The Insignia NS-2V17B 2GB SPORT MP3/Digital Media player
Written: Feb 15 '08 (Updated Feb 15 '08)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Sound: |
 |
|
| Ease of Use: |
 |
|
| Durability: |
|
|
| Portability: |
|
|
| Battery Life: |
|
|
|
Pros: Compact, multi-function device, good sound quality, very good battery life, Bluetooth compatible, inexpensive
Cons: Included earbuds are barely acceptable, video/image quality is mediocre
The Bottom Line: The Insignia NS-2V17B SPORT offers consumers a reasonably priced alternative to more expensive multi-function portable audio/video players
|
|
|
| Howard_Creech's Full Review: Insignia Sport 2GB Video MP3 Player NS-2V17B |
The public’s ongoing love affair with ultra-portable audio/video players is remarkable; every day there are more devices available with larger capacities and at steadily declining prices. MP3 players have become, in just a few years, a cultural icon because they are the ultimate version of the personal mix tape. Factor in the ability to view video, peruse massive collections of still images, and the public’s fascination with podcasts and it is no wonder that Apple’s original iPod completely changed the world.
For most consumers Insignia is probably not the first brand they think of when contemplating an electronics purchase. That’s too bad, because Insignia (one of Best Buy's house brands) may be among the best kept secrets in the hi-tech marketplace. Insignia products tend to be noticeably cheaper than similar gadgets, but they often incorporate popular features typically found on those more expensive products. The new Insignia NS-2V17B 2GB SPORT MP3 Player is a case in point. The NS-2V17B is a ultra-compact audio/video device that not only plays MP3s, functions as a Digital Media viewer, a Photo Storage device, an Audio-Book reader, and portable a USB flash drive – it’s also Bluetooth compatible and features an FM radio and a Micro SD card slot (for additional memory) at a price that’s appreciably lower than similar products from Apple, Creative, and Microsoft.
FUNCTIONALITY
The Insignia NS-2V17B 2GB SPORT is a flash memory based audio/video device. Flash memory based Audio/Video players are a better choice for many consumers than HDD (hard disk drive) memory devices because flash based players are generally cheaper and much less likely to skip (a very important consideration for active users) than HDD based players. The NS-2V17B SPORT plays music in the MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, WMA DRM and OGG music formats. The NS-2V17B SPORT displays still images in JPEG format and plays video/movies in MPEG4 (15fps) format. The NS-2V17B SPORT is PC (MS Windows 98SE or later) and MAC (OS 8.6 or later) compatible, PlaysForSure compatible, and supports Best Buy Digital Music Store, Rhapsody, Rhapsody To Go, Urge, iTunes drag-and-drop, Napster, Napster To Go and Audible.
Display
The NS-2V17B features a 1.7inch (220x176) backlit TFT LCD screen. Resolution is acceptably sharp and colors are hue accurate, but looking at images on this unit’s tiny LCD screen is rather like viewing a 35mm slide by holding it up to the light.
Capacity
The 2 GB NS-2V17B (according to Best Buy) holds up to 500 songs, or 2000 photos, or 25 audio books, or 7 movies.
The NS-2V17B also provides a MicroSD card slot, allowing users to quickly and easily increase storage space(something that’s missing from much of the competition).
Set-Up
Set-up is relatively easy – connect the included USB cable (USB 2.0HS interface) to the computer and charge the battery – which requires about three hours. Once the battery is charged install the included Best Buy/Rhapsody music software and the NS-2V17B launches setup mode and searches the computer for any music already on file. Getting music/photos/video into the player is pretty simple (for PC users) since the NS-2V17 shows up in My Computer as a separate drive – tunes, images, and video can be transferred to the NS-2V17B using either Rhapsody or Windows Media Player or just copy and paste or drag and drop the files you want directly into the player. Other than getting used to how sensitive the rotary jog dial is – setting up the NS-2V17B was a snap.
Ergonomics
The pocket-sized NS-2V17B measures 3.3in/8.38cm x 1.6 in/4.06cm x 0.4 in/1.0cm and weighs in at a trim 1.4oz/39.6gm. The front of the unit is glossy black plastic and the back is a flat black rubber-like substance. Controls are well laid out, easily accessed, and logically placed. Operation is accomplished via the rotary jog dial and a couple of dedicated function controls. It’s easy to hit play, fast forward, rewind, and negotiate the menus using only the right thumb. The NS-2V17B is robustly constructed and tough enough for normal use, but like all electronic devices it probably won’t stand up to serious abuse.
