View Full Version : D2 Firmware 2.45 (BETA)
Hiho!
Just saw that the v2.45 Beta firmware has been released [thumbsup]
- Added the Touch screen Notepad feature
- Added the advanced EQ filter setting feature
- Support to view BMP files
- Stabilized Music Library
- Fixed the error of the text bookmark
- Fixed the error that does not display the flac tag information.
- Stabilized other functions
>> Download here << (http://www.cowonglobal.com/download/Firmware/cowonD2/D2_2.45b.zip)
http://www.cowonglobal.com/images/board/firm/d2/20070503/firmware_2_01.gif
http://www.cowonglobal.com/images/board/firm/d2/20070503/firmware_2_02.gif
http://www.cowonglobal.com/images/board/firm/d2/20070503/firmware_2_03.jpg
http://www.cowonglobal.com/images/board/firm/d2/20070503/firmware_2_04.jpg
any difference from 3.45b?
calcheese
05-03-2007, 11:00
no dictionary.
ahh bummer, it inc the notepad.
Nice... I'll be using this fw soon
skyghene
05-03-2007, 12:16
I've loaded it on, no problems for me yet.
It works like a charm for me as well.
Do works files AAC/M4A in this firmware?
Maybe in future? :(
ahh bummer, it inc the notepad.
why is it a bad thing that this one included the notepad
elexander
05-03-2007, 13:04
MTP is back! [thumbsup]
MTP is only gone from the asian versions, due to some legality.... I may or may not DL this.....we'll see, I already tried 3.45b and had some issues so i'll probably wait for the final release
I'm on 3.45b and can't be arsed to change to 2.45 just to get rid of the dictionary, so I'll stick with 3.45b until the final revision of the new firmware is released...
Anyone tried tv-out, does it work properly now?
why is it a bad thing that this one included the notepad
i guess someone lost 10k of space ;-)
How come they dont show it on the cowonglobal startpage with all the other new firmwares??
And also: If you have 3.41 dont use the 2.41 upgrade guide(why would you, its for the 2.41, not 3.41) anyway, i did and my D2 got messed up (only a white display with some blue lines). But it was easily fixed after installing the 2.45 the proper way(not the 2.41 way)
naa it not that im bothered abt space, lol. just dont have use for it. well at least its hidden in that nice utilities folder so i dont have to look at it.
other than that im all arms open for the other new firmware upgrades.
iamhowie
05-03-2007, 16:15
Can anyone explain which files go where? or how to upgrade to 245b.
Thanks
LuvMusic
05-03-2007, 17:02
And also: If you have 3.41 dont use the 2.41 upgrade guide(why would you, its for the 2.41, not 3.41) anyway, i did and my D2 got messed up (only a white display with some blue lines). But it was easily fixed after installing the 2.45 the proper way(not the 2.41 way)
I'm confused! [confused] Is there more than one way to upgrade F/W? I'm using 2.41b....didn't upgrade to 2.41 because it didn't have MTP. Do I use the process I used before....copy file from folder 0 to root and reboot, etc, etc.? Or, is there now another process?
Dalmane98
05-03-2007, 19:11
I'm confused! [confused] Is there more than one way to upgrade F/W? I'm using 2.41b....didn't upgrade to 2.41 because it didn't have MTP. Do I use the process I used before....copy file from folder 0 to root and reboot, etc, etc.? Or, is there now another process?
Here is what you are looking for:
http://www.cowonglobal.com/zeroboard/zboard.php?id=C08&page=1&sn1=&divpage=1&bmenu=download&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&select_arrange=headnum&bmenu=download&desc=asc&no=270&bmenu=download
Easy to follow instructions.
There are two sets of instructions. One for those with v 2.41 and one for those prior to v 2.41.
AussiePie
05-03-2007, 21:03
Upgraded no probs here (so far) my data wasn't deleted though as i was upgrading from 2.41
BTW thanks for the links [smile]
off topic i know but i thought it was interesting to see cowon/iaudio added 4 FW updates at the same time
COWON D2 COWON D2 Firmware v2.45b iAUDIO 03/05/07
iAUDIO F2 iAUDIO F2 Firmware V1.12 iAUDIO 03/05/07
iAUDIO U3 iAUDIO U3 Firmware V1.27 iAUDIO 03/05/07
iAUDIO 6 iAUDIO 6 Firmware V1.26 iAUDIO 03/05/07
good to see they support there older players :)
Now to play with the newer settings and check those FLAC tags [yes]
LuvMusic
05-03-2007, 22:19
Here is what you are looking for:
http://www.cowonglobal.com/zeroboard/zboard.php?id=C08&page=1&sn1=&divpage=1&bmenu=download&sn=off&ss=on&sc=on&select_arrange=headnum&bmenu=download&desc=asc&no=270&bmenu=download
Thanks....you're right, just what I'm looking for and same as how I upgraded to 2.41b. I appreciate the help! [thumbsup]
I've also upgraded the firmware to this version and so far everything seems to work fine for me at least [yes]
tamanaco
05-04-2007, 00:08
No data loss after upgrading from 2.41 official release to 2.45 beta. All the music in my D2 and 8GB SDHC still there after the upgrade. Only two power cycles this time and the contents of folders 1 and 2 in one step.
