entire library several times as I've played with different software besides Windows Media Player. It takes about an hour and a half to transfer 12GB.
Some reviewers have complained that the player locks up when they used Windows to browse the player's hard drive. It does take a while to display the contents of folders on the player, but I haven't had the player or Windows actually lock up.
The battery life has been good. I've taken it on a couple of multi-day trips and haven't run it down completely.
The OK
The player is designed to work with Microsoft Windows Media Player 10 (included on CD with the player). WMP does all of the basic things you want: rip, organize, update ID3 tags, build playlists, sync with the player. Of course it takes Microsoft's typical "software for dummies" approach-it doesn't do any of the things as well as some other programs and you can't change the way it behaves, where it stores your music files, etc. ("Sorry ma'am, but you don't need to know the bit rate we're using to encode your music. Move along now...") But, if you are willing to be assimilated (resistance is futile!), it can manage your music collection and player adequately.
Fortunately, because you can copy the music files directly to the player using Windows, you can use any software you wish. I like to use FreeRIP to create the mp3 files-it works very well, queries freedb so you don't have to type in any information, supports variable bit rate encoding, and is free.
To use the player with a lot of content, having clean ID3 tags is critical. ID3 tags store the information about the music file (artist, album, title, genre, etc.) in the MP3 file. I tried Windows Media Player, but again ended up using a different free program (MP3Tag) that worked better, especially when cleaning up hundred of files at a time.
Some reviewers have complained that the player will not play songs in the order that they were on the album. Remember that the players has only the information in the ID3 tags and the file names to work with. It doesn't seem to use the "Track" tag, but you can get it to play in album order if you include the track number in the file name and play songs in alphabetic order. For example, I name my music files "Artist - Album - Track# - SongTitle.mp3." 99% of the time I have the player on random shuffle.
I'm still looking for a program that can make it easier to sync the player and manage playlists.
I don't expect the software to be an issue for the typical owner-I tend to be very particular.
I suppose the support for text files is useful, if you wanted to keep some reference files on the device. I've read novels on a Palm Pilot, so I'm not opposed to using a small device for reading, but electronic devices have a long way to go to before they can match the performance and convenience of paper for pleasure reading.
Some reviewers have mentioned having to upgrade the firmware and having to remove the battery to reset the player. The H10 20GB does not have a firmware upgrade release yet, and it resets very easily by pressing a small recessed button with a paper clip. I have had to reset the player a couple of times, but it reboots quickly and this hasn't been a big deal.
The Bad
Bad is relative. Nothing I've encountered with the player is truly "bad."
Probably my worst complaint is that there is a brittle-sounding click in the headphones as the player changes songs. I don't really notice it any more, but at first it was annoying.
I like to listen to longer material, audio books and old radio programs, and fast-forwarding to a mid-point to resume listening can take a while, even with the scan rate set to max (6x). A progressive scan (longer you hold it down, the faster it goes) would be more effective and intuitive.
The player comes with a white translucent silicone protective cover. It has a belt clip and is soft and does a good job of protecting the player, even if it is not the most attractive thing I've seen. I've listed it under the Bad category because it also makes it difficult to feel the Prev Track/Play/Next Track buttons through the silicone.
I haven't had to call iriver for support yet, but have no illusions about the quality of live support that will be available. Unfortunately, no one provides good customer support. Best we can hope for is a device that is made well enough that the need for support is rare. So far, the H10 20GB seems to fall into this category.
Because the player is designed to be a copy of your master library, there's no obvious way to delete files (even ones you've recorded using the player's FM tuner) using the player's interface. You have to connect it to your computer for this.
There's also no obvious way to figure out how much disk space is left on the player, either from the player or from Windows. As a work-around, I add up the size of the various media directory trees on my computer to estimate how much space is left.
I'm hoping both of these are addressed by firmware upgrades.
Oh.. and I wish I had gotten red.
The Good
The sound quality is very good. The included ear buds are fine (I'm not a fan of ear buds in general), but the source is clean and accurate and you can spend as much or as little on after-market headphones as you like. There is a lot of control over the EQ.
Virtually all of my music is in Variable Bit Rate MP3 format. The H10 supports MP3 and the Microsoft format (WMF). I don't use iTunes (ACC) or Audible so lack of support for those formats is not an issue for me.
The form factor is nice. It's about the same size as a deck of cards and fairly light. It fits in my hand or a pocket easily.
The user interface works well with either one or two hands. The controls are simple, intuitive and make sense. (I recommend you read the short manual or it might take you a while to stumble onto some of the more subtle features.) The thumb slider works well, even with a large list to scroll through-when your thumb hits the end of the slider, the display keeps scrolling. Using the slider to control volume rather than a physical knob or wheel is a good idea.
