Neuros MP3 Digital Audio Computer

Provided By: Neuros (Digital Innovations, LLC.)
Retail: Est. $99.99
Review Date: December 12th, 2003
Reviewer: Crystal B.

MP3 player manufacturers are putting more features into MP3 players to allow you to do much more than listen through a set of headphones. Digital music is about hearing your music on any device you want at any time you want. Neuros™ MP3 Digital Audio Player allows you to share your music and listen to it through other means as well as through the standard set of headphones.

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Features:

• 128MB storage capability
• 10 hours of continuous playback with rechargeable NiMH batteries
• Digitally enhanced FM tuner
• MiFi™ broadcasts music from Neuros to any FM radio
• Identify new music with Neuros HiSi™ feature
• Removable backpack for easy upgrade to NeurosHD™ 20GM hard drive
• Record to MP3 format from internal microphone, FM tuner, and line in
• Programmable preset buttons
• Automatic upgrades of firmware and software
  

Manufacturer Specifications:

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These specifications can be seen on Neuros' web site.

• Capacity: 2 hours of music (encoded at 128 kbps)
• Display: 2-inch liquid crystal display with orange LED back light
• Dimensions: 4.3” x 2.5” x 1.3” (10.9cm x 6.3cm x 3.3cm)
• Weight: 5.8oz (164g)
• Audio: MP3 format (up to 320 kbps), MP3 Variable Bit Rate
• Input and Output: Full speed USB 1.1
• Battery: Built-in rechargeable NiMH batteries
• Playtime: 10 hours when fully charged
• Full Charge Time: 8 hours

Packaging:

The Neuros MP3 Digital Audio Computer was packaged in a styrofoam container with spots for all components. With the lid and cardboard sleeve in place, the entire system was held securely in place.

Included with the Neuros MP3 Digital Audio Computer were earphones, wall power adapter, USB cable, belt clip, Neuros Synchronization Manager Software, and the Neuros user’s guide. The Neuros MP3 player uses a standard mini-USB connection. No need to worry if you lose the cable.

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Audio Files:

The Neuros supports a variety of audio files. Currently support is for wav, mp3, wma, and ogg files. Ogg files are a newer format of music file. They provide higher quaility at a lower bit stream like a wma file. If you are curious check the Ogg Vorbis project.

Basic Use:

The Neuros MP3 Digital Audio Computer looks very sleek. The main unit, in silver, has several buttons clearly labeled and arranged in an easy to use format. The backpack, in black, surrounds the main unit on three sides. Processing power is contained on the main unit while the backpakck used for storage. The backpack is interchangeable, allowing for upgrades to the 20GB hard drive in a few easy steps

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The Neuros battery lasts about 10 hours according to the manufacturer. I ran it twice and it lasted 9 1/2 and 9 1/4 hours. The life is longer than battery MP3 players I have used and to think you won't have to spend money on batteries either. If you have an electronic device like an MP3 player or camera you should have rechargeable batteries.

While my Neuros was charging, 8 hours of charging is recommended for full power, I read through the user’s manual. Several pages are repeats and many pages, 8 total, were missing from the user’s manual. Unprofessional on Neuros' part. Fortunately, the entire user’s manual is available on Neuros web site. Out of curiosity I tried the Neuros while it was charging. It worked.

Since this is an MP3 player, the first thing I wanted to do was to download and play MP3s. The Neuros Sync Manager software, included on a mini-disc (small CD-ROM), was not as intuitive as I had hoped. In other words, I had to read the user’s manual to figure out how to download songs onto my Neuros. Neuros Sync Manager will be discussed later.

The Neuros MP3 Digital Audio Computer is very easy to navigate. A directional button is used to navigate a menu system. It is like a mini joystick that moves in four directions.

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Other buttons inlcude pause/play, fast-forward, and reverse. Five preset buttons exist on the left and are used to select songs, playlists, albums, genres, recordings, HiSi samples, and radio stations. These presets can be very handy by allowing the user to navigate less through the menus.

To set a preset go to the radio station, song, or whatever and hold the button down for 3 seconds. Setting preset buttons can be useful for setting radio stations. Playlists presets will come in handy with the 20 Gig model. The Neuros player continues playing songs after the preset selection when the preset song has finished playing. Therefore, presetting a song could be useful when jumping around in lists of songs.

On the other side is the HiSi button, in red, (used for MP3 recording from radio, microphone, or line-in) and a lock switch. The lock switch is actually a very nice feature when strapping the Neuros to your belt by the belt clip. When the switch is in the on position, all buttons are disabled. This saves you the frustration of accidentally hitting a button and changing songs while you are running, working, etc.

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