Customer Reviews

iriver H10 5 GB Digital MP3 Player Trace Red

5 star:		(45)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(18)
1 star:		(28)

 

 

I've been looking for a new replacement MP3 player for my Ipod 3G 30 Gig. I was thinking about Ipos Shuffle, Ipod Mini, or Zen Micro (or Zen Micro Color). Then by accident, I stumpled upon Irivier H10. It is very small, stylish, and easy to operate. It's got FM radio, voice/FM recording, color screen (to view pics), and other standard MP3 functions. It's only $30 more than Mini, but has so much more to offer. The sound quality is great (but not w/ the included earpiece) and there are 40 sound presets (including your own setting). In the package, you will also receive a transparent plastic skin. It fits the player perfectly and easy to remove if you choose to. This usually goes for $8+ for ipod, and you get it free. Sure, you can't view those pics on TV like Ipod Photo, but who cares? What's the chance of you carrying a cable w/ you at all times? The battery life is around 12 hours per charge and it is replaceble as well. That means you can buy an extra battery for your long trip to extend the battery life or change it when the battery dies in a year or so. It is a true Ipod Mini killer and I've used 2 Ipods, Sony MP3 player, and a Samsung MP3 players. Strongly recommended!

Edit 1:
*After I went to Apple Store yesterday and played around with Ipod Photo, I'm even more impressed with H10 color screen. On Ipod Photo, you have to view the screen directly (right in front of the screen) in order to see the photo clearly. Otherwise, the photo/lcd will look dim. But, Ipod Photo has faster photo browsing speed. As I said before, viewing photo on mp3 isn't a priority for me and I'm very happy as is right now.
*I haven't have much problem/bug with this machine yet as others have described here. The only thing that I've experienced is that once I connect the player to my PC, I can't see the "remove this external drive icon" in the taskbar after a while. So, I simply unplug the connection cable/usb. Luckily nothing has happened yet.
*Many people asked me about the skin, well, it is just the Ipod skin you buy in Apple store but fits much nicer on the player. I can't stress how nice it fits on H10. For my Ipod, I litterally have to force it onto my ipod (because it sticks to the player so much that the friction is making it hard to do). And yes, it will attracks dirt just like other skins. If you worry about the look of it, don't use it. If you want a good protection for the player on the go, this is a good choice.

Pros: great build, feels nice and solid;
- the touch pad is excellent very precise movement: tapping the top and bottom of the strip or simply holding it down allows excellent precision and accuracy.
- great feedback with the buttons (you don't have to wonder if you pressed a button when it's in your pocket).
- sound quality is excellent volume from 0 - 40. around 20 is already loud enough for me.
- color screen; big pictures will appear blurry, but it's expected with a small screen
- very intuitive controls. the back button always brings you back to the last screen no matter what the last screen is. example: while in the picture browser i wanted to change the song click FF then click back and i'm back in the picture browser.
- excellent shuffle mode algorithm: you will not hear the same song twice as it the player takes the played songs out of the algorithm
- MTP = drag and drop if you prefer it more than windows media player. there is no propietary software (but drag and drop is slower than syncing with WMP. it's still not UMS)
- excellent FM tuner
- battery life is excellent, it actually gets about 12 hours as advertised
- removable battery
- comes with a iskin like case (but the case attracts a lot of dust)

CONS
- IRIVER hurried to release this product; thus, the software isn't complete. there are A LOT OF BUGS. Hopefully, these bugs will be fixed soon with a firmware upgrade. here's some of the bugs
1. some might encounter problems with syncing with wmp i/o error
2. albums on player plays in alphabetical instead of by track number
3. the clock on the player might not work
4. the back light turns on and off randomly in some units.
there are some more bugs... visit www.misticriver.net

- you can rate songs on the player but it doesn't integrate with windows media. so a rating of 5 on a song does not update your library on windows media. the player just put the 5 stars first and 1 star last in a list.
- for some, this might be a con but not for me - once the backlight is off the screen is pitch black, you can't see anything. press any button turns the backlight on then proceed with function. so if you want the player to FF you got to press it twice.
- file browing is slow in browser mode (not the music browser but the file browser the music browser by artist, title.... is nice and fast)
- horrible tech support. expect long wait time. (called around 4:30 ish, never answered...finally at about 5:05 got a voice mail saying their hours are from XXXX to 5:00pm)

conclusion. i'm giving a 3 star because at $280 there are simply too many bugs with the player right now; with time IRIVER will release upgrades to fix these issues because it's their new flagship model. the functions and features of the player beats any player out there within the same price range. be patient with this player, it will be an excellent product if IRiver fix all the bugs.

for more research info goto www.misticriver.net click on forums then the H series

it's an excellent forum for support and faqs.

