O2's lack of accessories... a sign of extinction?

keal · 01-12-2009, 01:07

Searching on eBay for a silicone case to replace my overly-cracked clear plastic case for the O2, I can't find anything. zCover.com also hasn't put their silicone version out. At this time the only options are the same plastic case from Cowon, or their leather case, and thankfully Noreve just put out a leather case for the O2.

On a whim I search for S9 accessories on eBay. And they've got silicone cases! Noreve has also whipped out a leather case for the S9.

Looks like support for the O2 isn't so good. I don't want the S9, but should a worthy successor to the D2 arrive, I'll bury my O2 in the backyard and forget I ever bought it.

I hate to say that I regret buying a Cowon player, but the O2 with its inadequate UI, lousy codec support (I have to convert practically everything... .MKV, .MP4, even some .AVI files won't play correctly) and lack of accessories are really hitting home.

Has anyone found any O2 accessories out there?

kasrhp · 01-12-2009, 06:50

Keal, I think you might be freaking out a little bit. The only thing I havent seen yet are the silicone cases for it. They have nice leather cases, and a hard case. I dont think the o2 is dead at all. I think some of us are making this more of a dire situation than it really is. And, the s9 might have some more accessoriesjust because it is supposed to be the sexier, flashier device. While the o2 has class

keal · 01-12-2009, 08:08

It's just that I've seen other Cowon players have a quick death, like the T2 and the F1. Looks like the Q5W has already stalled in the U.S., and since zCover made a case for the Q5W and it's probably not selling, they seem to be dragging their feet in getting an O2 cover put out. I just have this feeling that support for the O2 might not go well, considering the coverage the S9 is getting. If a company decides to make accessories for Cowon stuff, S9 stuff will surely sell a lot more than the O2. S9 already has a lot more cases...

Also, if you look at this forum at any given time, there's about 9 to 10 times more people viewing the S9 section over the O2. Right now there's 20 in the S9 area, and 2 in the O2. S9 really has all the attention, and maybe I'm just jealous

My poor O2 is in a ragged, cracked-up plastic case being held together by pieces of tape, and it scares me that there's no silicone case on the market yet. Could be that it's too early to cry about things, but seeing how fast things are coming out for the S9, including user-created content for its UI, it scares me a little bit.

Anyway, I'll be fine once I get a silicone case. It's just this awkward waiting period, and I have to watch the S9 get everything first.

kasrhp · 01-12-2009, 11:50

Lol, I dont blame you for being a little worried. Send some emails and see if there is a silicone case coming out anytime soon for it. I dont think the o2 will get tossed aside. It is too good of a player for that. There are tons of people who love it. And the ones who have their gripes are just hoping to air them out so they can get fixed because its all software issues. Keep the faith for the o2. Dont worry about the s9, thats the o2s little bro, for a reason too.

keal · 01-12-2009, 12:43

Haha, thanks for the tip, kasrhp, I will drop zCover an email about a case for the O2. I honestly did not think about contacting them. Funny how obvious things can just go ZOOM! Right over my head...

Cheers!

Affainyi · 01-12-2009, 12:55

The O2 die? LOL...the funniest thing I've heard for a year! The O2 is way too solid on way too many fronts for it to die....

Did you know that only 30% of device users buy a case for their device? Devices never last forever so why waste money on accessories? To tell you truth the only accessories I have ever bought in my life are a silicone case for my zen vision:m and the leather case for my O2...that's it.

The O2 will not die like those other cowon players you speak of. I am very device savvy and I know a lasting device when I see it and the O2 is one.....the simple fact is as long as the S9 is hyped and smaller and with an AMOLED screen it will be more popular....however conscientious buyers like myself will be disappointed by the low current capacities, lack of sd card and lack of a speaker....it is a blasphemy for a device that large to force you to use earphones.....all it's competitors have speakers now except maybe the sony....even the zen x-fi has speakers and it is the size of a credit card!

EDIT: I just looked at those extinct players you speak of......HAHAHAHA! Comparing the O2 to these is like comparing a car to a bicycle! Why on earth would these tiny, cheap-looking, audio only, low capacity flash players with screens the size of a thumbnail not die out? Of course they are old and unpopular, simply because such devices just are.....there is nothing you can do about that....no one gets excited when they see those players.......similar and cheaper players do the exact same thing and look nicer as well......However the O2 has made it onto cnet's gadgets of 2008 and is currently the only PMP able to boast of 8 hours battery life together with an sd card slot and 32 Gb capacity........

