What's the best PMP for 'download & go' video viewing?

[gadg1717]

Hi

I'm sure this must have been asked before but I can't find a definitive answer, if there is one...

I'd like to buy a player on to which I can transfer TV shows I've downloaded in DivX/Xvid without any recoding or downsampling. Typically these will be 624 x yyy pixels depending on aspect ratio. I realise these will take a lot of space but I'd rather that than resample everything.

I know there are a lot of variables and nothing will play everything, but in general terms is this possible? I gather neither the Creative X-Fi nor the Samsung P3 will do it. Ideally I'd like something at that sort of price level.

Would be grateful for any thoughts.

David

[CrowdAds]

[iPoo]

S9 I think, especially now DivX is supported (if we can trust the Korean translation)

Everything I download plays without conversion on my S9.

[dfkt]

The thing the S9 supports now with 1.10 is DivX 3.11 (aka "DivX ;-)") - an illegal hacked Microsoft MP42 codec from back in the days... the S9 supported regular DivX/XviD/MPEG4-SP from the get go.

[iPoo]

It always was kinda twitchy with DivX codec in avi container with me. One time it would work, the other time it wouldn't. I had no such problem with XviD.

[dfkt]

Yes, XviD is very much better than DivX in every way, there's no comparison. However, DivX3 has nothing to do with the "real" DivX 4/5/6 codecs that followed later on, they just share the name, nothing of the code base is shared - and it is very weird Cowon spends time on implementing DivX3 on the S9.

[iPoo]

There I was thinking Divx was just Divx. All these codecs are confusing me.

[robjrock]

Surely, if you want a portable(ish) player it has to be between the Cowon S9 & the Samsung p3...

[curiouswonderer]

or, you can get cowon O2, which supports every codec under the sun. however, it has really buggy firmware.

another option would be archos 5 (or just archos in general)

[gadg1717]

Thanks for the replies. I am leaning towards the Samsung P3 and in case it helps anyone else who finds this thread with similar questions in mind, I found these two reviews helpful - here and here.

[gadg1717]

Well, I went for the 8gb P3 and am pleased with it. Video quality is very good and has so far played every Xvid TV show I've thrown at it, straight from download and with no converting. Takes about 1 min to transfer a c350mb show.

EDIT: Transfer is simply drag and drop in Windows Explorer. Samsung's bundled EmoDio and WMP both try to convert on transfer, which would take c15 mins instead of 1.