EDIT: regarding "tommygman" i'm glad your player works perfectly. and no i did not simply read something negative. I have a H10 myself and i'm waiting patiently for an upgrade. furthermore, i can tell you that the Korean version of H10 (UMS) which came out a month before the us version (MTP) already had 2 firmware upgrades while they're on FW1.10 the us is still on FW1.00 IRiver has a list of bug fixes which you can find at misticriver.net

This is written from the perspective of a first time MP3 player owner... I've owned several MiniDisc units in the past, some of which made me happier than others. I am somewhat computer savvy and I've never played with an iPod. Basically, I'm pretty darn satisfied... vs. other competitors in its class (not the iPod itself) it wins in several categories.

1. Oh-so-sleek look. It doesn't have the same minimalist/modernist design of the iPod, but that's something I never wanted in the first place. Its appearance seems to suggest it's a distant relative of the PlayStation 2. The battery recharges quite quickly, about 2 hours on average.

2. SIMPLE and easy to figure out interface. Menu system is very logical and it's easy to choose songs to listen to based on artist, album, genre, or playlist. Touch bar has just the right amount of sensitivity and appears to be pretty rugged. Great fit in the hand.

3. Windows XP compatible. Plays most, if not all, common forms of MP3 and WMA files. I haven't tested how well it handles media with Digital Rights Managment, but that's just not in the cards for me.

4. Great sound. Has around 20 preset EQs for all genres of music, including a Custom EQ. Haven't used the headphones but I hear pretty good... I use my own pair of earphones and the sound is many times better than even the MiniDisc units I've had (by Sony!).

Alas, there are a few downsides...

1. The silicone case hides the beauty of the player, attracts dirt, and the clip is somewhat awkward. It's good for protection, if you're on the go.

2. Though it has photo capabilities, the size and resolution of the screen don't yield very good results. Text interface also has its quirks, but it does its job. Same could be said about the FM radio... it picks up only the strongest stations in your area, but when it does, sound is good.

3. The player (out of the box) and its computer interface has a few minor problems. Best recommendation is to get the latest firmware upgrade ASAP. It still doesn't solve a few things... sometimes I've gotta Refresh the music database to maintain the order of music listed the same as inputted. Also recommended is to use Yahoo! Music Engine, although no program is really required (ie. drag-and-drop files onto the player in Windows Explorer).

It does require a little tinkering to get it set up the way you want it, and therefore requires a bit of computer savvy as well as patience. But once you get used to it, it's a truly high quality and convenient item to have. Also, I found a sale here for about $50 off (I paid $199). Definitely affordable and great quality for the price paid.

I researched this purchase extensively and finally chose this unit after trying to wade through all that crazy, confusing info out there on digital music players. I wanted something I didn't need to mess around with much but just load, go and enjoy all my favorite music on that's stashed away on all those buried cd's. I LOVE THIS THING !!

I didn't need 1,200 songs so I chose to input my music in at the highest quality option. I'm astounded at the sound quality of the playback. I don't want to hear the music in my ears I want to feel it between my eyes and this lovely little unit does that well without having to max out the volume. I have over 680 songs, photos of my baby grandson and the text file of the itinerary of my upcoming trip in it and there's almost a full gb of room left!!

If you have (you must have) Windows XP and the latest version of Windows Media Player... loading your files into this unit is sooo easy. Make sure before loading your files to download the updates at iRiver as the formatting will wipe out what you've put in. Updates are easy and the PDF manual is helpful and easy to read. The battery lasts a good long time and is removable and rechargeable. A spare is a bit pricey but affordable if you need more than 12 hours of playback at one time. The controls are pretty much self explanatory and I find very easy to use. I have a number of custom playlists and it handles them all with ease and like a champ. I've had none of the problems reported by other reviewers. That could just be from clean livin' (yurite) but so far so good!!

I found this at a great sale price too but even at full retail I think this unit is well worth every dime!! I'd recommend it for sure!!

OK first off, i will tell you that all the pro's people suggest are true. the SRS Wow feature is amazing, and i like it very much. It really adds whatever you are looking for.

now to address the cons that people have put forth.