Sorry Keal but your fears are simply ridiculous.......note carefully also that the sunken sceen is something a silicon case cannot deal too well with.......so silicon screen makers are holding off for the meantime......to tell the truth again....whether a device is popular or not, accesories will come out for it becasue there is a demand, once there is a demand, a supply will arise to satisfy the demand.....simple economics.

BruceBanner · 01-12-2009, 15:11

I sure hope so. I just ordered the TV out cable as well as the leather case and I have a love/hate relationship with my o2. I've said it before in my Good vs Bad thread that the o2 hardware wise is pretty great (perhaps the only complaint is the overly glossy reflective screen) and otherwise ALL complaints could be fixed by firmware releases and SDK developers (HEY I'D PAY SDK MAKERS FOR SOME OF THE THINGS I WANT). So i'm taking a gamble keeping my 02 with fingers crossed that it doesn't get put aside and all efforts concentrated on the s9. Let's hope the s9 is so good at what it does there is no need for cowon staff to concentrate any efforts on it and the staff can work on the 02 =)

Arcanos · 01-12-2009, 19:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by BruceBanner

(HEY I'D PAY SDK MAKERS FOR SOME OF THE THINGS I WANT)

What do you want and how much are you paying

schris · 01-12-2009, 20:21

I guess Cowon did see Keal's thread yesterday, so they quickly issued a new firmware to let us know that O2 is still alive and kicking

Affainyi · 01-12-2009, 23:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by schris

I guess Cowon did see Keal's thread yesterday, so they quickly issued a new firmware to let us know that O2 is still alive and kicking

That would be really funny if it wa true....hehehehe....

btw I just did my very first conversion for the O2!

I transcoded some 720p HD content...just changing the h.264 to xvid with GOM encoder to watch on my O2. Marvellous!

It took just under 50 minutes for a 2 hour video and it looks nice and sharp on the O2, methinks too sharp sometimes! I am not used to such high quality video on a portable device

I wish I had a camera to show you guys the magnificent HD playback of the O2.....*sigh*

[the video I trasncoded is the first bleach movie in HD from the dattebayo torrent site]

keal · 01-13-2009, 01:34

I agree with the video quality. I have some high-quality SweetS music videos that were in .mp4 format. For some reason they didn't want to play on the O2, so I converted them to .avi. Unbelievably crisp details, It just leaps out at you!

Transcoding/converting is hardly a problem when the videos look so nice. Honestly, I can forgive the O2 for not being able to play every format. Just so nice to watch...

Now sound quality, that's another story!

nintendude7cubed · 01-13-2009, 22:05

to be honest, I'm still trying to stay in denial about the o2 being abandoned. I still don't think it will be. I'm secure with this until they actually do abandon it. If it were to get abandoned and cowon were to actually stop selling the o2 (which they've never done to a player by my knowledge), then i'd still be proud to have an o2 cuz it would take less time for it to become one of the rarest pmps out there. I'd still have to end up getting a player with the support and memory expansion promised with the o2 and hopefully by cowon, but i'd still have my o2 as a keepsake as the rare pmp that failed. Keep in mind this is just a what if type deal. For now i still love my o2 cuz it plays flac fine. Otherwise id be outraged. But seriously though all my codecs work fine (which suprises me at this point) and i don't go on many SUPER long road trips that require me to put tons of movies on it. This is probably why my experience is so good.

Affainyi · 01-14-2009, 20:55

I don't see how the O2 sub-forum is supposed to be thrive when the admins STEAL new threads for other places. I am not condemning or complaining....just pointing out a fact to Keal's so she understands and reduces her fears for the O2, the lack of activity is partly due to poor opinion of the O2 by the supposed 'experts'

who have enough clout to mangle the O2 subforums by removing folders and threads at will.

Just kidding

.....though really, some threads and folders have been taken away....for example schris' thread about music levelling. At least leave a link!