One of my main reasons for picking the H10 was the FM tuner. I like to listen to National Public Radio and other local stations. The tuner has good reception and it is easy to program stations as presets. I have used the ability to record an FM transmission a few times already.
The color display is bright and clear. The screen layouts make sense and have useful information. I don't have a reason to use the player to display pictures (other than when showing off the player), but it does have this ability.
I had no problems getting Windows XP to recognize the player-it shows up as a USB drive. Data transfer rates have been good for a USB device. I've loaded my entire library several times as I've played with different software besides Windows Media Player. It takes about an hour and a half to transfer 12GB.
Some reviewers have complained that the player locks up when they used Windows to browse the player's hard drive. It does take a while to display the contents of folders on the player, but I haven't had the player or Windows actually lock up.
The battery life has been good. I've taken it on a couple of multi-day trips and haven't run it down completely.
The OK
The player is designed to work with Microsoft Windows Media Player 10 (included on CD with the player). WMP does all of the basic things you want: rip, organize, update ID3 tags, build playlists, sync with the player. Of course it takes Microsoft's typical "software for dummies" approach-it doesn't do any of the things as well as some other programs and you can't change the way it behaves, where it stores your music files, etc. ("Sorry ma'am, but you don't need to know the bit rate we're using to encode your music. Move along now...") But, if you are willing to be assimilated (resistance is futile!), it can manage your music collection and player adequately.
Fortunately, because you can copy the music files directly to the player using Windows, you can use any software you wish. I like to use FreeRIP to create the mp3 files-it works very well, queries freedb so you don't have to type in any information, supports variable bit rate encoding, and is free.
To use the player with a lot of content, having clean ID3 tags is critical. ID3 tags store the information about the music file (artist, album, title, genre, etc.) in the MP3 file. I tried Windows Media Player, but again ended up using a different free program (MP3Tag) that worked better, especially when cleaning up hundred of files at a time.
Some reviewers have complained that the player will not play songs in the order that they were on the album. Remember that the players has only the information in the ID3 tags and the file names to work with. It doesn't seem to use the "Track" tag, but you can get it to play in album order if you include the track number in the file name and play songs in alphabetic order. For example, I name my music files "Artist - Album - Track# - SongTitle.mp3." 99% of the time I have the player on random shuffle.
I'm still looking for a program that can make it easier to sync the player and manage playlists.
I don't expect the software to be an issue for the typical owner-I tend to be very particular.
I suppose the support for text files is useful, if you wanted to keep some reference files on the device. I've read novels on a Palm Pilot, so I'm not opposed to using a small device for reading, but electronic devices have a long way to go to before they can match the performance and convenience of paper for pleasure reading.
Some reviewers have mentioned having to upgrade the firmware and having to remove the battery to reset the player. The H10 20GB does not have a firmware upgrade release yet, and it resets very easily by pressing a small recessed button with a paper clip. I have had to reset the player a couple of times, but it reboots quickly and this hasn't been a big deal.
The Bad
Bad is relative. Nothing I've encountered with the player is truly "bad."
Probably my worst complaint is that there is a brittle-sounding click in the headphones as the player changes songs. I don't really notice it any more, but at first it was annoying.
I like to listen to longer material, audio books and old radio programs, and fast-forwarding to a mid-point to resume listening can take a while, even with the scan rate set to max (6x). A progressive scan (longer you hold it down, the faster it goes) would be more effective and intuitive.
The player comes with a white translucent silicone protective cover. It has a belt clip and is soft and does a good job of protecting the player, even if it is not the most attractive thing I've seen. I've listed it under the Bad category because it also makes it difficult to feel the Prev Track/Play/Next Track buttons through the silicone.
I haven't had to call iriver for support yet, but have no illusions about the quality of live support that will be available. Unfortunately, no one provides good customer support. Best we can hope for is a device that is made well enough that the need for support is rare. So far, the H10 20GB seems to fall into this category.
Because the player is designed to be a copy of your master library, there's no obvious way to delete files (even ones you've recorded using the player's FM tuner) using the player's interface. You have to connect it to your computer for this.
There's also no obvious way to figure out how much disk space is left on the player, either from the player or from Windows. As a work-around, I add up the size of the various media directory trees on my computer to estimate how much space is left.
I'm hoping both of these are addressed by firmware upgrades.
Oh.. and I wish I had gotten red.
