Samsung YP-U7

[lebellium]

Originally Posted by dreamkatcha

Hmm, that's odd. When I re-mount the player the file disappears.

That's the expected behaviour.

Is it possible to keep the radio and have all the menus in English? I found the language option, but when it's all in Korean I can't work out which one to choose.

Come on! There are only 2 language sub-menus...-_- the first one is the menus language (English = english....) and the second one is id3tags language (in Korean indeed)

PS: please avoid double posts. There is an edit button.

[CrowdAds]

[dreamkatcha]

Ah yes, I see the player keeps it's settings with or without the file.

Both sub-menus looked like gibberish so I randomly picked the second one and only saw more gibberish so wrongly assumed going back to the first one wouldn't help. Easy when you know how, thanks. In my defence though I hadn't even browsed the menus in English before trying the region tweak because I knew from reading these forums that I wouldn't have the radio available. Before I posted I'd had the player out of the box for all of two minutes.

Sorry for the double post. Feel free to combine my posts if that keeps things more orderly.

[lebellium]

It's OK. Enjoy it now

I take the opportunity to say that the firmware 1.03 download link (for an unknown reason, firmwares for U7 are only availbale on the Samsung Korea website) is still wrong (= firmware 1.01).
I reported it to Samsung but they don't seem to care about it so I guess we'll have to wait for the next firmware to hopefully get a correct download link this time....

[dreamkatcha]

Thanks for the info. I definitely am enjoying it. After playing with the U7 for a few minutes I feel like I know everything I need to, given how simple it is to operate. It sounds great, the build quality is solid and I've got the ease of drag and drop once again. The Popcons are just the right side of pointlessly wacky.

The only issue I've had so far is that ejecting it within Linux Mint doesn't appear to do anything. The player remains mounted and browsable.

[slipperyslope]

Hello everyone. This is my first post and after following for a long time, finally I decided to register and add some comments. @lebellium thank you for the very detailed information on the device. I've been reading this topic for a week and finally bought my U7!

After finishing writing, I realized that it's been a long comment so I numbered my scattered thougts

1. PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE
Three years ago I also had a U5, it was a really nice slick mp3 player but unfortunately I lost it. When it comes to comparing U7 with U5 (or U6 which I don't own) I think it's really disappointing to see that it still has only 4 GB memory and no SD support. Omiting the recorder is another thing which I don't understand the reasoning behind it. However, as for the price it's definitely cheaper than U6, I bought U7 for €40 and U6 was €60!

2. QUALITY
However, when I compare it with my lost U5, I didn't like the sound quality. What's your user-defined EQ settings? Can you give a screenshot? About the radio, I hope they'll add the RDS with a firmware update but I'm not expecting it as I think it's not included in the hardware.

3. FIRMWARE UPDATE
Those who haven't updated the firmware can download from Samsung's Korean webpage - second link which says "펌웨어". (I couldn't see the link and maybe it'd be useful for everybody). However, as you said the version is 1.01, not 1.03.

The changelog (Google-translated from Korean-Samsung):
- Ear safety standards applied (changed?)

In the previous version, there was a warning after volume level 28 as regards to listening in high volumes. Now, it's shown in volume level 20 with a different text. I hope there'll be more with the new updates.

4. TRICK FOR REMOVING THE ANNOYING POPCON
I think it's not fun to see those popcons running in the screen. They're eating the space for the song name and it's a pity there's no option to disable. However, you may be able to remove them from the screen and let the song names take that space by activating the study mode. I know it's not a perfect hack and there is "▴SKIP▾A↕B" text under the song name but I think it's a good way to disable the Popcons and you can still change the song with right and left arrow, you just can't change the volume level.

5. I know it's really hard work BUT isn't there anybody who can extract the .ROM file and make changes?

[lebellium]

Originally Posted by slipperyslope

2. QUALITY
However, when I compare it with my lost U5, I didn't like the sound quality. What's your user-defined EQ settings? Can you give a screenshout? About the radio, I hope they'll add the RDS with a firmware update but I'm not expecting it as I think it's not included in the hardware.

