iFP FAQ's

[sweetspot]

The computer does not recognize my player is connected. What should I do?

Well let's start with the easy fixes first:

1. Did you properly install the setup CD that came with your player
including installing the device driver? The player does require that this
be done before the computer and player can talk to each other.

2. It the USB cable properly connected to both the computer and the player?
In the case of ifp-3XX players make sure that the rubberized port cover does
not prevent the mini usb plug from properly going all the way in. When the
mini plug is properly seated you can feel a little "pop"

3. Did you just upgrade to UMS software? If so the IMM software will not
see the player anymore. You will need to look at Windows Explorer and see
if the player is seen there as a new external drive.

If you did all of this now things become a little more tecky but don't worry

(Some OS's may require re boot at this point)

1. You will want to open the systems properties dialog box, check device
manager. What you are looking for there (provided your player is plugged in
is a yellow flag which is to alert you of a hardware conflict. If you have
this refer to your computer trouble shooting manual to resolve this issue.
You may have to remove the ifp device driver and try a fresh install. This
fresh install will almost 100% of the time fix this problem.

[sweetspot]

I just bought a new ifp player how do I get music files into my unit?

Answer:

Your new player is a wonderful device. however, to use it you must convert
your music into a format that the player can store. Your player is similar
to the HD in your computer, however it does not have anywhere near the
storage space that your computer does. This being the case you need to
squeeze the music files down into a smaller size than what is on your CD's
so it can fit into your player. This process is called compression.

Lucky for you your player supports mp3, wma and depending on model ogg
vorbis. If you have a ifp-3XX or ifp-5XX ogg is supported and you will have
to download this firmware from iRiver. (Downloading is easy and will be
covered in this FAQ list.)

Getting back to compression, providing you have selected the codec (the
choice of mp3, wma or ogg) the process of getting music into your player can
begin. You need to download some freeware from the internet first.

A good choice for people new to ripping and encoding is Cdex since it comes with all the newer encoders built in, and is relatively easy to use. Other people prefer EAC because iit's been around for a long while, and does a very good job with scratched or damaged CD's. And it's also very easy to use.
Go and download one or both of them before you go forward. I suggest getting comfortable with either of the programs also...

1. Lets assume you have either ripper installed in your computer. Go to setting and
select the encoder you want to use.(or you can just use a front end encoder such as Razor LAME or Oggdrop Remember, Keeping the file sizes small, will allow you to store more files on your iFP. 128 Kbps is the recommended bitrate because it's small but doesn't sacrifice too much quality. VBR is recommended for quality and size as well.

Stick a CD into your computer and rip and encode the CD following the Cdex or EAC
instructions. Make sure you tell the program where you want to store the
tracks....a file called converted music on your desktop is a good place so
it is easy to find. But this may vary depending on how you may have your HD partitioned.

3. Once you have the tracks ripped and encoded all you need do is connect
your ifp to your computer and use the IMM to drag and drop these new files
to your player. Presto you now have music in your player.

(P.S. Rippers and encoders and how to use them should or will be in a seperate FAQ section. Please refer to them if you're confused about how to use them. Some people ..such as the editor here..are very picky about what they use to rip and encode their stuff, and there's a LOT of options. Never be afraid to experiment. A good way to go about it, is to take a CD you're very familiar with, and do what you will. Use it to encode with different codecs, bitrates etc..)

[sweetspot]

I can't upload music from my ifp to my computer. How can I fix this?

To prevent unauthorized coping of music iRiver has included features in its
software that prevents you from uploading encoded music from your player to
another computer.

There are a few workarounds to this.

1) rename files from music.mp3 to music.rec. Files with the rec suffix can
be stored in your player and played normally. They can also be uploaded
into your computer. This process is a pain in the butt however if you have
several hundred tracks in your player.

2) You can upgrade your firmware to the UMS version. This will allow you to
use the player as a Mass Storage Device. You will NOT BE ABLE to use your
IMM any longer with this upgrade. To transfer files in and out you will
have to use Windows Explorer. Do not do this upgrade unless you are
comfortable using windows.