BruceBanner · 01-14-2009, 23:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arcanos

What do you want and how much are you paying

Seriously, we need a donate paypal thing and once u have completed programs for it we could ALL donate a little here and there. I would have np's donating $20AUS yer way when something useful is developed (and again and again etc). Perhaps others won't pay that much but it will all surely all add up.

tpilk · 01-15-2009, 12:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by nintendude7cubed

to be honest, I'm still trying to stay in denial about the o2 being abandoned. I still don't think it will be. I'm secure with this until they actually do abandon it. If it were to get abandoned and cowon were to actually stop selling the o2 (which they've never done to a player by my knowledge), then i'd still be proud to have an o2 cuz it would take less time for it to become one of the rarest pmps out there. I'd still have to end up getting a player with the support and memory expansion promised with the o2 and hopefully by cowon, but i'd still have my o2 as a keepsake as the rare pmp that failed. Keep in mind this is just a what if type deal. For now i still love my o2 cuz it plays flac fine. Otherwise id be outraged. But seriously though all my codecs work fine (which suprises me at this point) and i don't go on many SUPER long road trips that require me to put tons of movies on it. This is probably why my experience is so good.

It's starting to sound like the O2 is better off with a cult following, over having a huge user base. At least if we have a smaller group of devoted users, there's a better chance that we'd come up with our own solutions and improve the thing ourselves. I think that's preferable to catering to 50,000 Johnny ipods who just want to know where they can get the pink O2. But odds are slim that 70% of O2 owners now have the ability to write programs or hack the firmware...

And I'm still annoyed with the firmware situation. At this point I don't really care if the solution comes from cowon (even if that could be a year from now) or if it's accomplished by rockbox (2 or 3 years, if at all) or some other homebrew dealio. I really don't feel like that's asking for the impossible, but there's real danger of it never happening.

It's a huge point of contention knowing what the O2 could be but isn't, only because of some stupid code not getting written.

01-12-2009, 01:07	#1
keal Cowon D2, still the audio KING Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 526	O2's lack of accessories... a sign of extinction? Searching on eBay for a silicone case to replace my overly-cracked clear plastic case for the O2, I can't find anything. zCover.com also hasn't put their silicone version out. At this time the only options are the same plastic case from Cowon, or their leather case, and thankfully Noreve just put out a leather case for the O2. On a whim I search for S9 accessories on eBay. And they've got silicone cases! Noreve has also whipped out a leather case for the S9. Looks like support for the O2 isn't so good. I don't want the S9, but should a worthy successor to the D2 arrive, I'll bury my O2 in the backyard and forget I ever bought it. I hate to say that I regret buying a Cowon player, but the O2 with its inadequate UI, lousy codec support (I have to convert practically everything... .MKV, .MP4, even some .AVI files won't play correctly) and lack of accessories are really hitting home. Has anyone found any O2 accessories out there? __________________ Owner of Cowon's i5/U3/D2/O2 players Using Acer Iconia W500 (with 32GB internal memory, 64GB SDXH & Windows 7 OS) as my main PMP Using Cowon O2 as an all-day voice recorder Using Cowon D2 with Headroom Total Bithead ampdac for euphoric audio listening sessions JetAudio user since v4.0.2 Etymotic ER-4P user since 2003

01-12-2009, 08:08	#3
keal Cowon D2, still the audio KING Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 526	Sorry for pressing the panic button a little early It's just that I've seen other Cowon players have a quick death, like the T2 and the F1. Looks like the Q5W has already stalled in the U.S., and since zCover made a case for the Q5W and it's probably not selling, they seem to be dragging their feet in getting an O2 cover put out. I just have this feeling that support for the O2 might not go well, considering the coverage the S9 is getting. If a company decides to make accessories for Cowon stuff, S9 stuff will surely sell a lot more than the O2. S9 already has a lot more cases... Also, if you look at this forum at any given time, there's about 9 to 10 times more people viewing the S9 section over the O2. Right now there's 20 in the S9 area, and 2 in the O2. S9 really has all the attention, and maybe I'm just jealous My poor O2 is in a ragged, cracked-up plastic case being held together by pieces of tape, and it scares me that there's no silicone case on the market yet. Could be that it's too early to cry about things, but seeing how fast things are coming out for the S9, including user-created content for its UI, it scares me a little bit. Anyway, I'll be fine once I get a silicone case. It's just this awkward waiting period, and I have to watch the S9 get everything first. __________________ Owner of Cowon's i5/U3/D2/O2 players Using Acer Iconia W500 (with 32GB internal memory, 64GB SDXH & Windows 7 OS) as my main PMP Using Cowon O2 as an all-day voice recorder Using Cowon D2 with Headroom Total Bithead ampdac for euphoric audio listening sessions JetAudio user since v4.0.2 Etymotic ER-4P user since 2003