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
I bought the iRiver H20 a month or so ago, so that I'd have something to keep me occupied between classes (other than studying Calculus - who goes to college and actually studies?). I'm quite amazed with the amount of abuse that the H20 has withstood thus far. Every day, it gets tossed into my duffle bag along with a couple textbooks, my lunch (which is somehow always damp by the time I get to it), a binder, and various pointy objects. When I'm at home, I use it whenever I'm washing dishes, lifting weights, and doing just about anything else. Thus far, the screen hasn't scratched, the translucent rubber sleeve that comes packaged with the iRiver hasn't torn or allowed the shiny red exterior to get scratched, the moisture from my aformentioned damp lunch and from washing dishes hasn't killed it, and even the jarring from being inside my duffle bag doesn't seem to have affected it.
For anyone that has even the slightest idea how to use a computer, the iRiver should be a snap to use. The iRiver does come with a cd that contains Windows Media Player 10 - and it can come in handy . . . sometimes. But, the easiest way to manage your mp3 collection is the simple, older-than-dirt, drag-and-drop method. You can create folders and subfolders directly, so you'll know exactly where your music is if you decide to pick a song by browsing the folders instead of picking an artist. If you have USB 2.0 and a computer with a sufficient amount of RAM, then you shouldn't have any problems putting files onto, and removing them from your iRiver. One thing to mention, is once you select a file or group of files to add\remove from your iRiver, wait until the selected action has completed before attempting another. If you start one action and then try to start another while the other is still in progress, the later action takes precedent and your computer really begins to lag while it holds the first action on the backburner. This isn't the fault of the iRiver, but there is only a set amount of bandwidth that your USB ports can handle. But just like with any product, you learn how to use it to its peak efficiency so that you get the most out of it and don't waste precious time.
Basically the only thing that comes with your iRiver other than the disk with WMP10 and the rubber sleeve for your iRiver, is the power cable and the USB connector. Although these are in reality two different cables, you must connect them together in order to recharge your iRiver. The cable that connects your iRiver to your USB port can be used independently. The power cable hooks into the USB cable. From past reviews, you may have heard that the power cable doesn't want to stay connected unless you go to extreme measures (like "taping the cables together"). I'm not sure where the person who said that got it. It's possible he got a defective one, because mine seems to work just fine. The power cable stays hooked into other cable without a problem. The iRiver also fully recharges (from a dead battery) in right around 4 hours (give or take). Don't expect to receive your iRiver with a full battery. Mine came with about 25 minutes of battery life when I took it out of the box.
All in all, H20 is quite a machine. I've found it to be reliable, and well worth the $270 I paid for it.
*whispers* get the red one . . .
For anyone that has even the slightest idea how to use a computer, the iRiver should be a snap to use. The iRiver does come with a cd that contains Windows Media Player 10 - and it can come in handy . . . sometimes. But, the easiest way to manage your mp3 collection is the simple, older-than-dirt, drag-and-drop method. You can create folders and subfolders directly, so you'll know exactly where your music is if you decide to pick a song by browsing the folders instead of picking an artist. If you have USB 2.0 and a computer with a sufficient amount of RAM, then you shouldn't have any problems putting files onto, and removing them from your iRiver. One thing to mention, is once you select a file or group of files to add\remove from your iRiver, wait until the selected action has completed before attempting another. If you start one action and then try to start another while the other is still in progress, the later action takes precedent and your computer really begins to lag while it holds the first action on the backburner. This isn't the fault of the iRiver, but there is only a set amount of bandwidth that your USB ports can handle. But just like with any product, you learn how to use it to its peak efficiency so that you get the most out of it and don't waste precious time.
Basically the only thing that comes with your iRiver other than the disk with WMP10 and the rubber sleeve for your iRiver, is the power cable and the USB connector. Although these are in reality two different cables, you must connect them together in order to recharge your iRiver. The cable that connects your iRiver to your USB port can be used independently. The power cable hooks into the USB cable. From past reviews, you may have heard that the power cable doesn't want to stay connected unless you go to extreme measures (like "taping the cables together"). I'm not sure where the person who said that got it. It's possible he got a defective one, because mine seems to work just fine. The power cable stays hooked into other cable without a problem. The iRiver also fully recharges (from a dead battery) in right around 4 hours (give or take). Don't expect to receive your iRiver with a full battery. Mine came with about 25 minutes of battery life when I took it out of the box.
All in all, H20 is quite a machine. I've found it to be reliable, and well worth the $270 I paid for it.
*whispers* get the red one . . .