CAUTION: When this upgrade is done the entire
contents of your player will be erased. The player needs to format itself
as a UMS device and in the process deletes everything.

How do I upload firmware if I use UMS software?

1) Go to the iRiver download site and download the new firmware to your
desktop. Insure the hex file is not compressed. Drop and drag this hex
file to your root directory in the player using windows explorer.

2) Disconnect the player from your computer the usual way. Using the Nav
keys go to firmware upgrade in the player. Toggle to upgrade firmware,
select yes. The player will then upgrade its self to the latest and
greatest firmware.

[seadzz]

I just loaded a number of tracks into my new player and they only play in alphabetical order. How do I get them to play in track number order? I want to hear my music the same way as it was on the album.


Answer:

You need to include a number in the track naming sequence. For your existing track rips download a track name editing software package from the download section of this website. Using the freeDB lookup function get the names from the DB and make sure you include the track number.

Should look like this:

01 – first song

02 – second song

09 – this song

10 – song after that

Without the zero in place your player may skip around in playing tracks so remember to include this place holder.

Enjoy

sdz

[seadzz]

I just got my new player and want to know what encoder to use, mp3, wma or ogg. What is the best one and what settings should I use?

Answer:

There is no simple answer to the question of which encoder to use. Lets talk about bitrates first and get back to the encoder. Bitrate is the speed of the encoder. Faster speed means better quality but also means bigger file size.

As a rule encoding at 128kbps will give you a file size of 1 MB per minute of encoded music. A 4 minute song will give you a 4 MB file and a 11 track album will result in a 44MB album. You need to take this into account since in flash players you do not have super large storage space. You will need to ask yourself what do you want out of your player. If max number of songs is your goal then encode at a lower rate 96kbps for example. If max capacity is not important and you want max quality then encode higher maybe 256kbps. A solution may be in the something 128kbps range.

In any event is a balancing act between quality and capacity, which you need to wrestle with before you decide on which codec to use.

The best method is to rip a track you know well and encode it using several bitrates (use only one codec at this point). Go back and test these encodes against the wav file. Once you get a bitrate that is close or close enough to the wav file to make you happy AND the file size is about what you want then you have your magic bitrate.

On to the codec question:

The oldest and most universally supported codec is MP3. There are many variants but the most popular is called LAME. You can find a link to this download at the download section of this forum. MP3LAME is supported in many audio devices other than mp3 players and if you intend to share music with others you should consider MP3 as your first choice. Also mp3 gives the best battery life so if battery life is important to you go mp3LAME.

WMA is a Microsoft developed codec that is newer than mp3 and is designed as a low bitrate encoder. This means it sounds best at low bitrates (so MS claims). Test it yourself to see if it is right for you.

Ogg Vorbis-ogg for short. Newest of the codecs and is open source if that is important to you. Generally thought to produce higher quality playback then mp3 files of similar size. Note: It consumes large amounts of battery power compared to mp3 but to some users the audio playback quality is worth the cost.

At the end of the day your ears need to be the judge. Take your bitrate of choice which you have determined earlier and encode a given track with mp3LAME, WMA and OGG. Let your ears tell you what sounds best and take it from there.

In the area of encoding there is no best since the type of music you listen to R&R POP, Classical all sound different at different bitrates and codecs. Your ears are not calibrated the same as mine and I do not have to listen to your player.

Pick what works best for you.

Enjoy the music,

sdz

[seadzz]

Just got my new player and it has firmware 1.XX installed how do I upgrade it?

Answer:

Go to the iRiver site and download the most current firmware. Save it to your desktop or some other easy to fine place. Depending on which site you down load from this file may be in a hex format or may be a zip file. If a zip file unzip saving it to your desktop.

If you use IMM firmware open the IMM and follow the firmware upgrade icons and proceedures shown there.

If you have UMS installed use this:

Plug in your if to your computer, and copy the .hex file to the root folder of the ihp, eg the first one that is shown when you double-click on the drive in "My Computer".