The header of the first set of instructions in the Korean/Global web site is a bit confusing. Maybe they used a translation program. It is not clear if they mean that only those with version earlier than 2.41 (official release). Or do they mean those with versions earlier than 2.41 beta and 2.41 official. I say this because 2.41 beta was released before the 2.41 official. Go figure.
AussiePie
05-04-2007, 01:33
Well had a play with the new 2.45b FW and heres a few things i tried out:
I installed some 24-bit Bitmap as well as some monochrome images onto the D2 internal memory and they view fine as well as display as wallpaper :)
Installed a combo of FLAC an MP3 onto both internal and external some in folder tree and some just in MUSIC folder, all display full tag info no duplicates ect.
I dont have any imbedded art so am not able to confirm any imbed display probs (if there are any) all added cover art works fine.
Had a play with the notepad, works good dont think i will use it though, one thing when making some drawings i noticed that if there isn't constant pressure on the screen with the stylus it does a joint the dots kind of thing and put bits where i didnt want them (nearby) but for what it is it does a good enough job :)
The boot/load time doesn't seem to be much different from 2.41
The new EQ options/settings do make a difference with the sound sig, unfortunatly i forgot my saved settings (P01, P02 ect) get deleted when upgrading the FW and i lost all my presets and cant remember the exact combos so its gonna be another tweakathon till i get the genre/sound-style programed again to prefered settings (this time i think i'll add the settings to the Jeteffect thread save it happening again)
The Band 2, 3, 4 wide options give a bit more width/soundstage control to the EQ and a live album that previously sounded hissy/blended in the high range now sounds much better buy turning on Band 4 wide, though the wide options can cut into the sound a bit, but the way the added EQ functions are looking they could be handy in some situations being that they give more user control :)
henrycow
05-04-2007, 04:20
Does the shuffle function work yet ? I'm still on 2.21 because the shuffle function appears to be completely useless in subsequent releases
LuvMusic
05-04-2007, 09:26
Does the shuffle function work yet ? I'm still on 2.21 because the shuffle function appears to be completely useless in subsequent releases
I haven't upgraded to 2.45 yet....maybe today if I get my real work done...so I can't comment on the shuffle feature within 2.45.
However, I've been using the shuffle feature within 2.41b daily and it works fine!?
Just an FYI
LuvMusic
05-04-2007, 09:32
No data loss after upgrading from 2.41 official release to 2.45 beta. All the music in my D2 and 8GB SDHC still there after the upgrade. Only two power cycles this time and the contents of folders 1 and 2 in one step.
The header of the first set of instructions in the Korean/Global web site is a bit confusing. Maybe they used a translation program. It is not clear if they mean that only those with version earlier than 2.41 (official release). Or do they mean those with versions earlier than 2.41 beta and 2.41 official. I say this because 2.41 beta was released before the 2.41 official. Go figure.
No surprise that a beta is released prior to an offical release. That's how the firmware is tested prior to it being blessed for general consumption. See, there is room for us geeks on the food chain! [laugh]
I'd like some additional info on whether 2.41b qualifies as a "2.41" release also. I doubt it because there were significant differences between 2.41b and 2.41 official. For example, 2.41 didn't support MTP properly. And, as you pointed out, 2.41b was released prior to 2.41.
I just upgrade FW from 2.41 to 2.45b. I does it by course of cowon's instructions - just copy folder 1 and 2 to root directory. Although they write files will be deleted, all files are still there... [shocked] [smile]
panther926
05-04-2007, 13:49
I was feeling stupid and didn't know the difference between MSC and MTP usb modes. A quick google provided good explanations. I didn't see this explained here, so here's the best summary I found:
MSC mode is Media Storage Class mode.
MTP mode is Media Transport Protocol mode.
MSC mode will only work for MP3 files and WMA files without DRM (digital rights management). Essentially MSC mode looks like a detachable hard drive to the computer. Many car audio players and home stereos that say they work with MP3 players are expecting an MSC mode MP3 player for hooking up via USB.
MSC mode may also support plain old data files.
MTP mode is for MP3 files and WMA files with DRM (digital rights management). These WMA music files with DRM including purchased downloads and (maybe) subscription music tracks require MTP to transfer and update the DRM licenses. MTP mode is required for use with subscription music services such as Yahoo Music Unlimited To Go, Rhapsody To Go, and Napster To Go.