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Let me point out at the outset that I have been a dedicated iPod user (most recently a 6gb Mini) for the last two years and have grown to love both the iPod and the iTunes software. Both are elegantly designed and easy to use. I bought the iRiver H10 20 GB player in order to try out the Yahoo!Music subscription service. So far (about two weeks) I have been very pleased with both. The H10 is very solid and has excellent build quality. All controls are placed logically and work smoothly. A minor complaint is that the control lock switch at the top of the machine feels a bit flimsy, but otherwise the unit is very well made. I also like the color screen a great deal and find the display to be clear, bright and easy to read. It is hard to go back to the black and white screen of the iPod.
Despite the reviews which have appeared elsewhere, I have found the menus to be logical and easy to navigate. I have no complaints in this regard, although others have been critical of the fact that there is no way to create a playlist "on the go", but since I never use this feature on my iPod anyway I don't miss it.
Of course the most important aspect of any audio device is how it sounds and in this respect the iRiver does not disappoint. It is, in a word, terrific and exceeds that of the iPod in my opinion, especially when compared with the Mini.
My major disappointment with this player is the use of Windows Media Player as the interface. iTunes is just so much better, but that's the subject of a different review. Fortunately I have found that it is easier for me to use the Yahoo!Music Engine to manage my machine instead. It will perform all necessary functions while allowing you to access and transfer subscription tracks. It will also show exactly how much disc space you've used on your player and how much is left. The service is wonderful by the way, but that too is the subject of another review.
I have experienced none of the other problems mentioned by others in this space. My computers always recognize my player and synchronizing it has never been an issue. I would rate the battery life as very good to excellent.
All in all this is a very well made piece of equipment with excellent sound quality which allows you to access suscription music. It represents a very viable option to the iPod.
Despite the reviews which have appeared elsewhere, I have found the menus to be logical and easy to navigate. I have no complaints in this regard, although others have been critical of the fact that there is no way to create a playlist "on the go", but since I never use this feature on my iPod anyway I don't miss it.
Of course the most important aspect of any audio device is how it sounds and in this respect the iRiver does not disappoint. It is, in a word, terrific and exceeds that of the iPod in my opinion, especially when compared with the Mini.
My major disappointment with this player is the use of Windows Media Player as the interface. iTunes is just so much better, but that's the subject of a different review. Fortunately I have found that it is easier for me to use the Yahoo!Music Engine to manage my machine instead. It will perform all necessary functions while allowing you to access and transfer subscription tracks. It will also show exactly how much disc space you've used on your player and how much is left. The service is wonderful by the way, but that too is the subject of another review.
I have experienced none of the other problems mentioned by others in this space. My computers always recognize my player and synchronizing it has never been an issue. I would rate the battery life as very good to excellent.
All in all this is a very well made piece of equipment with excellent sound quality which allows you to access suscription music. It represents a very viable option to the iPod.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
ok at first
I first bought this mp3 player because it was cheaper than an ipod for the same size capacity.After 2yrs. it may be time to buy a new mp3 player. Read more
Published on August 7, 2008 by Vexed Dad
6 total iRivers
I have owned a total of six iRiver's over the years. My first is a 40GB unit that has been going strong for over four years. Read more
Published on August 24, 2007 by Palm Trees
What an expensive mistake.
I bought an iriver H10 20GB in Nov 2005. It froze up and required resetting within the first week. I returned it only to receive another one just like it the next month. Read more
Published on June 11, 2007 by Erin K. D. Carter
TERRIBLE- DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!
In October 2006 my Iriver H10 died a couple of days before my warranty expired. I contacted Iriver about it and did not get ANY technical support whatsoever. Read more
Published on February 19, 2007 by Nicole Zuber
Just what we needed.
This player/recorder, which was purchased for my wife, works exactly as advertised. My old player is starting to die, so I will probably buy another one of these units.
Published on February 12, 2007 by J. Burnie
is iriver still in business?
Regretfully, I bought an H10 20GB some time ago. Within the first couple months it died so I call iriver and made arrangements to send it back. Read more
Published on February 9, 2007 by Billy Madison
Don't waste your money!!
I am the unhappy owner of several H10's and initially there were no problems, but the closer they got to the end of the one-year warranty, the more problems they all started... Read more
Published on January 31, 2007 by Jean Miller
Best buy!
This product is excellent for the price. The software is standard Windows media player. I used the latest media player without any problem. Read more
Published on January 18, 2007 by Hoang Dang
I Rivera
Good bang for the buck! So far pretty good at doing what I wanted. Hooked it up to my old auto cassette player with one of those cheap adapters and walla: tons of music to enjoy. Read more
Published on January 17, 2007 by Diego Luis Vega
great mp3 player for a great price
since everyone was getting mp3 players (mainly ipods) i decided to research them and get one. after comparing different brands models etc, i found that ipods are the worst ones. Read more
Published on January 15, 2007 by Scott
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
