Rio Chiba 256 MB MP3 Player

[Archived in $100 - $200, Audio, Digital Networks N.A., Over 65 MB MP3 Players, Products]

Manufacturer: Digital Networks N.A.
Price at amazon.com: $179.99
Usually ships in 24 hours

Used & new from $69.00

List price $179.99



Product Features:

• 256 MB of memory plays back over 4 hours of MP3 or 8 hours of WMA music
• Secure Digital card/MMC expansion slot provides up to 512 MB of additional memory
• Built-in FM Tuner
• 18-hour continuous playback using one AAA battery
• Compatible with computers with USB 1.1 ports running Windows 98 SE, 2000, ME, XP, Mac OS X

Product Description:

The sleek black Rio Chiba 256MB MP3 Player looks cool and sounds great through the included Sennheiser MX300 earbuds. With 256MB of memory you can enjoy more than 4 hours of MP3 (about 60 songs) or 8 hours of WMA (about 120 songs) music. Features: carrying case with belt clip; expandable memory up 512MB using SD or MMC cards (sold separately); FM tuner; USB cable; installation disk; quick start guide; connection to almost any computer; transfer of content between multiple PCs; 18-hour continuous playback and 5-band adjustable equalizer with presets. Songs purchased from Napster 2.0 are compatible with Rio portables. Please use the Rio Music Manager or the Windows Media Player 9 to transfer songs purchased from Napster 2.0 to your Rio. Napster 2.0 Client users can also use the free Napster Plug-In for the Windows Media Player 9 for an integrated experience.

Average Customer Rating:

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Comment: So easy to use! Rating:
This is so easy to use. Just install the software, plug in the chiba, open Windows Media, and BOOM! transfer your music. doesn't get any easier. This little gadget is just as easy to listen to. The controls are super simple to figure out, the tuner works well (There are only 2 good stations in my area), but the reception isn't terrific inside. I like that the memory card is hidden away inside the battery compartment. The belt clip cover thingy isn't too attractive, but the Chiba is still easy to use when it's in it. I had to cut the hole in the case a bit larger to fit my headphones, but aside from that, no other modifications need be made. This little thing even has a stop watch! I had another player for a very short time, but the software refused to work with my computer. Not the chiba! If you look around, you can find this for a cheaper price than Amazon offers it for. It's well worth the $130 I paid for it. Lots of memory and it's expandable!

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Comment: A great deal for the right person Rating:
I'll try to add a little to what has already been written in other reviews. I've been holding out for quite sometime to make a decision between small, lightweight, long battery life MP3 players with limited memory, or ones that are a bit larger, heavier, and have hard-drives big enough to hold my own CD collection. In the end, I chose "small" because my PC is the better place to hold my library, that's where I make the MP3s anyway, and I use the PC like a stereo these days. This Chiba is super small and lightweight, no bigger than the Palm of my hand, fits easily in a pocket, and AAA battery life is great. 256MB + optional 512MB expansion is plenty for my listening habits (on the train to/from work, or exercising <-ha). The built in FM tuner with presets is a big plus too, and WMA support means it's supporting a great deal of online music you can buy.

I find the controls and display very easy to use. Another review complained that they were prone to error, but there is a lock button to prevent that! Read the manual, it's short and useful. The Rio Chiba software does, in fact, suck. I use MusicMatch, and it is compatible "out of the box" with the Chiba, but I find their playlists somewhat incompatible, and I still choose to use the Rio software to upload my playlists to the Chiba because it has a size calculator. Other than that, the software is really, really miserable (though it did read and find my library correctly). It's the weakest link, goodbye.

I don't find the construction to be as weak as others have indicated, though I agree that the battery lid does not *seem* secure (but I think it is). The belt clip must have been made with people who wear belts made of tissue in mind. But the little clip case itself should provide enough protection to ease your mind about shock.

I found the headphones great, and the volume impressive. Ultimately, I may try to find more comfortable earbud-type headphones than the Sennheisers. Audio quality is excellent, the equalizer is a nice touch.

I would encourage Digital Networks (and any purchaser of the Chiba) to get some better software. But failing that, I think that most users who favor lightweight portability, an FM tuner, and the minimum acceptable onboard memory (to me, anything less than 256 is useless) will find the Chiba a great deal if you can get it for $150 - 160, especially if you already have your own software and music subscription.

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Comment: Simply GREAT Rating:
I am listening to this mp3 player as I write. It's amazing. Somehow, the 256 megabyte internal harddrive seems bigger than it really is. I have put 18 rather big songs on it and still have about 200 megabytes left over. Plus, you can use an MMC card to add additional space for songs. Also, the battery efficiency is outstanding. The Rio Chiba only needs ONE, count em, ONE AAA battery, and still lasts AT LEAST as long as my old iPAQ, which uses TWO. I am VERY pleased with this product. There is one slight detail that I do not like. I am having trouble using Windows Media Player as a transfering host. So basically, you're stuck with the Rio Management, which is still very good. So, overall, this is an excellent buy. I ordered mine here on amazon.com and received it in 3 days. I was salivating the whole time. I was NOT disappointed.

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Posted at November 11, 2003 07:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)