Philips PSS110 GoGear ShoqBox 256 MB Personal MP3 Sound System
by Philips
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Category: Network Media Player
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Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: PhilipsBrand: Philips
Edition: Electronics
Model: PSS110/17
Color: white
Publisher: Philips
Studio: Philips
Music Label: Philips
Product features:
- Portable MP3/WMA sound system with 256 MB flash memory and built-in speakers
- Stores up to 60 MP3 or 120 WMA files; digital FM tuner with 10 station presets
- High-tech titanium cone speaker drivers and neodymium magnets produce powerful sound
- 6-mode equalizer with classic, hip-hop, jazz, pop, rock, and normal settings; USB 1.1 interface
- Includes protective travel case; measures 7.16 x 2.28 x 2.08 inches (W x H x D); 1-year parts warranty
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Philips PSS110 GoGear ShoqBox 256 MB Personal MP3 Sound System
Customer Review: The little boombox that could...well sorta.
Summary: 4 Stars
I purchased this product because I'm looking for something that I can use while in the bathroom/shower in the morning. Normal shower radios always sound awful and most don't have MP3 capability. Obviously I can't take this unit into the shower, but it takes up very little space and I can set it near the shower without any problem.
First the good:
1. This unit sounds really good for what it is. It's not going to compete with your stereo system, but the sound is clean and crisp. It's also very loud when you turn the volume all the way up. Easily loud enough to accommodate a midsize room. It sounds better by far, than any other speaker I've heard that is a similar size.
2. It has a rechargable battery, with a life of about 10 hours. Some people may see this as a liability, but I hate changing batteries all the time so I like it.
3. This thing makes a very passable alarm clock. Some of the other comments knock this feature, however, after upgrading the firmware many of the problems go away. After upgrading the firmware, you can choose which song the alarm plays. Also hitting any button engages a 10 minute snooze. Hitting a button while it snoozes turns off the alarm. I'd even consider using it as a replacement for my current clock radio, and then taking it with me while I get ready.
4. The unit got great radio reception for me. I know some people had problems with this, but after I attached the included antenna, I was able to receive a lot of different stations. I suppose other's mileage will vary.
Unfortunately, the unit has has some real limitations which as a result caused me to return it.
1. It's only USB 1.1. It takes quite a while to fill the device. I do not understand why they didn't go USB 2.0 on this. Basically, if you add the full 256 MB of music, you might as well go get some coffee while it loads.
2. It only works, officially, with the included musicmatch software. Since I run Linux, this software is no good for me. I was able to get this to work using a third party software package named pyGogear: http://freshmeat.net/projects/pygogear/ This software manipulates the SQLite database which the unit uses to access the playlists and what not. It has no GUI and certainly is not for the faint of heart, however.
I don't understand why they didn't make it so that you can just copy the tracks on. Granted you may not get the ID3 taginfo (this is my guess as to why they didn't do it) and hence song navigation by artist, album, etc; but it could still just play the music and maybe list the filename.
3. It has no expansion capabilities. An included flash reader seems like it'd be a no brainer to me.
4. This one is the biggy...It's only 256 MB. I knew this going in, thought I could make it work, but I couldn't. It simply is not enough capacity. It takes so long to transfer music to the device, making it painful to change the track selection often. I thought maybe I could bear re-encoding my MP3s to 48 or 64 kb/s, to get a larger selection on the unit but I couldn't. They simply sound too horrible at the lower bitrates, particularly through this device which sounds pretty good with higher bitrates. WMA isn't much of an option for me because I run Linux.
In short, I really wanted to like this unit. I do like this unit. It's so close to amazing (you have to hear it)...If Philips releases another one that uses a microdrive (a few gig capacity) with usb 2.0, or uses a flash reader (this would be optimal); I'd totally buy it, keep it, and give it 5 stars.
Description of Philips PSS110 GoGear ShoqBox 256 MB Personal MP3 Sound System
Philips, Personal Sound System MP3/WMA/DRM, 256mb, FM radio, clock/alarm, AC/DC, unique stylingEnjoy superb sound while listening to your favorite MP3s with the 256 MB Philips ShoqBox sound system. The compact ShoqBox, which measures a mere 7.16 by 2.28 by 2.08 inches (W x H x D), stores up to 60 MP3 or 120 WMA files on its built-in flash memory, then outputs them through the system's pair of tiny yet powerful speakers. The resulting sound combines bright, brisk treble and midrange sound with elastic, room-filling bass--a pairing that's sure to please casual music fans and audiophiles alike.
The speakers owe their elite performance to their high-tech titanium cones and neodymium magnets, which deliver a sound output with nearly twice the power of traditional drivers of the same size. In addition, the drivers, acoustic architecture, and circuitry are precisely tuned, further optimizing the bass performance. Listeners will also dig the six-mode equalizer--which includes classic, hip-hop, jazz, pop, rock, and normal modes--and the dynamic bass boost function. Customizing the ShoqBox's audio output is as easy as pushing a button.
Should you tire of listening to your stored MP3 and WMA files, you can connect the ShoqBox to a personal CD player, PC, or other device via the line-in port. To switch from MP3/WMA to the auxiliary device, simply select the "line-in" function from the main menu. Once you do, you can rock out to your favorite CD, run the audio for your PC games through the speakers, or bring a sophisticated PowerPoint presentation to life.
Additional features include a digital FM tuner with 10 station presets, upgradeable firmware that improves the functionality of the device, a USB 1.1 interface for quick music downloads, a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery that offers up to 10 hours of playback, an integrated alarm, and a convenient travel case that protects the set during transport.
The ShoqBox, which weighs 0.77 pounds, is backed by a one-year warranty on parts (90 days labor).
What's in the Box
ShoqBox system, AC/DC adapter/charger, USB cable, line-in cable, software CD-ROM, FM antenna, travel case, user's manual.
