Player Blog Category Archives: iRiver :: H100

Then Again Maybe There is Something About the H140

In our previous entry we called out the name change for iRiver H140 and noted that nothing else was different. Well, Gear @ IGN says iRiver may have a few changes in store:

Initially the H140 was supposed to be simply a thicker version of the extant 20GB model. The individual product shots show it to be just that, but the banner is something new. Notice the control stick? Its low profile places it almost flush with the surface of the body, much different than the iHP originals. In fact, the entire façade is much flatter than anything else from iRiver.

Of course, it is entirely possible that iRiver did some creative Photoshopping on the product shot, but time will tell. With the way iRiver prices have been dropping, the new models may not be that far away.

iRiver Announces New Player with 43% Fewer Letters

iRiver has officially changed the brand names of their 20GB and 40GB players from iHP-120 and iHP-140 to H120 and H140, respectively. H140 is certainly much less of a mouthful than iHP-140, but as far as we can tell only the name has changed.

Also of note, prices have dropped a bit since last Friday's price guide. Amazon now has the H120 for $299 and the H140 for $399.

Tag Database Tool for iRiver iHPs

The Tag Database Tool (TDT) is a replacement utility for the standard iRiver tool that builds a tag database from your music collection. The TDT should be significantly faster than iRiver's original and also adds support for OGG and WMA files. Best of all, it's an open-source project. This means that (a) it's free and (b) if you want to change it or add your own features, you can.

CNet Reviews the iRiver iHP-140

CNet has a positive review of iRiver's flagship player, the 40GB iHP-140. At least it's the flagship until the new models come out in the not-too-distant future. In any case, here's what CNet has to say:

The good: Analog and digital optical inputs/outputs; 40GB hard drive; line-in and voice recording; in-line remote with LCD; long battery life; FM tuner; high-resolution display.

The bad: Display text is small; slow scrolling; slight learning curve; limited Mac compatibility.

Upcoming Updates for iRiver iHP Players

iRiver announced a little while back a few significant, oft-requested features that it would be adding to its iHP series. Tentatively scheduled for a May firmware update are On-the-fly File Delete and Real Shuffle Mode. On-the-Fly Delete lets you delete files using the player's interface rather than having to connect it to a PC first. Real Shuffle Mode changes the random shuffle algorithm, something users had complained about in the past.

Next up for a June firmware update are On-the-fly Playlist and Gapless Playback. On-the-fly Playlist lets you queue files to play, just as you could by pre-making a playlist on your PC. Gapless Playback is explained in a previous entry.

Full announcement on the iRiver User Forum

Catching Up: iRiver iHP-140

iRiver has announced the iHP-140, the 40GB successor to the iHP-100 and iHP-120. Like, its predecessors the iHP-140 should be only slightly larger than the 3rd generation iPod, but include an LCD remote, FM radio, digital recording to MP3 or WAV and a carrying case with the retail package.