I hope this helps anyone else who was wondering. :-)
henrycow
05-04-2007, 15:02
Ok I just upgraded from 2.21 to 2.45b - shuffle seems ok although it does seem to express a preference for miles davis but that could just be good taste.
everything else is just fine. don't think i could use the stylus with the notepad though - harder to write with than a bookies pen. will mod a biro by replacing ink thingy with but of rounded plastic pin jammed in the end.....
Please say no to DRM and boycott them ;)
http://defectivebydesign.org/
wildwing94
05-04-2007, 15:41
Regarding the videos in/out of sync, I notice that movies play perfect until you pause the movie, walk away and let the player shut off on its own from auto-shut off, then turn it back on and resume play. The same thing happens if you skip around the movie.
id3tag view with ogg-files still doesn't work for me, it mixes up the order of the tracks....sorts them alphabetically
maxjensen
05-05-2007, 05:15
Anyone else experiencing that even if you set the boundary to 'All' it still only plays the selected album (as if it was set to 'Folder'? Apart from that it's a pretty good beta!
Anyone else experiencing that even if you set the boundary to 'All' it still only plays the selected album (as if it was set to 'Folder'? Apart from that it's a pretty good beta!
Yes. This is a major annoyance for me, since the only way I can get it to shuffle properly through all available tracks is to use folder browsing instead. It's not a new problem either AFAIK, it's been like this in every firmware with ID3 browsing.
have you tried doing a shuffle from the "tracks" menu?
It does work in Tracks mode. It also seems to work if I use Artists mode and then select "All" at the top. That's no help though, because I like browsing properly in "Artist" mode. When I select a track by picking an Artist entry, then the "All" entry inside that, then the track, it starts shuffling through only the tracks from that artist. It should still be able to shuffle through all the tracks in the collection from this mode.
Ooops, just upgrated to 2.45b. Everything seems to work fine. I only thought that that little virtual keyboard belonged to the Notepad function. Now I see that it is only for drawing or handwriting and the keyboard seems to belong only to that mysterious [wink] dictionary. O.k. but a little - let' s say disappointing.[yes]
henrycow
05-05-2007, 09:35
After a day or so of using 2.45 I have to conclude that the shuffle function has not changed since 2.41 when they introduced that stupid id3 browser. Bah. I reported this via the Cowon support after the 2.41 release, and their response, (which looks like a standard issue response to any problem) was:
Thank you for using COWON D2.
First of all, we apologize for the inconvenience. We checked out the problem that you mentioned, and our Research Team is in progress to fix it. If the problem you mentioned is fixed, it will be noticed on our website. And we're sorry to say that we do not know what features will be added. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, and we kindly request your understanding.
If you have further questions, feel free to ask us again.<br>
Thanks again for using the customer support at cowonglobal.com.<br>
Regards,
COWON
looks like its back to the old 2.21 again...
The D2 still sorts files messfully, like : 1,10,11,12,13 ... 2, 20, etc.
no thats perfectly normal.
Change your file names to 01, 10 etc or 001 010....
no thats perfectly normal.
There is no way this is a "normal" alphanumerical sorting algorithm, in the same way that A is before AA in an alphabetically sorted list, less characters takes precedence, hence 2.avi should be before 10.avi.
There is no way this is a "normal" alphanumerical sorting algorithm, in the same way that A is before AA in an alphabetically sorted list, less characters takes precedence, hence 2.avi should be before 10.avi.
ok, granted, i'm not arguing that it isn't.
What I am saying is that the D2's method of sorting, while inconvenient, is not messed up. In future if you must quote me, use it in the correct context,
Many thanks,
Dom
ok, granted, i'm not arguing that it isn't.
What I am saying is that the D2's method of sorting, while inconvenient, is not messed up. In future if you must quote me, use it in the correct context,
Many thanks,
Dom
Sorry for having removed the renaming advice from your post, it wasn't very useful in my reply, and I did not see how it would have anymore changed the sense of what you were saying, but well...
As much as I love the D2, sorting the way it does still _is messed up_ and is _not_ a correct way of doing it.
Unfortunately, it just so happens that there is no justification for that and not tons of ways to sort correctly alphanumerically-named files.
I think it's not a major offense to consider this as a bug not a "feature", and I don't see why it shouldn't be fixed.
Plus if that bug was to be removed, it wouldn't change squat for people having their files named 001, 002 etc, and it would correctly sort the files for people like me, who are using a D2 in part because of the fact that we do _not_ have to modify/rename/reencode audio files to make them play on it.
Apology accepted mate.
I myself have no issue with the way it sorts as I accept this to be a common occurrence in many daps and as such justifies my consideration thats this method of sorting is normal :D
I do not consider it to be a feature, no more than I do not consider the ability to rewind a feature, I also would not consider it a bug, just a minor inconvenience that could have been implemented better... but well....