Now, disconnect the if from your computer and make sure you have a fresh battery installed in case your existing battery is low.

Go into the menu. It's in the first sub-menu, the very last option is for performing the firmware upgrade. Make sure the 'yes' box is ticked, and exit the menu, the firmware upgrade screen will now be displayed, do not touch the player until the firmware upgrade is complete.

When the upgrade is completed, the player will switch itself off. Now all you do is switch it on, and you should see the version of the new firmware on the startup screen.

You can safely delete the .hex file from the ifp now.

enjoy the music,

sdz

[seadzz]

I just purchased a great new ifp and want to use the neck strap. There are no directions on how to attach this to the player. How do I get this thingy to work?

Answer:

You have to unscrew the top of the metal cylinder then loop the string on to the player. After forming a loop slip little silver cap through the loop. Once you have that done screw the small cap back onto the larger part and off you go.

enjoy!

[seadzz]

[Q] I just purchased a new ifp player and do not get anything close to claimed battery life. What can I do to increase the battery life or what am I doing wrong?

Answer

The advertised battery life in all iRiver products is based on playing 128kbps mp3 files encoded at CBR. This while the volume is set at a mid to low level, without manually changing tracks, no use of the backlight, with EQ levels set to normal, using stock easy to drive earphones, in a constant 22 degree C room, by iEngineers in white lab coats playing "pop" Korean music.

Anything you do that is not exactly matching the above mentioned parameters will detract from the battery performance you will see in real life.

There are however some things you can do to maximize the life:

* Use top quality alkaline batteries. Stay away from unknown or cut-rate price batteries. Also keep in mind that the best rechargeables do not last as long as alkalines.

* You should make sure the backlight time setting is set to the minimum you can live with. Each time you adjust the volume, change track or touch the joystick in anyway the backlight will come on. Backlight usage impacts battery life big times.

* Use only enough EQ and volume….don’t over kill this. Not all earphones sound the same. If you can afford to do so look at using better earphones. Maybe you can find a set that give you the sound qualities without having to pump up the EQ.

* Make playlists. By doing so you can avoid using the joystick, which eats batteries.

* Consider using MP3 and not Ogg. Yes I know Ogg may sound better at a smaller file size but until Ogg2 is released (who knows when that will happen) MP3 files impact battery less.

* Look at the use of CBR and not VBR. Again, I know VBR sounds better but if max battery life is your goal something has to give.

Lastly, if you want the best quality sound use high bitrate VBR files and just carry extra batteries.

enjoy the music

sdz

[seadzz]

I just purchased a new ifp that uses replaceable battries. What kind should I use?

Answered by Flame Grilled*:

1) Buy bulk packs of good alkaline cells, you can buy (in the UK) a pack of Duracells or Panasonic AA alkalinesx30 cells, for about £10.

or

2) Hunt down and order some good ni-mh cells (1800 mH or better) and a suitable charger

What you spend on the ni-mh cells, and charger, will repay itself greatly - trust me on this, i've hardly ever resorted to alkalines (only kept one or two on me for last-ditch emergency use).

3) If using Ogg for the compressed audio format, remember
Ogg decoding is literally a battery killer on the iFP, not as much as such on the iHP since the ifp has no HD.

If you are gonna work with Ogg, until either the excessive battery consumption problem is resolved, go with hi-capacity ni-mh cells and carry spares.

Observation
-------------

If you were expecting walkman type battery life using an mp3 deck (40hours-80 hours per two AA's ala walkman, 20-40 hrs on a single cell source) - then i'd suggest you forget that little fantasy...

I'd go with Duracells for alkalines, Panasonic alkalines second out of preference in alkaline terms - as i've picked up Ever Ready's before to use on pocket instrumentation devices.. and i've yet to buy a pack of En's that weren't duff or in a bad state of charge.

At least, from experience (my walkman proved it) Duracells are a good example of getting what you pay for (the item packaged with the iFP was a Duracell OEM supply item) - I use Duracells in pocket instruments and Panasonics (when I need to) for when i used an iFP (long gone now).

FG

*edited for ifp target usage