I use high-end IEM Westone UM3x with flat sound on all my devices. Generally speaking I don't like EQ and sound effects and particularly I don't like this "light" version of SoundAlive effects which is still worse than U5's DNSe 3.0 Core. I just took my U5 and U7 and compared again: flat sound is good and very similar on both devices. User EQ is very different though, although they both feature the same 7 bands frequencies: the problem on U5 is that it is partially inefficient: changing the 60Hz has almost no effect. I reported it to Samsung at the time but they did not improve that with a firmware. The U7 it's the reverse: the user EQ is a bit too efficient, almost caricatural.
In the end, I can only advise you to buy high quality IEM or headphones with the sound signature you like and to use flat sound.

The FM tuner supports RDS (it's a SI4709) but they won't add RDS because the FM radio is not supposed to be enabled in Europe.

3. FIRMWARE UPDATE
Finally, those who haven't updated the firmware can download from Samsung's Korean webpage. (I couldn't see the link and maybe it'd be useful for everybody). However, as you said the version is 1.01, not 1.03.

The changelog (Google-translated from Korean-Samsung):
- Ear safety standards applied (changed?)

In the previous version, there was a warning after volume level 28 as regards to listening in high volumes. Now, it's shown in volume level 20 with a different text. I hope there'll be more with the new updates.

Firmware download links and changelogs are always here: http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum...ad.php?t=32690

Don't expect new or improved features. Firmware updates are only meant to fix bugs. Like on the YP-U5 BTW. But at the time of the U5 Samsung released new firmwares when I reported bugs to the R&D. Now they don't care anymore and don't even reply to me... There is an issue with SPL playlists (only files at the root of Music directory are read) and I'm not even sure it will be fixed because of that.

5. I know it's really hard work BUT isn't there anybody who can extract the .ROM file and make changes?

No. Don't expect that

[slipperyslope]

Originally Posted by lebellium

I use high-end IEM Westone UM3x with flat sound on all my devices. Generally speaking I don't like EQ and sound effects and particularly I don't like this "light" version of SoundAlive effects which is still worse than U5's DNSe 3.0 Core. I just took my U5 and U7 and compared again: flat sound is good and very similar on both devices. User EQ is very different though, although they both feature the same 7 bands frequencies: the problem on U5 is that it is partially inefficient: changing the 60Hz has almost no effect. I reported it to Samsung at the time but they did not improve that with a firmware. The U7 it's the reverse: the user EQ is a bit too efficient, almost caricatural.
In the end, I can only advise you to buy high quality IEM or headphones with the sound signature you like and to use flat sound.

It's quite satisfactory information about sound quality.

The FM tuner supports RDS (it's a SI4709) but they won't add RDS because the FM radio is not supposed to be enabled in Europe.

Yes the radio feature isn't supposed to be working in Europe; however, isn't there a possibility for the Korean version? Excuse me I don't know whether there is RDS in Korea or not but if there's, then there is a "maybe".

Firmware download links and changelogs are always here: http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum...ad.php?t=32690

Sorry about that, didn't realize it.

Don't expect new or improved features. Firmware updates are only meant to fix bugs. Like on the YP-U5 BTW. But at the time of the U5 Samsung released new firmwares when I reported bugs to the R&D. Now they don't care anymore and don't even reply to me... There is an issue with SPL playlists (only files at the root of Music directory are read) and I'm not even sure it will be fixed because of that.

You're right, and even though I say there may be an update for RDS for example, I don't believe either, it's just a wish I think Samsung is too lazy in terms of customer satisfaction, they release a product, they sell it and that's it. Anyway, despite all it's a decent mp3 player in general.

[lebellium]

Originally Posted by slipperyslope

Yes the radio feature isn't supposed to be working in Europe; however, isn't there a possibility for the Korean version? Excuse me I don't know whether there is RDS in Korea or not but if there's, then there is a "maybe".

RDS is working in Europe only, that's why it is only enabled in EU region code.

The USA and Canada use RBDS which is very close to RDS and thus usually compatible. On a few players Samsung support directly RBDS in US region code but on most players you have to use EU region code if you want to get RBDS in North America. But anyways the U7 won't be released in the USA.

RDS is not used in Korea, that's why it is not enabled and will never be enabled in KR code.