Also, you do not need to re encode any file to change its name, although you would have to modify/rename its file name.
There is no way this is a "normal" alphanumerical sorting algorithm, in the same way that A is before AA in an alphabetically sorted list, less characters takes precedence, hence 2.avi should be before 10.avi.
You're right, it isn't an alphanumerical sorting algorithm. It's usually called a "natural number" sort or something similar, and the whole idea is to handle numbered files differently from the standard method. Windows XP has the same capability, although you can turn it off if you prefer. Some people just like to see numbered files in that type of order, so it's useful for them.
Dalmane98
05-05-2007, 15:23
Windows XP has the same capability, although you can turn it off if you prefer.
Really?
How can you just turn it off?
The only way I know of changing the sort order is by modifying a couple of registry keys.
I know this is off the topic, but I am interested in this, if there is another way to do this.
If some people prefer that type of sorting, maybe adding a sorting option somewhere in the "overlay" menu would be a good idea (like sort by size, name, type, modification date etc...)
Anyhow, just my 2 cents.
Really?
How can you just turn it off?
The only way I know of changing the sort order is by modifying a couple of registry keys.
I know this is off the topic, but I am interested in this, if there is another way to do this.
The registry modification is what it all comes down to in the end, but you can get various "tweaking" programs for XP that will make the changes for you automatically. Microsoft actually provide one themselves, called TweakUI. You can get it from here (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx). Once you install it, run Start->Programs->Powertoys for Windows XP->TweakUI. Then select "Explorer" from the treeview on the left, and scroll down the settings until you find the one that says "Use intuitive filename sorting". With that turned on, you get the number-based sort, with it off you get the old alphanumeric sorting.
LuvMusic
05-05-2007, 17:15
It appears that this may not be a big issue for some, but there is a problem with 2.45b with MTP and album art. The same problem also exists in 2.41 Official.
Background information: I use YahooMusic Unlimited as a major source of music and enjoy having album art displayed on my beautiful D2 screen. I updated my FW when I got my D2 from 2.21 to 2.41b. Everything worked fine. Once I placed my D2 in MTP mode I was able to sync my YahooMusic and album art just as I expected.
Last night I updated my FW from 2.41b to 2.45b. Upgrade went as expected. Turned on my player, reset time, date and put the player back in MTP mode. Went to my music library, start playing music....NO ALBUM ART!! [confused]
I thought maybe something had been corrupted during the upgrade, so I erased all my music from the card and resynced it to my D2. Music O.K., no album art!
I had the same experience with 2.41 Official.
Went back to FW 2.41b, resynced and music / album art back to normal.
Anybody have any suggestions or insights into what is happening?
If anybody from Cowon is viewing the boards, this is an issue I would be THRILLED to have resolved.
Strange, because my album art shows when using MTP to synchronize my mp3's with firmware 2.45b.
LuvMusic
05-05-2007, 18:30
Strange, because my album art shows when using MTP synchronization my mp3's with firmware 2.45b.
Maybe it has something to do with either WMA, DRM or a combination of both?? Yahoo uses WMA DRM for their MusicUnlimited downloads.
Dalmane98
05-05-2007, 19:18
The registry modification is what it all comes down to in the end, but you can get various "tweaking" programs for XP that will make the changes for you automatically. Microsoft actually provide one themselves, called TweakUI. You can get it from here (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx). Once you install it, run Start->Programs->Powertoys for Windows XP->TweakUI. Then select "Explorer" from the treeview on the left, and scroll down the settings until you find the one that says "Use intuitive filename sorting". With that turned on, you get the number-based sort, with it off you get the old alphanumeric sorting.
Thanks...I thought maybe you knew a different way besides Powertoys and the reg edit.
Like what? I'm not sure I understand what you want - there's a registry setting that turns this functionality on and off, so it's a choice between doing it yourself with regedit or using an application to do it for you...
Maybe it has something to do with either WMA, DRM or a combination of both?? Yahoo uses WMA DRM for their MusicUnlimited downloads.
That could be the case, but I don't know. However, I've noticed that the album art doesn't show up every time for some tracks. If I skip back and forth between tracks a couple of times it shows up again though strangely enough. Maybe it's a little bit buggy after all?
Ape and flac work (tags as well as sound).
yep i think most know abt flac support. but ape support; wow thats news to me. I may give it a go.
T1Callahan
05-06-2007, 12:48
I upgraded to this firmware, and is the first FW upgrade since I bought the unit. I backed up all the files then did the upgrade. Can I take some file from my backup and put it on the D2, so that All my eq settings are back?
There are a few files in the system folder, but wasnt sure which one to replace, and if the 2.21FW version of this file was compatible with the 2.45b version, since the eq was kinda different with those advanced settings.
