iRiver's A-B looping function is now back, with the latest Rockbox bleeding edge build! This allows one to play a section of a file repeatedly, until the looping is cancelled.
OK, you study-ers of language and music, get back to work--there is no excuse now!
To use the feature:
1. Go to the Rockbox Quickscreen, and set the repeat mode to A-B.
2. To set the "A" point, while a file is playing, press ON/Pause and move the play joystick to the left, at the same time. (Note that the player refrains from pausing, if you somewhat coordinate your simulataneous button pressing.)
To set the "B" point, next press ON/Pause and move the play joystick to the right, again at the same time.
And the loop begins!
3. To clear the set-points, press ON/Pause and click the play joystick.
As you will see, there is a very nice and clear image on the status bar as to the looping--an unexpected and nice surprise.
Now, the "bad" news: with this set, you won't be able to advance forward or back between folders, using the ON/pause + play left/right combination. However, the good news is, who really cares: you still can switch between folders using the much better (IMHO) short press left/right + long press left/right joystick combination.
The only thing I would have preferred would have been a simpler key sequence for the setting of the "A" and "B" positions, such as the use of the record button alone (similar to iRiver's simple use of the A-B button). But this is new, and perhaps if others find, as do I, that the current key combination is a bit ponderous (definitely 2 hands are needed), it might be able to change that, if the technology allows, including when key assignments on the iRiver players are re-thought. (The Rockbox devs had wanted key assignment feedback earlier--here is some.)
A nice device. As far as I can tell, now,
the only feature that iRiver has that Rockbox doesn't is FF and REW with sound (which I truly think is needed--otherwise, it's like rewinding a videotape to find your place without seeing the picture; at least, it should be an option).
Thanks again, devs!