1. The Headphones. The Headphones are Sennheiser MX400's, which are about 10.99-19.99 depending on where you buy them. I believe they are nice, but i would buy a nicer pair. They are by far higher quality then any other out of the box headphone, but i just prefer something nicer.

2. You can't play files in track order.
NOT TRUE! the current firmware fixes this, BUT, you MUST put the file tracks into WM10 and then load them onto your iRiver. You really think its going to magically fix them for you? (you may need to refresh the database after doing this).

3. Slow. I do admit, it is slow, but as with all MP3 Players, there is always a downside. My previous player, the Creative Zen 40GB Nomad Xtra, was a complete and total piece of crap. i used to, but now will never buy another mp3 player from them. Their cheapness comes at a price (a low one as a matter a fact)

4. Takes a while to turn off. It depends. sometimes is lightning quick, other times it takes about 10 seconds. Like its going to affect you anyway, when you press the button to turn it off, it will, and 10 seconds really doesn't kill the battery or damage it, does it?

5. Pictures suck. THEN DON'T USE IT FOR PICTURES. simple as that. The Radio, Radio Record, Voice Record, Line-In Record, Music should be enough for you, dont you think?

COMPARISION:

iRiver H10 20GB 299.99
iPod 20GB 299.99
Creative 40GB Zen 235.99

The iRiver is the SAME PRICE as the iPod, but it has these advantages:

Color Screen
Sennheiser Headphones (14.99 Value)
Pictures
Text
Music, No programs needed to transfer
Napster to Go
Plays WMA, MP3, Protected WMA
FM
Fm Recording
Voice Recording
Line-In Recording
Smaller
SRS-Wow and Custom Equalizer
FM in Korea, Japan and European Regions.

FOR THE SAME EXACT PRICE?

and as for the creative...i'm sorry, but its just a piece of crap.

HOW MINE DIED:
because of its huge bulkiness, i dropped it 2 ft. onto carpet. The hardrive broke, and after i smacked it (no joke) it turned on to work again. Then, about 3 weeks later, i was listening to it, and it just died. Completely, i tried everything, and i decided i didn't want to wait 2 hours to call them (it took that long).

iRiver support is ok, and they have a good online system. They also have smart tech support, but as with everyone, it takes a while to reach them.

I stand by iRiver, and i promise if you buy this product you will be satisfied.

I absolutely love this thing. Design is hot and it has the perfect small form factor and frankly I dont know how they got it all in such a small package. I got through the options/features as there are a lot of them and its this is killer plus. I've never had so much fun figuring out a player.
I haven't noticed any bugs in my lounge dark grey H10 . IMPORTANT NOTE: The picture here doesn't do it justice. The amazon.com picture is distorted. It has the player tilted which as any photograhper knows causes bad distortion. In real life this will take your breath away.
Basics:
Super lightweight color screen for photos. A slim 0.6 inches thick weighing only 3.4 ounces!!!! Amazing touch strip control and removeable rechargeable battery with 12-hour + ( my home test) battery life. Great voice recorder and a digital FM tuner with FM recorder. The best thing about it is how small it is. Its going to surprise you. But, its not too small. Cool small is more like it. If you don't fall in love with this I will be surprised. Features are important and it sounds great. Looks are important and it looks great. Price is important and its priced low for the features it has. There are a few mini players around now but none with the features this has that look this good. I guess that's what got me interested in the first place. Good luck with whatever you choose. Im a happy camper with my h10!

More info-" PlaysForSure-verified with Windows Media Player 10 with for Auto Sync for music, photos and playlists. You can choose from a growing number of PlaysForSure download and subscription stores, -- comes with earphones, carrying case with belt clip, USB 2.0 cable, AC adapter, and installation CD-ROM. "

Bought this with some reservations based on the negative reviews that I read. It has worked perfectly for me. Synced to WMP 10 with no problem. Have purchased songs online (from Walmart!) and had no problem listening to them on either the H10 or my other iRiver player. I would recommend this player to others and have had good luck with three different iRiver MP3 players that I own.