The U5 has a SI4703 FM tuner which is probably close to the U7's SI4709, meaning that they could probably easily reuse the same RDS code or very similar code. But for all reasons mentioned above, that won't happen.
The developers don't decide. If the Product Manager said no FM radio in Europe, that means no need for RDS, even if it would take only a few minutes to implement it in firmware.

I think Samsung is too lazy in terms of customer satisfaction, they release a product, they sell it and that's it. Anyway, despite all it's a decent mp3 player in general.

Indeed, no surprise here. They used to make some effort (famous "bluewaves" updates at the time of YP-P2/T10/S5) but since then, firmwares have never been used to add or improve features again, except for a few high-range players (YP-P3 and YP-R1 for instance).
So it was already true in the past but now that the MP3 market is dying, it's still more true. They only give R&D resources for products with high Return on Investment. Now those are smartphones
For their defense, competitors do the same. You will never see new features on the Sony B series for example^^

[dreamkatcha]

Is anyone else having trouble getting tracks to remember their playback position? I started playing a podcast from where it left off last time I listened to it and then skipped to something else. When I came back to it, it had reset to the beginning. No fun when your file is over 6 hours long.

[lebellium]

Like any Samsung MP3 player, the YP-U7 only remembers the position in the last file played. If you skipped to another file and then came back to the previous file, it's too late.

If you need real bookmarking capacities, you should get a Cowon player or any Rockboxed device (Sansa Clip+/Clip Zip for instance)

[dreamkatcha]

Oh so that's deliberate behaviour. Well as long as I know I'm not doing something wrong I can live with that... maybe I'll even develop an attention span longer than 5 minutes! I'd just got used to flitting back and forth for all those years using my iPod Shuffle I thought all players allowed that.

[Revolt]

Hi, there! ... Some days ago I've lost my YP-U5 (DAMN ITTT!!!) which I used for years and years, thinking I've choosen nothing special. So I started going on stores, looking for the same kind of player by Samsung. The best I found was the YP-U7 but I discovered (with lot of disappointment) that there's no radio, no voice rec and mostly no way to remove those ugly popcons dancing on the screen! ... So I realized my old U5 was the best one and now I can't find anything that could match it. I tried the YP-Z3, but it's a poor and buggy player (lot of dust under the screen and lot of auto-turn offs during play). I even tried a Sony (the NWZ-B173) but I immediately brought it back because of a poor sound quality under equalizer.
Finally I have to admit that in stick player zone, the YP-U7 seems the best I can get (for price and sound), but I can't stand to those ridiculous icons I used to replace with a custom one on the U5. Really I cannot understand why those stupid Koreans made this. I don't care about the radio (that seems it could be enabled) or the voice rec. So I'd like to ask you this: is there anyone who tried to contact Samsung to ask them for a new firmware to bring the custom icon back, or at least a trick to put it inside the player? Things around suggest this player is not so appreciated as the U6 (no video on yt, very few reviews, etc.). How much time do Samsung need to understand they made a sh*tty thing? ... I'm furious.

[lebellium]

Originally Posted by Revolt

So I'd like to ask you this: is there anyone who tried to contact Samsung to ask them for a new firmware to bring the custom icon back, or at least a trick to put it inside the player?

I'm the only insider here, with contacts at Samsung France and Korea. I'm the one who reports the bugs to Samsung Korea for every player and harass them to get them fixed (if you find the YP-Z3 buggy with the latest firmware, imagine how it was when I first got it in my hand the day of its release, no actually you can't imagine unless you see my email box ) and I just tell you: that won't happen. They no longer care about MP3 players. Please read here http://www.anythingbutipod.com/forum...4&postcount=10

Just thinking about the current situation makes me as furious as you. But not for the same reasons as you. I just want them to fix bugs when I report them as it has always been the case before. There is a bug in SPL playlist support on the U7 so I need to harass them again until they reply and release a new firmware

What you want is different and unrealistic: you want new/improved features which have not been planned by Samsung during product development.
1) You should know that Samsung firmwares don't bring new features, they only fix bugs. That was already the case on YP-U5
2) Product planning and managers in Korea decided that there are no custom Popcons on the U7, that's it. They won't change that because 3 people on an english forum don't like that: Their goal is to sell at least a few units on a dying market. Improve or add new features = more development time and cost that won't bring any better Return on Investment because custom icons or not won't make the U7 sell better or worse.