Tom
jcgamer60
05-07-2007, 00:10
Does anyone think they will add support for MUSE anytime soon?
Does anyone think they will add support for MUSE anytime soon?
I don't think so.
But why Muse, have you looked at:
http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Lossless_comparison#FLAC_-_Free_Lossless_Audio_Codec
and
http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Lossless_comparison#WavPack
Why Muse Wavpack?
jcgamer60
05-07-2007, 16:41
I don't think so.
But why Muse, have you looked at:
http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Lossless_comparison#FLAC_-_Free_Lossless_Audio_Codec
and
http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Lossless_comparison#WavPack
Why Muse Wavpack?
Its because i have a muse file lying around on this computer and i want to be able to use it someday :). Also, cowan recently added muse support for their A2 pmp so there is still hope.
If it's only one file, you might consider converting it.
Depending on the earbuds you use and the quality of
the original file, you may not even be able to hear the
difference. And if you hear it, it might well be the
well-known placebo effect.
jcgamer60
05-08-2007, 01:32
If it's only one file, you might consider converting it.
Depending on the earbuds you use and the quality of
the original file, you may not even be able to hear the
difference. And if you hear it, it might well be the
well-known placebo effect.
Convert to what exactly? i tried converting directly back to wav and mp3 and there was a massive loss in quality.
try directly to ogg vorbis, its one smart codec.
jcgamer60
05-08-2007, 07:07
try directly to ogg vorbis, its one smart codec.
Same result i'm afraid..[sad]
ManchesterBaby
05-08-2007, 08:28
Convert to what exactly? i tried converting directly back to wav and mp3 and there was a massive loss in quality.
Try converting it to FLAC then. You won't lose any quality as it's also lossless. Unless, that is, that your conversion software is broken, as i suspect it might be as you should never experience a "massive" loss in quality when converting to mp3 and definitely not vorbis (so long as you use a high enough bitrate). Any percievable loss in quality when properly encoding to high bitrate vorbis should be negligable at worst.
but his file is probably one of those lossy files - the redundant info file.
jcgamer60
05-08-2007, 08:42
Try converting it to FLAC then. You won't lose any quality as it's also lossless. Unless, that is, that your conversion software is broken, as i suspect it might be as you should never experience a "massive" loss in quality when converting to mp3 and definitely not vorbis (so long as you use a high enough bitrate). Any percievable loss in quality when properly encoding to high bitrate vorbis should be negligable at worst.
Its dbpower amp. Me and my friend tried converting this to many formats in the past with other software also, its always the same. Its probably just this music file since its orchestra. Whenever, i try to convert it, the volume drops like crazy after conversion and certain instruments are hard to hear.
I will try this FLAC conversion, although i doubt it will work since it doesn't make much sense since flac is just another way of compressing a wav. No idea what effect it will have wen trying to compress an already compressed format[wacko] .
Edit: FLAC = same result.
jcgamer60
05-08-2007, 08:44
but his file is probably one of those lossy files - the redundant info file.
Redundant info file? This file sounds no where near lossy to me.
Its dbpower amp. Me and my friend tried converting this to many formats in the past with other software also, its always the same. Its probably just this music file since its orchestra. Whenever, i try to convert it, the volume drops like crazy after conversion and certain instruments are hard to hear.
I will try this FLAC conversion, although i doubt it will work since it doesn't make much sense since flac is just another way of compressing a wav. No idea what effect it will have wen trying to compress an already compressed format[wacko] .
Edit: FLAC = same result.
Use gnormalize on it: it adjusts the ouput volume to the same standard.
Redundant info file? This file sounds no where near lossy to me.
in that case you should not be getting any loss in quality when converting back to wav, the only 2 possible ways you can be losing quality going from lossless to lossless is faulty software or faulty hardware
jcgamer, read the wavpack description here http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=WavPack#Description
jcgamer60
05-08-2007, 08:56
Use gnormalize on it: it adjusts the ouput volume to the same standard.
Is there a windows version? I only see one for Linux.
jcgamer60
05-08-2007, 09:00
in that case you should not be getting any loss in quality when converting back to wav, the only 2 possible ways you can be losing quality going from lossless to lossless is faulty software or faulty hardware
Well, i doubt me and my friend both have faulty hardware. I read on the flac website that converting back to wav isn't always successful. Something about wav being difficult.
http://flac.sourceforge.net/faq.html#tools__wave_flac_wave
I did not create this mpc so i can only assume it was directly ripped from the original CD. If you want to give a shot at converting it i have a link(unless board rules don't allow it).
but you aren't using flac, in any case in your link it states the flac audio file when reverted to wav will be identical.