01-12-2009, 12:43	#5
keal Cowon D2, still the audio KING Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 526	Haha, thanks for the tip, kasrhp, I will drop zCover an email about a case for the O2. I honestly did not think about contacting them. Funny how obvious things can just go ZOOM! Right over my head... Cheers! __________________ Owner of Cowon's i5/U3/D2/O2 players Using Acer Iconia W500 (with 32GB internal memory, 64GB SDXH & Windows 7 OS) as my main PMP Using Cowon O2 as an all-day voice recorder Using Cowon D2 with Headroom Total Bithead ampdac for euphoric audio listening sessions JetAudio user since v4.0.2 Etymotic ER-4P user since 2003

01-12-2009, 12:55	#6
Affainyi tsk tsk tsk....so very saddening Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 339	The O2 die? LOL...the funniest thing I've heard for a year! The O2 is way too solid on way too many fronts for it to die.... Did you know that only 30% of device users buy a case for their device? Devices never last forever so why waste money on accessories? To tell you truth the only accessories I have ever bought in my life are a silicone case for my zen vision:m and the leather case for my O2...that's it. The O2 will not die like those other cowon players you speak of. I am very device savvy and I know a lasting device when I see it and the O2 is one.....the simple fact is as long as the S9 is hyped and smaller and with an AMOLED screen it will be more popular....however conscientious buyers like myself will be disappointed by the low current capacities, lack of sd card and lack of a speaker....it is a blasphemy for a device that large to force you to use earphones.....all it's competitors have speakers now except maybe the sony....even the zen x-fi has speakers and it is the size of a credit card! EDIT: I just looked at those extinct players you speak of......HAHAHAHA! Comparing the O2 to these is like comparing a car to a bicycle! Why on earth would these tiny, cheap-looking, audio only, low capacity flash players with screens the size of a thumbnail not die out? Of course they are old and unpopular, simply because such devices just *are.....there is nothing you can do about that....no one gets excited when they see those players.......similar and cheaper players do the exact same thing and look nicer as well......However the O2 has made it onto cnet's gadgets of 2008 and is currently the only PMP able to boast of 8 hours battery life together with an sd card slot and 32 Gb capacity........ Sorry Keal but your fears are simply ridiculous.......note carefully also that the sunken sceen is something a silicon case cannot deal too well with.......so silicon screen makers are holding off for the meantime......to tell the truth again....whether a device is popular or not, accesories will come out for it becasue there is a demand, once there is a demand, a supply will arise to satisfy the demand.....simple economics. __________________ - Zen Vision: M 30GB Black (just a bunch of parts now) - iPod tou 32GB(returned) (\_/) - Archos 5 60GB (returned) (0_0) THE BUNNY LIVES! - Zen X-Fi 32GB (returned) (> <) - COWON O2 32GB Black (finally I am satisfied!) - Cowon Leather carrying case for the O2(need to protect ma investment eh?!) Copy the bunny into your signature to aid him on his way to world domination! Last edited by Affainyi; 01-12-2009 at 13:32.. Reason: those players deserve to be extinct!*

01-12-2009, 15:11	#7
BruceBanner Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 95	I sure hope so. I just ordered the TV out cable as well as the leather case and I have a love/hate relationship with my o2. I've said it before in my Good vs Bad thread that the o2 hardware wise is pretty great (perhaps the only complaint is the overly glossy reflective screen) and otherwise ALL complaints could be fixed by firmware releases and SDK developers (HEY I'D PAY SDK MAKERS FOR SOME OF THE THINGS I WANT). So i'm taking a gamble keeping my 02 with fingers crossed that it doesn't get put aside and all efforts concentrated on the s9. Let's hope the s9 is so good at what it does there is no need for cowon staff to concentrate any efforts on it and the staff can work on the 02 =) __________________ HULK LIKE BEANS