I ordered the H10 and have now sent it back. I have had problems similar to those many others listed. The radio worked great and picked up even distant stations well. The user interface and size are fantastic. However, when I loaded music with WMP10, it would not work. This includes MP3s and WMAs ripped from my own CDs as well as Napster to Go. I uninstalled and reinstalled WMP10 and got the latest download from Microsoft. Using this and USB 2.0 on both a Falcon Northwest Pentium 4 3.06 MHz (XP Home) and a Sony Vaio laptop (XP Professional), I had the same problems with both computers and had to conclude that the device was not functional. The names of the songs jumbled such that artist names were linked to songs of different artists. The menu and directories were all goofed up. Many songs loaded but wouldn't play. Some would play a few times and then everything would jumble up. Tech support from iRiver was virtually nonexistent. I sent it back and ordered a Zen Micro today. I'm hoping I'll have more success. Overall, the H10 is a very nice device conceptually but it might be better to wait for a later model with more stable technology if you want to order this player.

Disclaimer: I got this as a gift. Had I been able to choose my own player, I likely would not have chosen (and still would not choose) this item.

Let me start with the good stuff:

1) Excellent sound quality! Nice comprehensive (and customizable) EQ, too :).

2) Very small, comfortable to hold in my hand, fits easily in the pockets of even my tight jeans.


3) Plays protected WMAs. HUGE plus! Wouldn't accept any player that didn't support this (:ahem: iPod). For just $15 a month, I have hundreds of thousands of songs at my fingertips... it's a fabulously liberating opportunity that you can't comprehend until you actually experience it.

4) It's neat to be able to listen to NPR (radio), and the extensive preset slots are handy.

Now for the icky stuff:

1) I find that the side controls are impossible to operate by touch. So when the H10 is in my pocket, I can't feel where forward and back are. That's bad design, IMHO.

2) I had to format it before I could use it with Napster.

3) The aforementioned inability to natively play songs in album order. This is a horrendous bug, particularly when playing albums whose songs blend into each other (musicals, thematic albums, etc.)

4) I don't like the earbuds; while they offer great sound, they keep falling out of my ears (though this could be simply a personal-preference/personal-problem kind of thing).

5) What use is the photo feature?! It doesn't automatically show album art. It does a dastardly bad job of compressing full-size jpegs (jaggy-city!). And the screen is smaller than the display on my actual camera. When would anyone actually use this darn feature?

6) Sync'ing playlists is problematic with WMP10. When I delete a song from a playlist, for instance, WMP10 says "Deleting [songname] from iRiver H10" but it doesn't actually delete it. So, synchronizing should be renamed "copying"... which stinks. I need the ability to actually keep my playlists in SYNC. Only workaround I've discovered: Delete the playlists off of the H10 and simply recopy over the newer version.

7) There's no two-way metadata sharing. For instance, I can rate a song 3 stars on the iRiver, but that rating isn't carried back to WMP when I sync. For that matter, is there even ONE-WAY metadata sharing? I haven't noticed the H10 doing anything with the ratings I have made on WMP. Blah :(

8) It sometimes takes too long to shut down (more than 5 seconds).

9) This is more of a Napster negative than H10 negative, but still... so many songs are purchaseable but not transferable. That's really rude and unfortunate, IMHO.

Add to this the legendarily awful support of iRiver, and I must say, I'd not encourage anyone to actually pay money for this item. Maybe with a firmware update things'll be better, but I've been burned so often in the past waiting for promised firmware updates, only to have the company simply release a new product version a year later and offer a wonderful "$20 coupon" and insist that we shell out $229 for a new player. Great.

After my 13 year old daughter's iRiver H340 was stolen at school (!), I purchased the H10 as a replacement for her. My daughter loves the sound quality and features of the iRiver MP3 players generally, and being a serious voice student, she finds it handy to use her MP3 player to instantly record voice lessons, vocal warm-ups, accompaniment music, etc.

In response to all the negative feedback about iRiver MP3 players generally, and the H10 in particular, I must say that my 13 year old daughter had absolutely NO DIFFICULTY learning how to use either iRiver product (i.e., the H340 which she owned initially and the H10 which we purchased as a 'replacement' after her H340 was stolen), including the ability to easily down-load and organize CDs and other music.

The H10 is much lighter, sleeker and more portable than the H340, and while it doesn't have nearly the same amount of memory as either the H320 or the H340, the H10 is more than sufficient and offers great sound.

If my 13 year old (who is not especially computer-literate), was able to use both of her iRiver MP3 players virtually out of the box, then I'm sure most other people can.

We carefully checked-out other available options including iPod, Creative Zen and other manufacturers, and found that nothing offers the quality and features of an iRiver. Having now purchased 3 iRiver products (i.e., my daughter's H340 and H10, and an H320 for my 15 year old son), I can highly recommend iRiver's MP3 products without hesitation.