Anyway this topic has gone on long enough with out resolution so I am requesting that you start a new thread as this is not the right place to hold this conversation.
jcgamer60
05-08-2007, 09:18
but you aren't using flac, in any case in your link it states the flac audio file when reverted to wav will be identical.
Anyway this topic has gone on long enough with out resolution so I am requesting that you start a new thread as this is not the right place to hold this conversation.
Good point, i forgot this was off topic, thanks for your help anyway. I will try and resolve this issue somewhere else.
Is there a windows version? I only see one for Linux.
Normally all converters should have an option to adjust the output level.
Gnormalize is just an interface, the engine is what does the trick.
I don't know any in windows, but most of them should be able to do that.
I think some guys here will know a program for windows with db+ adjustment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replay_Gain
jcgamer60
05-08-2007, 18:57
Normally all converters should have an option to adjust the output level.
Gnormalize is just an interface, the engine is what does the trick.
I don't know any in windows, but most of them should be able to do that.
I think some guys here will know a program for windows with db+ adjustment.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replay_Gain
Yeah, i've tried using program similar to this and the result was less than desirable(mp3gain i think). There was lots of distortion after applying the volume gain.
howdy everyone,
so i got my d2 about two weeks ago to replace my failing x5 (which i absolutlely love). definitely different, but i'm getting used to it. but there are some things from the x5 that i'd love for the d2 to do and they should be simple things. in lurking in the forums, it appears there are two camps of people, those that want more features and those that just want a damn good audio player. i fall into the second camp and the d2 is almost there. so, things i'd like to see in the firmware (my apologies if these have already been pointed out):
-assuming music is playing when it is turned off, auto-resume music playback when the device is turned on. i'm not sure what the resume function is that is already there, but it doesn't do this.
-along the same lines, have it go to wherever it was when it was turned off. i.e. if i'm in the text viewer reading something and turn it off, when i turn it back on it should automatically start up at that same point.
-dont stop playing!!! arrgghh, this one really irks me. on the x5 lets say i had artist a - album a & artist a - album b. well, if i told the x5 to start playing music at artist a - album a - track x it would start playing music. but once it reached the last track in album a it would automatically start playing album b without me having to tell it to go on to the next album. the d2 on the other hand just stops and i manually have to tell it to go to the next album. this is assuming no playlists, just playing the albums straight up in sequence. now, there is an 'all' when you navigate to the artist, but it's messed up cause it just seems to lump all the songs together in alpha order which is useless if you're trying to listen to one album after another in their intended sequence.
-keep improving the sound quality. i've only ever owned the x5, so i don't have anything to compare it to other than that. i thought the x5 sounded phenominal with no jet effects, everything flat. the d2, not so much. don't get me wrong, i think it sounds great, but just not as good as the x5 was. i've been tweaking jet effects on the d2 since the day i got it, it's close, but not quite there. (fyi, i use shure e3c ear buds)
-on the main music screen, at the bottom, it shows what all the current settings are for jeteffects. well, instead of clicking once to bring up the menu and clicking again on settings and clicking yet a third time on jet effect, why not make it so if you click on one of the displayed jeteffect settings, it allows you to alter that particular setting right there? for example, let's say i want to change the bbe setting, well it shows me right on the main screen what the current setting is, i should be able to tap on the bbe shown at the bottom and get a little overlay allowing adjustments.
-not really sure how to describe this, but again on the main music screen, there needs to be a better use of space. get rid of tiny play/pause icon above the time bar and also get rid of the two peak meters. another option would be to move those things below the time bar in between the two time indicators, just make them smaller. also get rid of the repeat, shuffle, and boundary indicators if they aren't directly accessible. in other words, if it shows on the screen, i should be able to tap and manipulate without having to dig into the menu. it just seems there is an awful lot of wasted space.
-lastly, some way to toggle id3 tagging display. maybe its because i'm so used to the x5, but in order for me to browse my music by folder instead of by tags, i have to click a minimum of 7 times!!! it would be nice if there was an option to make this the default method of browsing. also, it would be nice if there was a shortcut somewhere in all that wasted space that took you directly to your music library. on the x5, all i had to do was click once on the joystick and i was in the music library. and speaking of browsing by folder vs id3, it would be nice if it would lump together the internal and external memory and present a unified listing of all the folders instead of breaking it down to internal vs external.
so, other than all that (i know), i actually do like the d2. much smaller and lighter than the x5 and with a bigger, better screen to boot. i definitely miss having most all my music on one device, but i can live with the sd card expansion (i have to 8 gb cards and i hear 16gb are right around the corner, so to speak)
thanks cowon and keep on keepin on!
jcgamer60
05-08-2007, 22:38
Anyone else share the opinion of the X5 sounding better than the D2?
Michalaq
05-08-2007, 22:44
zirzlo, I agree exactly with your points on the interface.