01-12-2009, 06:50	#2
kasrhp Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 258	Keal, I think you might be freaking out a little bit. The only thing I havent seen yet are the silicone cases for it. They have nice leather cases, and a hard case. I dont think the o2 is dead at all. I think some of us are making this more of a dire situation than it really is. And, the s9 might have some more accessoriesjust because it is supposed to be the sexier, flashier device. While the o2 has class

01-12-2009, 11:50	#4
kasrhp Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 258	Lol, I dont blame you for being a little worried. Send some emails and see if there is a silicone case coming out anytime soon for it. I dont think the o2 will get tossed aside. It is too good of a player for that. There are tons of people who love it. And the ones who have their gripes are just hoping to air them out so they can get fixed because its all software issues. Keep the faith for the o2. Dont worry about the s9, thats the o2s little bro, for a reason too.

01-12-2009, 20:21	#9
schris Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 32	I guess Cowon did see Keal's thread yesterday, so they quickly issued a new firmware to let us know that O2 is still alive and kicking __________________ Cowon O2 White 32G ATH ES55 Headphone - best fit for my ears Creative Aurvana In-Ear earphone - no bass on O2 AKG K414p Headphone - Good bass on O2, lack of delicate details Sony EX52 Earphone, too dry on O2,

01-13-2009, 01:34	#11
keal Cowon D2, still the audio KING Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Hawaii Posts: 526	I agree with the video quality. I have some high-quality SweetS music videos that were in .mp4 format. For some reason they didn't want to play on the O2, so I converted them to .avi. Unbelievably crisp details, It just leaps out at you! Transcoding/converting is hardly a problem when the videos look so nice. Honestly, I can forgive the O2 for not being able to play every format. Just so nice to watch... Now sound quality, that's another story! __________________ Owner of Cowon's i5/U3/D2/O2 players Using Acer Iconia W500 (with 32GB internal memory, 64GB SDXH & Windows 7 OS) as my main PMP Using Cowon O2 as an all-day voice recorder Using Cowon D2 with Headroom Total Bithead ampdac for euphoric audio listening sessions JetAudio user since v4.0.2 Etymotic ER-4P user since 2003

01-13-2009, 22:05	#12
nintendude7cubed Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Sheboygan Falls, WI Posts: 273	to be honest, I'm still trying to stay in denial about the o2 being abandoned. I still don't think it will be. I'm secure with this until they actually do abandon it. If it were to get abandoned and cowon were to actually stop selling the o2 (which they've never done to a player by my knowledge), then i'd still be proud to have an o2 cuz it would take less time for it to become one of the rarest pmps out there. I'd still have to end up getting a player with the support and memory expansion promised with the o2 and hopefully by cowon, but i'd still have my o2 as a keepsake as the rare pmp that failed. Keep in mind this is just a what if type deal. For now i still love my o2 cuz it plays flac fine. Otherwise id be outraged. But seriously though all my codecs work fine (which suprises me at this point) and i don't go on many SUPER long road trips that require me to put tons of movies on it. This is probably why my experience is so good. __________________ Rio Karma, Cowon o2<(R.I.P), Sandisk Sansa Clip+, COWON J3 Pioneer HDJ-1000 headphones, Yuin PK3 earbuds (R.I.P), Blue Ever Blue 328R "the Black" ear buds

01-14-2009, 20:55	#13
Affainyi tsk tsk tsk....so very saddening Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 339	I don't see how the O2 sub-forum is supposed to be thrive when the admins STEAL new threads for other places. I am not condemning or complaining....just pointing out a fact to Keal's so she understands and reduces her fears for the O2, the lack of activity is partly due to poor opinion of the O2 by the supposed 'experts' who have enough clout to mangle the O2 subforums by removing folders and threads at will. Just kidding.....though really, some threads and folders have been taken away....for example schris' thread about music levelling. At least leave a link! __________________ - Zen Vision: M 30GB Black (just a bunch of parts now) - iPod tou 32GB(returned) (\_/) - Archos 5 60GB (returned) (0_0) THE BUNNY LIVES! - Zen X-Fi 32GB (returned) (> <) - COWON O2 32GB Black (finally I am satisfied!) - Cowon Leather carrying case for the O2(need to protect ma investment eh?!) Copy the bunny into your signature to aid him on his way to world domination!

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