PERFORMANCE
Sound Quality
Sound quality was better than expected – equal or near equal to much of the NS-2V17B’s competition. Higher frequencies have a slightly brittle and somewhat tinny tonality. Mid-range frequencies are reproduced nicely. In the bass range - the lowest frequencies simply aren't there. The NS-2V17B provides 5 pre-set equalizer settings (Pop, Jazz, Rock, Normal, & Classic) so users do have some minimal input into the process, but the included earbuds are barely acceptable. I assessed sound quality by listening to a selection of favorite artists with whose music I am intimately familiar including Delbert McClinton, Chris Isaak, Paul Carrack, J.J. Cale, Ry Cooder, Santana, Robbie Robertson, and Womack & Womack. Listening to the NS-2V17B with my Koss TD60 headphones significantly improved the sound quality. I also used a pair of Insignia NS-BTHDP Stereo Bluetooth (wireless) headphones, which were substantially better than the included earbuds, but not as good as my old Koss headphones.
The NS-2V17B features an FM tuner, which isn’t a big selling point for me since I haven’t listened to FM radio in years and (unless there is an emergency or severe weather approaching) I see no reason to start listening to FM radio now. The FM radio works, for those who want or need it, and reception was acceptable (in a mid-sized urban area with several stations). The NS-2V17B also functions as an audio book reader, but I didn’t try this function.
Still Image/Video Quality
I’ve been a photographer for more than thirty years, so I may be a tougher than average judge when it comes to image quality – in my opinion the NS-2V17B’s image quality is predictably unimpressive. Realistically, the ability to watch video clips or movies on a 1.7 inch (220x176) LCD screen at 15fps is a vanity feature with very limited value.
Power/Battery Life
The NS-2V17B NS-DV2G needs about three hours to fully charge its integral rechargeable lithium-ion battery with the included USB cable. Best Buy claims the battery is good for up to 25 hours of music playback and I have no reason (based on my use) to quibble with that figure - I never ran out of juice, but I never tried any non-stop listening sessions either.
Technical Specifications
Screen: 1.7" TFT color LCD
Resolution: 220x176
Storage Capacity: 2GB
Storage Type: Internal Flash Memory
Expansion Slot: microSD
Digital Audio Format(s): MP3, WMA, WMA Lossless, WMA DRM and OGG
Audio output mode: Stereo
Signal-to-noise ratio: 93 dB
Video Format(s): MPEG-4
Connectivity: USB 2.0HS
Dimensions: 3.3in/8.38cm x 1.6 in/4.06cm x 0.4 in/1.0cm
Weight: 1.4oz/39.6gm
System Requirements: Windows 98SE or later - Mac OS 8.6 or later
Power: Integral Lithium-ion Rechargeable Battery
Included
Earbuds, USB cable, software CD, Quick Start users guide, warranty card
Warranty
Best Buy/Insignia provides a 1 year parts & labor warranty and it is easy to obtain warranty service - simply take the NS-2V17B to the nearest Best Buy store.
Conclusion
I genuinely doubt most consumers will be able to find a nicer MP3 player for the money - I think Best Buy did a really great job with this device. The overall design is good and the look is clean and relatively uncluttered, all the features (and there are lots of them) work, and usability/ease of use is impressive. This little multi-media device is my third Insignia product and I’ve been nicely surprised each time with their build quality, usability, and ergonomics. Factor in Bluetooth and the NS-2V17B (at about a hundred bucks) is an almost unbeatable deal.
I received this product from Hass MS&L (a public relations firm) for the purpose of providing a fair and objective review on Epinions.com.
Recommended:
Yes
Recommended for: Music Lovers - High Capacity Storage for an Entire Album Collection
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Howard_Creech
|
 in Electronics |
 in Home and Garden, Hotels & Travel |
 - Top 10 |
|
Member: Howard Creech
Location: Louisville, KY
Reviews written: 333
Trusted by: 1245 members
About Me:
Photographer/Writer fascinated by Movies, Music, Books, American Diner Food, History, "Popular Culture", and Travel.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2008 Shopping.com, Inc.