DigiArmor DMS-S20 (20GB, black)

CNET editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 2.0 stars Mediocre
  Detailed editors' rating
  Design : 4.0
  Features : 4.0
  Performance : 6.0
  Overall score: 4.7 (2.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Rachel Wolan
• Edited by:
  Jasmine France
• Reviewed on: 04/21/2006

DigiArmor is not a well-known company, and it will surely fade into obscurity if it cannot manufacture a better product offering than the DMS-S20. The recommended retail price is 2,880 Chinese yuan, or about $348; at this time, the device is scarcely available in the United States. The easiest way to get your hands on one is by importing the device from the Far East, and we hardly think it's worth that kind of trouble. Despite a sufficient array of features, DigiArmor's DMS-S20 is already obsolete when compared to Apple's 60GB iPod. While similar in price, the DMS-S20 offers much less storage capacity (20GB) and has significant firmware flaws.

Physically speaking, the DigiArmor DMS-S20 is the disfigured love child of the iPod Mini and the Motorola Razr, with an oversize (4.0 by 2.5 by 0.8 inches) aluminum shell and cramped brushed-steel buttons. It is offered in four colors--black, green, blue, and red--and has a 1.8-inch-diagonal, 280x220-pixel 262,000-color screen. The LCD is fine for music navigation, but we weren't inclined to watch much video on the thing. The device does boast a couple of positives, such as an On-The-Go USB 2.0 host port for off-loading pictures without a computer and above-average sound quality when paired with a good set of headphones, which you'll need to provide anyway, as the DigiArmor doesn't come with a set. However, these attributes are completely overshadowed by the unattractive, unresponsive firmware, as well as by the derivative, poorly executed navigation system.

The DigiArmor DMS-S20 plays back a variety of music, photo, and video formats (audio: MP4, MP3, and WMA; video: AVI; picture: JPEG, GIF, and BMP; other: TXT), but it doesn't support protected files or MPEG-4 video, both of which we have come to expect in these devices. The manufacturer includes only a USB cable and a vinyl carrying sack, and it has neither headphones (as mentioned before) nor a power adapter. Other features include a CompactFlash expansion slot, an FM radio with presets, voice and line-in recording, and onboard gaming capability.

The DigiArmor DMS-S20's rated battery life of 10 hours of video is certainly above average, but the 15 hours for audio isn't all that exciting. Sound quality, however, was good, probably thanks to the device's integrated high-performance Texas Instruments TLV320AIC23 audio chip. Voice-recording quality was merely average, though. If you're looking for a video-supporting MP3 player with a decent array of features, get the Creative Zen Vision:M instead.

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Recent user reviews

• Average user rating: 0 stars Not yet available
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• Showing 3 of 3 user reviews

• 4.5 stars

  "Low cost best choose,i buy it only USD179."

  by joe wong on May 17, 2006

• 3.5 stars

  "Better than the published reviews make out . Cheaper than Ipod ! Owner 10Mnths"

  by cas_uk on May 1, 2006

• 4.0 stars

  2 out of 5 people found this helpful

  "EXPENSIVE BUT BETTER THEN IPOD"

  by JoeSomebody01524 on April 23, 2006

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Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest

• alaTest.com

  Editors' rating: 74

  Summary: alaTest has collected and analyzed 8 reviews of DigiArmor S20 from international magazines and websites. Experts rate this product 47/100 and users 80/100. Comparing these reviews to 404684 other MP3 Players reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 74/100 = Good.

  Read full review

• mp3.com

  Editors' rating: 47

  Summary: The DigiArmor DMS-S20 is a rip-off in every respect, from its price to its firmware to its hardware design--we don't recommend it. Get a Creative Zen Vision:M instead.

  Read full review