Screwy J3

[jtm]

I just got my j3 about 3 days back & this thing is a struggle to figure out.

I got the J3 16g 2.03 Version & up graded to the 2.22 FW

Ok here is what seems buggy about the product.

It will ONLY start up with an SD card inside it. Without it, it will "kinda sorta" brick up. It will display some colorful stripes on the screen and just freeze until I push the reset button.

After reseting the device and inserting the SD card, then I can start the J3 without any real issues.

The other buggy issue is, apparently the J3 will not accept any NEW files on the J3 itself. I can load files on my SD card (through the computer)and then place the SD in my J3 and use it to play files off of the SD card.... not exactly the way I hoped to do things.

That said, on the J3, there is an empty folder in the music section/folder that I can not delete. I deleted the contents, but the folder still remains. The computer just says it is a corupted file and can not be read etc etc.

Now, I was able to up load the 2.22 FW on the device... so apparently it will take a flash (to some degree)

I tried to up load some pictures on to the device, but they do not register on the J3. They register on the software, but when I disconect, it is as if the pictures were never burned on to the flash drive. Further no sample pictures or videos show up on the J3.... but it does on the software...
Buggy Buggy for sure.

So what is the advice.... I'm thinking it is due for a format, which is beyond my abilities.

The bad part is, I live in Thailand, and I had this thing shipped over from the USA and purchased via E-bay.... so a warranty is a wee bit difficult to use.

any help would be appreciated...

Oh, and other than the crazy buggggs (and there seems to be many) as usual.... the sound quality is AWESOME.

Any how, right now all I can do is listen to music I up load on to my SD card.[help]

[moman]

The faults your describing are not bugs, you got a faulty J3. Simple as that. The J3 only reads JPEG images and the best thing to do is open an RMA as the product only came out 4 months ago so you still got a guarantee. Also, you live in thailand, why not buy from Korea or Japan?

[jtm]

As far as I can tell, Thailand does not have an oficial distributor for Cowon products I have looked all over for them. There is a co. that will ship them in and charge twice for them etc

I will look into how difficult it will be to RMA this thing.... if it is too difficult, I'll just get a larger SD card....

As of right now I have an 8g SD card and I am only using 2g worth of it.

I dont think I have the time requred to use a 32g Micro SD card

but it does bite to have a broken J3... [cursing]

[Franki]

Reformat it, and install the firmware again.

How-to (http://iaudiophile.net/forums/showthread.php?t=35530&highlight=format)

[jtm]

Franki,I am LOVI'N IT.... I did as you told me, and I am soooo happy with the results. It sure beats sending it in. I did lose the sample files, but that is really no big deal. I test drove it & loaded some pictures/videos & music on to the internal memory... NO PROBLEMSTHANK YOU SO MUCH

[DSperber]

Franki,I am LOVI'N IT.... I did as you told me, and I am soooo happy with the results. It sure beats sending it in. I did lose the sample files, but that is really no big deal. I test drove it & loaded some pictures/videos & music on to the internal memory... NO PROBLEMSTHANK YOU SO MUCHYou also erased any of the non-firmware-recreated folders you might have wanted to use.

In particular, \Playlists gets erased... so if you plan to create M3U playlists and put them here you'll have to first recreate that directory.

From your earlier description of the odd behavior of your player, I almost wonder if the J3 you bought on eBay was really brand new. Was it?

Anyway, FORMAT (and subsequent default reconstruction by the firmware at first boot) is a reasonable way to give it "one last chance" before sending it anywhere for repair/replacement. And priming its internal storage with the latest firmware before rebooting gets it really back to "latest factory default". Obviously this process may or may not be successful (e.g. if there were a genuine hardware malfunction, it's unlikely to be corrected using these steps) but it's certainly worth a try.

Glad it worked out for you.

As it turned out for me, it did NOT work out... and my strange "time-of-day clock non-functional when the J3 is powered on, but works perfectly when the J3 is powered off" symptom did NOT get self-corrected using these identical steps. I even tried three different firmware versions, 2.10, 2.21 and 2.22... but to no avail.

Finally mailed it in today RMA to get repaired or replaced. Sure seems like a hardware malfunction.

[jtm]

It should be new.... all I know is it works "up to my standards" & honestly I am so computer retarded, I am luck I was able to format it & up-load the new FW.

It has been a stretch for my computer literacy. To be honest, i like less fussy equipment...

That said, the sound quality is what I demand.

thanks again, and good luck