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CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 04/03/2007
Coby's PMP-4320 portable MP3 and video player didn't impress us much until we looked at the price tag. As of this writing, you'd be hard pressed to find any other portable video players (PVPs) that will allow you to both view and record video on a 4.3-inch-wide screen for less than $300. Sure, this PVP has a laundry list of quirks and flaws, but it's surprising how much you can forgive, knowing you saved about $100 over the competition. If you want an inexpensive portable media device that does a lot--and are willing to make many sacrifices--the PMP-4320 could be just the device you're looking for.
Look but don't touchBudget device or not, the Coby PMP-4320 looks elegant. The machined metal buttons and joystick on the front panel match the expensive feel of the Cowon A2. The screen is a 320x240, 4.3-inch TFT color display that has a wide viewing angle but does not get very bright. The glossy plastic screen coating is a fingerprint magnet that gives off a ton of glare, making the somewhat dim display even harder to see. Every time we wanted to show off the PMP-4320, we were compelled to wipe off the smudges that had collected on the screen (Coby acknowledges this by including a cleaning cloth as an accessory). The back of the PMP-4320 includes a fold-out kickstand, allowing you to set it up on a table and keep your grubby fingers off it. The power jack, the headphone jack, the USB 2.0 connection, and A/V jacks are located on the left side of the player, leaving the right side for the power button and the SD card slot. The top of the PMP-4320 hides the microphone and built-in speakers. With 20GB of storage, it's a little on the thick side at just less than an inch, but the rounded, plastic back lets you fit the player into your pocket without looking too foolish.
The graphic user interface can make or break devices that try to deliver as many features as possible. While the PMP-4320's onscreen navigation isn't flashy, it's usable, readable, and mostly intuitive. The main menu presents you with large graphic icons for each of its features, and the generic background screen can be replaced with any picture you've transferred into the photo library. The main menu's Resume function allows you to resume playing video right where you left off, in case you had to take a break or adjust a system setting in the middle of a movie.
You get what you pay forThe PMP-4320 is a "jack-of-all-trades--master of none" type of device. As an audio player, it supports MP3, WMA, OGG, and WAV files, but it won't play DRM-protected files and currently does not sync with Windows Media Player. The PMP-4320 doesn't charge via USB, so you'll have to charge using the included 9-volt DC power supply (a standard, nonproprietary connection type). Connecting and transferring files to the PMP-4320 happens by connecting via USB 2.0, then opening the device as an external hard drive. From there, you can drag your (hopefully) organized content into the appropriate folders on the device. You do get ID3 tag support and space for lyric tag information to display, plus a five-band EQ with a customizable user preset. Other features such as a photo album, voice recording, an FM tuner, and eBook have a basic, usable implementation--nothing fancy. Continue reading
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"Coby's PMP4320/PMP4330 is an impressive device that shows what other PMP's are lacking."
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