So much room for improvement.
Anyone else share the opinion of the X5 sounding better than the D2?
Yes, indeed. The X5 sounds more natural, less harsh to my ears. No matter what EQ/BBE settings I tried on both players. And the X5's weaker amp drives all my headphones equally well - even the 80 Ohm Beyerdynamic DT770.
I found the D2 benefits from pairing with some slightly treble rolled-off IEMs, like the Sennheiser CX300, Ultimate Ears Super.Fi 5 EB, or V-Moda Vibe. That tames some of its harshness.
Nevertheless, the D2 still sounds excellent, compared to players from other manufacturers. It's just that the X5 still is in a class of its own. :)
GSV3MiaC
05-09-2007, 11:00
That's the problem of the manufacturers all trying to produce a 'do everything' device, in an ever smaller package with an ever larger screen - eventually the damn things are going to fold up when you touch the screen, and achieve 'cinema quality' (i.e. horribly) audio. At least the D2 still goes in a pocket, but Cowon seem terminally confused about whether it is an audio player or a video player or what.
The X5 was definitely an audio player. Over 2 years old, and still sellling (selling well, by all accounts). If only someone would produce the X6 .. or X7. Bigger disc, user swappable battery, integrate the subpack, and leave the rest alone. Actually an M6 or M7 might be even better .. 'USB to go' is not a desirable audio feature IMO, and the colour screen isn't really required (Album art? It's in my inside pocket most of the time, and you can't look at a screen and climb hills at the same time).
howdy everyone,
-assuming music is playing when it is turned off, auto-resume music playback when the device is turned on. i'm not sure what the resume function is that is already there, but it doesn't do this.
-dont stop playing!!! arrgghh, this one really irks me. on the x5 lets say i had artist a - album a & artist a - album b. well, if i told the x5 to start playing music at artist a - album a - track x it would start playing music. but once it reached the last track in album a it would automatically start playing album b without me having to tell it to go on to the next album. the d2 on the other hand just stops and i manually have to tell it to go to the next album. this is assuming no playlists, just playing the albums straight up in sequence. now, there is an 'all' when you navigate to the artist, but it's messed up cause it just seems to lump all the songs together in alpha order which is useless if you're trying to listen to one album after another in their intended sequence.
1) It is a nuisance but for music if you go to the music menu, it will bring you back where you left off.
2) In music mode, under setting, you can set the boundary to 1, folder, all. All will let you play the next album alphabetically.
The User Interface is not as user friendly like the iPod and it is not as polished or well documented. I tend to figure things out and there are many ways to do things in the D2 that is not documented like playlist, hold state mode as so forth.
Anyone else share the opinion of the X5 sounding better than the D2?
Don't know the X5 but I own a U3 and it sounds better, I use it absolutely flat.
The D2 sounds thin and harsh if set absolutely flat
By the way, the default factory mach3bass setting for the U3 is '3' and for the D2 is '6'. It seems Cowon engineers also think that more bass boost is needed.
Anyone encounter a bug in 2.45b when trying to skip forward (not fast forward, SKIP forward to the next video) from the very last video stored in a folder on the SD card?
On my D2, attempting to skip to the next video from the last one in a folder first gets me to a blank (black) video playback display (i.e. all video playback controls are visible, as is the duration of the video I am trying to skip forward from) but no image can be seen.
Another press of the "skip forward" button (righthand side of the screen) causes the D2 to reset.
When it resumes, NO VIDEO CONTENT IS AVAILABLE FOR PLAYBACK. Pulling out my SDHC card and sticking it back causes the missing video files to reappear.
This seems to be a consistent bug. Happens every time I try it.
Anyone else?
I hope they fix the Dynamic Playlist bug in the official release of 2.45. You can only add songs individually to the DPL, not by full Artist or Album.
You can add songs by full Artist or Album to DPL but only when you browse by Folders, not by Music Library.
So, to do so you must have all yours music sorted in folders first (like Artist\Album\ or Genre\Artist\Album\ etc.). But it pays off in long term - I can load to DPL my favourite albums and play only them.
I know its annoying and I hope Cowon will in time fix all bugs in Music Library.
AussiePie
05-11-2007, 20:45
A couple of issues i have found in the 2.45b:
2.41 had probs with duplicates on id3 tags, 2.45b has delt with this for the most part but there were some probs displaying the id3 year details on only one album (which didn't have probs in 2.41).
The screen has a display prob and intermitantly shows a fault after being locked or timeing out, the prob is that about 3-4mm of the top of the display is reproduced at the bottom of the screen, e.g. i can see the top of the battery indicator and clock were the buttons are at the bottom. This problem does go away if the player is paused and started again or turned off and back on.
