Samsung galaxy player S wifi 5.0
Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2012 7:37 pm
Ok,
I got my galaxy player 5 inch tablet/media player 8GB from Amazon UK 2 days ago for £135.
I got it to replace my sony 7inch portable DVD player that has a 5 hour battery playing DVD's and 6 hours with a USB key, but it weighed over a kilo (which replaced an Archos A5IT). I diddn't want a phone, as too expensive (for the screen size) and it would not have good battery life.
Initial impressions
build quality is very good, solid and weighty. it looks like a big galaxy S2 phone or galaxy note. I've got a galaxy apollo gti5800 phone, and it's screen is 3.2 inches, that is the WIDTH of the galaxy players! The screen is huge next to an i pod, but it fits into a shirt pocket with no trouble at all, even in a case.
Screen viewing angles are superb, you can view it from almost sideways on. resolution is 800x480. It's bright and clear, plus you can brighten the screen on video playback (something my phone couldn't do, well it was only £65), and is clear in bright sunlight (but highly reflective). it's capacitive with multi touch and very responsive to use, and feels tough.
The battery is 2500mah but non removeable. And my first test results are:
screen set to 50% brightness and volume to 50%
It's lasted 9 1/2 hours of standard def video before the battery warning came on (15%)!
A 720p HD video lasted 7 hours before the battery warning came on. Strangely it played the file with no problem, but my friend's gen 8 101 needed the cinema pluggin to play it. considering the website quotes only 5 hours for video playback, I'm stunned.
The best thing is, it plays all my avi files without problems (I needed the cinema pluggin with the Archos A5IT), downloads and DVD rips, that was my biggest concern. MP4's don't work in my DVD players, so I don't use that format. I've installed mx player, as it has volume and brightness controls on the main screen for convenience via sliders rather than buttons. Plus it keeps my file system for videos, rather than listed all together in the stock player.
The stereo speakers are loud and pretty clear, but quiet recordings could be a problem due to the EU volume limiter. however, mx player update now allows volume to go up from 30 to 60, and is a LOT louder. The headphones have good sound quality, but the jack is in the bottom of the device, so would need to go in a pocket upside down! They are not that comfortable to wear (I change the buds to senheiser ones, and they are fine now), but it does have a mute/pause button and microphone on the chord, which is handy. The power button on the unit also acts as a lock, thats stops all controls working, except volume, which I love.
I don't have a good ear, so I have been playing with the equalizer for the best sound playing music, and have tried different headphones. As I use headphones, a speaker and FM transmitter, they all need tweeking.
wifi signal is strong, much better than my phones when upstairs, away from my router. The processing power is also way better than the 600hz processor and 256mb RAM in my phone. I managed to use the video camera on skype some 60 feet from my router.
It uses micro Sd cards up to 32GB, and goes in the top of the device under a flap, with easy access.
still got lots to play with, I made a kick stand to make it free standing, using a compact flach case and some velcro, will put up a picture if someone tells me how.
Charging with the mains adapter (micro usb) only takes 3 1/4 hours from 15% (which is when the unit tells you to recharge it), As it charges when off, it is twice as fast as the 5it at recharging.
Using an FM transmitter, I use it for music playback in the car, and it pauses the music when the GPS instructions come on, which also works really well. As the screen is so big, the maps are really easy to see.
Apps load very quickly, so much so, I hate my phone now!
As with most devices, it has had a few minor niggles. It has locked up 3 times, but restart has fixed it. It has failed to connect to the kies software, had to reinstall many times! It could do with more RAM, 377MB available (what device couldn't!). when you start to pound it, the web browser is especially RAM hungry.
Overall, very glad I took the plunge, don't regret it one bit. This is a very underrated device, and samsung should try promoting it properly.
marcel
I got my galaxy player 5 inch tablet/media player 8GB from Amazon UK 2 days ago for £135.
I got it to replace my sony 7inch portable DVD player that has a 5 hour battery playing DVD's and 6 hours with a USB key, but it weighed over a kilo (which replaced an Archos A5IT). I diddn't want a phone, as too expensive (for the screen size) and it would not have good battery life.
Initial impressions
build quality is very good, solid and weighty. it looks like a big galaxy S2 phone or galaxy note. I've got a galaxy apollo gti5800 phone, and it's screen is 3.2 inches, that is the WIDTH of the galaxy players! The screen is huge next to an i pod, but it fits into a shirt pocket with no trouble at all, even in a case.
Screen viewing angles are superb, you can view it from almost sideways on. resolution is 800x480. It's bright and clear, plus you can brighten the screen on video playback (something my phone couldn't do, well it was only £65), and is clear in bright sunlight (but highly reflective). it's capacitive with multi touch and very responsive to use, and feels tough.
The battery is 2500mah but non removeable. And my first test results are:
screen set to 50% brightness and volume to 50%
It's lasted 9 1/2 hours of standard def video before the battery warning came on (15%)!
A 720p HD video lasted 7 hours before the battery warning came on. Strangely it played the file with no problem, but my friend's gen 8 101 needed the cinema pluggin to play it. considering the website quotes only 5 hours for video playback, I'm stunned.
The best thing is, it plays all my avi files without problems (I needed the cinema pluggin with the Archos A5IT), downloads and DVD rips, that was my biggest concern. MP4's don't work in my DVD players, so I don't use that format. I've installed mx player, as it has volume and brightness controls on the main screen for convenience via sliders rather than buttons. Plus it keeps my file system for videos, rather than listed all together in the stock player.
The stereo speakers are loud and pretty clear, but quiet recordings could be a problem due to the EU volume limiter. however, mx player update now allows volume to go up from 30 to 60, and is a LOT louder. The headphones have good sound quality, but the jack is in the bottom of the device, so would need to go in a pocket upside down! They are not that comfortable to wear (I change the buds to senheiser ones, and they are fine now), but it does have a mute/pause button and microphone on the chord, which is handy. The power button on the unit also acts as a lock, thats stops all controls working, except volume, which I love.
I don't have a good ear, so I have been playing with the equalizer for the best sound playing music, and have tried different headphones. As I use headphones, a speaker and FM transmitter, they all need tweeking.
wifi signal is strong, much better than my phones when upstairs, away from my router. The processing power is also way better than the 600hz processor and 256mb RAM in my phone. I managed to use the video camera on skype some 60 feet from my router.
It uses micro Sd cards up to 32GB, and goes in the top of the device under a flap, with easy access.
still got lots to play with, I made a kick stand to make it free standing, using a compact flach case and some velcro, will put up a picture if someone tells me how.
Charging with the mains adapter (micro usb) only takes 3 1/4 hours from 15% (which is when the unit tells you to recharge it), As it charges when off, it is twice as fast as the 5it at recharging.
Using an FM transmitter, I use it for music playback in the car, and it pauses the music when the GPS instructions come on, which also works really well. As the screen is so big, the maps are really easy to see.
Apps load very quickly, so much so, I hate my phone now!
As with most devices, it has had a few minor niggles. It has locked up 3 times, but restart has fixed it. It has failed to connect to the kies software, had to reinstall many times! It could do with more RAM, 377MB available (what device couldn't!). when you start to pound it, the web browser is especially RAM hungry.
Overall, very glad I took the plunge, don't regret it one bit. This is a very underrated device, and samsung should try promoting it properly.
marcel
