Panasonic SV-SD80

CNET editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 7.7 (3.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Eliot Van Buskirk
• Reviewed on: 12/04/2001

Truth be told, we expected to be disappointed by Panasonic's SV-SD80. Why? Because it features the SDMI protection we've found so annoying on MP3 players from Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic itself. But the copyright-protection technology used by the SV-SD80 is so noninvasive that you don't even know it's there. Plus, the SV-SD80 is tiny, has terrific battery life, and comes with all sorts of nifty accessories.Truth be told, we expected to be disappointed by Panasonic's SV-SD80. Why? Because it features the SDMI protection we've found so annoying on MP3 players from Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic itself. But the copyright-protection technology used by the SV-SD80 is so noninvasive that you don't even know it's there. Plus, the SV-SD80 is tiny, has terrific battery life, and comes with all sorts of nifty accessories.

Very small indeed
The first thing we noticed when we opened the SV-SD80's box was that the unit itself is not much bigger than a matchbox. At .92 ounces (without the protective case and external battery), it's miniscule. Then our eyes wandered over the formidable selection of accessories: an eye-catching iridescent neck strap; a docking station for recharging the unit's internal battery; a USB SD card reader/writer; a protective carrying case with belt clip that has a slot for adding an extra battery; an armband for working out with the device; and ear bud-style headphones (they sound OK) that come with an extension cord that allows you to use them when the device is clipped to your hip. What more can you ask for?

Next, we installed the USB driver and the special version of RealJukebox from the enclosed CD, connected the SD card reader to our PC's USB port, and transferred a selection of test MP3s (via RealJukebox) to the included 64MB SD card. No problem.

The fact that the SV-SD80 uses an SD card means that it complies, to some extent, with the guidelines set out by the SDMI, which is intended to thwart piracy. As noted, devices with this sort of protection usually end up being a royal pain to use. But the SV-SD80 makes the process completely transparent, thereby avoiding user frustration. It looks as though the software is merely transferring the files to your MP3 player the way a normal, non-SDMI-compliant player does. It's also worth noting that ripping and burning CDs using RealJukebox is a snap as well.

Clever battery idea
Apart from its size and bounty of accessories, the most impressive aspect of this player is its battery life. While most other players offer about 10 to 15 hours of battery life, Panasonic claims that the SV-SD80 can deliver up to 50 hours. Mind you, this feat is accomplished in a somewhat unorthodox way. Inside the unit, there's a small, rectangular nickel-metal-hydride rechargeable battery that gives you up to 18 hours of playback. But the player also comes with the aforementioned protective case, which houses a slot for adding an extra AA battery. Use the case--it completely envelops the player--with the external battery, and your playback time goes up considerably. Lo and behold: In our tests, we came close to reaching Panasonic's 50-hour claim. Very impressive. Continue reading

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Recent user reviews

• Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 79 reviews
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