Apart from that its working well :)
Blackroom
05-12-2007, 05:18
I have found that I canīt delete objects at all in the player either movies nor music. If I connect it to the PC it as normal. I get a messege saying "Delete files is not possible whilst in music browse" (Or simular). I get that error wherever I am in the list, filebrowser, musicbrowser, or videobrowser. Not a huge problem since it is a beta version but it must sorted out to the sharp release.
Or maybe there is something odd with my installation? Can someone else try?
Had the same thing, but it disappeared. Cant remember how, though :-)
I flashed my player several times. Try just uploading it again, maybe with the fontpatch.
Blackroom
05-12-2007, 06:24
Ok so you got yours to disappear, I will try to reload the OS again to see if it helps, otherwise Iīm going back to 2.41
Try select song by Folders, play it a bit and then go to VIDEO section to delete movies. Or stay in MUSIC section and try delete songs browsing by Folders.
It's working for me in 3.45 fw.
I wish Cowon add deleting files selected by browsing trough Music Library.
Blackroom
05-12-2007, 13:27
Tried it and thats a no go for me...
I willl reinstall the fw later and play around awhile to see if it works again.
No hurry for me ;-)
id3tag view with ogg-files still doesn't work for me, it mixes up the order of the tracks....sorts them alphabetically
I wish they would add in the settings to make the music folder and folder browsing an option. Then you could chose how to navigate your music. The one reason I choose cowon was for its quality and usability in linux. I have a U3 and this is an option in it. Maybe they will get it right someday. It's amazing that they would spend so much effort in making it draw lines than to making the audio and video part more user friendly. To have the open source audio and video software available in linux would be a great way to selling more players.
I wish they would add in the settings to make the music folder and folder browsing an option. Then you could chose how to navigate your music. The one reason I choose cowon was for its quality and usability in linux. I have a U3 and this is an option in it. Maybe they will get it right someday. It's amazing that they would spend so much effort in making it draw lines than to making the audio and video part more user friendly. To have the open source audio and video software available in linux would be a great way to selling more players.
You can browse by folder... i do it every day :)
tamanaco
05-14-2007, 16:40
3.45 was released 05/11... Does anyone know if 2.45 non-beta is available in the Cowon Korean site yet? Firmware 2.41 non-beta was released 15 days after 2.41 beta in the Cowon Global site, but it took less time to appear in the Korean site. Just checking...
Btw, I find the Cowon America web site completely useless. Does any one else feel the same way? What a waste of resources. How difficult can it be to update it with information available in the Korean and Global sites. I can understand a delay of a couple days because of language translation and the such, but no updates for weeks is unacceptable. The description from the download page says firmware 2.45 beta, but the actual link says 2.41 Beta. Last time I checked the Arabic numeral system was the same in all languages. I won't waste my time checking that site unless they fix the content latency.
2) In music mode, under setting, you can set the boundary to 1, folder, all. All will let you play the next album alphabetically.
Not for me. The boundary is set to All but when it plays the last song of an album, it just stops. I have to manually tell it to play the first song of the next album.
tamanaco
05-16-2007, 05:28
See my post here (http://www.iaudiophile.net/forums/showpost.php?p=127472&postcount=12)
Not for me. The boundary is set to All but when it plays the last song of an album, it just stops. I have to manually tell it to play the first song of the next album.
Are you using ID tag browsing or folder browsing? It works on folder browsing but not ID tag browsing. This is another quirk.
Are you using ID tag browsing or folder browsing? It works on folder browsing but not ID tag browsing. This is another quirk.
AHA! That's it! Grrr...was driving me nuts. Hopefully this is fixed in the next FW. Thanks for the info!
edit- just installed the 2.46 fw...didn't fix the issue...oh well....
You can browse by folder... i do it every day :)
The problem is that you have to keep browsing back until you are in the folders menu in order to select a folder(album) instead of identifying in album mode or artist mode. Also I have tried every combination in mencoder to format video to play with no success. I either get sound and a plank screen or video and no sound. At one point I would get sound and video but it would drop after one frame and stop or lockup. I do not want to use windows and I find the Cowon watermark annoying. it is quite obvious that I am using their products and am more than happy to tell someone it is the best choice when they going to buy something inferior(Ipod,Insignia,Creative). any ideas?
The problem is that you have to keep browsing back until you are in the folders menu in order to select a folder(album) instead of identifying in album mode or artist mode. Also I have tried every combination in mencoder to format video to play with no success. I either get sound and a plank screen or video and no sound. At one point I would get sound and video but it would drop after one frame and stop or lockup. I do not want to use windows and I find the Cowon watermark annoying. it is quite obvious that I am using their products and am more than happy to tell someone it is the best choice when they going to buy something inferior(Ipod,Insignia,Creative). any ideas?
Avidemux works very good ( if you enter the right settings). Make sure you've got some codecs installed though.
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