That being said, the U7 is a good player, I prefer it over the U6 as I said in my review and if there are only a few reviews and no videos on youtube, it's just because the dying market in 2010 is almost dead in 2013, it's not because of bad product. If the U5 or U6 were released today they wouldn't get more reviews or videos than the U7.

Conclusion: if you find some bugs on the YP-U7 just let me know, I'll do my best to get them fixed as usual but no need to ask for changed/improved/new features, that won't happen as it never happened in the past.

[Revolt]

Clear, I won't buy it. If it's a dying market, they're doing everything to make it fast. Thanks for your answer ...

[lebellium]

Originally Posted by Revolt

they're doing everything to make it fast.

No more and no less than competitors I would say.

The U7 is definitely the best USB-key player on the market today so I don't see any other solution than buying a second-handed U5 or buy a non-USB key player like a Sansa Clip+ / Clip Zip.

[Trashman]

I have just purchased a new YP-U7AB/XEF and I have an issue that is probably very simple, but I can't see the solution.

I have dragged some loose music files and some albums (in folders) onto the player, but the playback is always in the wrong order.
On my old Samsung loose tracks and albums would be played in alphabetical order, but the contents of folders (albums) would be played in track order.

My new Samsung seems to ignore the folders and treat all the tracks as one large mass and play them all in strictly alphanumerical order. This means bits of albums and random tracks depending on the title.

I've updated to firmware 1.01 KR-00-LJ1 to no avail.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[lebellium]

I don't really understand your post

Either your use the tags navigation (artists, albums, songs, genres) and files are played in track order (for an album) or you use the folders navigation (music browser) and files are played in alphabetical order.

[Trashman]

I don't use tags navigation because that treats all files as one mass.
The Music Browser lets me play a (single) given folder and then stops.

On my old system it started with track 1 and ended when it had played everything. It would play the contents of a folder and then move onto the next folder. Not play track 5 from folder three and then track 7 from folder 1 because that is alphabetical.

It seems to be treating everything as one giant folder full of tracks and playing them alphanumerically. It ignores the folders that the album tracks are in and just seems to see everything at the same level.

Am I missing a setting?

[lebellium]

Originally Posted by Trashman

I don't use tags navigation because that treats all files as one mass.

?? Go to Music>Artists>the album you want and you see all tracks of the current album listed in the right track order

The Music Browser lets me play a (single) given folder and then stops.

Yes, that's the expected behavior on any Samsung player. I don't remember a Samsung player automatically skipping to the next folder since the 2005 YH-J70.

On my old system it started with track 1 and ended when it had played everything. It would play the contents of a folder and then move onto the next folder.

What is your old player?

Not play track 5 from folder three and then track 7 from folder 1 because that is alphabetical.

I don't get it
We just said above that it doesn't automatically skip to the next folder so how could it play track 5 from folder three and then track 7 from folder 1?!

It seems to be treating everything as one giant folder full of tracks and playing them alphanumerically. It ignores the folders that the album tracks are in and just seems to see everything at the same level.

?!
Go to Music>Music Browser and you'll see all folders and subfolders, the exact directory tree!

Serioulsy, you really need to tell me what you are doing exactly on your player, step by step, to play a song because what you say doesn't make any sense to me :S

Maybe you are mixing up tags (album) with folders/files, I don't know...

[Trashman]

I had a YP-U6AB U6.

I would select play on it and it played each folder (album) in turn until it reached the end and stopped. Or repeated from the beginning if that was selected.

This current one ignores folders and treats all the files as if they were in the same folder. They are played in strictly alphanumeric order. Which obviously ruins playback of live or mix albums.

Selecting individual albums or tracks on a player seems like a major step back - and pointless on a system that currently has several dozen albums and loose tracks totaling over 600 tracks. A playlist of that size seems mildly insane as well.

It seems logical (to me) that I should be able to hit play and the machine just works through what it contains without changing the playback order arbitrarily. After all that was what my last one did! Which is the model before this one!