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CNET editors' rating:
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Product summary
The good: DogHouse Electronics' RoverTV is a compact portable video device with a design dominated by a large, nice display; utilitarian menus are easy to follow; recording media is a simple process; compatible with a wide array of video formats; UMS device; excellent video battery life.
The bad: The RoverTV has no built-in memory and comes with only a 2GB SD card; tricky control set; nonstandard headphone port; no DRM support; pricey.
The bottom line: The RoverTV is one cool flash-based PVP, but beware of its price and tricky control set. It's best suited to tech-savvy users who appreciate convenience over value.
Specifications: Device type: Digital AV recorder; Dimensions (WxDxH): 4.1 in x 0.6 in x 2.8 in; Display type: TFT 4 in - Color; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 09/22/2006
- Updated on:10/23/2006
The RoverTV comes in two versions: Wide Screen, with a 4.1-inch screen; and Big Screen ($299), with a 3.6-inch screen. For this review, we used the Wide Screen version, which measures 4.2 by 2.8 by 0.6 inches and weighs 5.5 ounces (respectably portable stats). The flash-based device has no discernable memory built in, but it does come with a 2GB SD card--not a whole lot of memory for the money, but at least you can update the capacity as you see fit. The RoverTV is white with black trim and the face of the unit is completely dominated by a bright color screen. The controls fall around the edges of the player, with Power, Menu, Volume, and Esc keys lining the top; and Up, Down, and Play buttons lining the right. All of the buttons are spaced well and easy to press, though using them to navigate the menu can be a hassle. A joystick or some other directional control would have been a better choice for the Rover's icon-based main menu. We're also disappointed by the lack of a physical hold switch. Overall, though, this device is soft in the hand, durable, and quite pocketable.
The top menu for the RoverTV is very Archos-like, with functional icons laid out on a desktop backdrop. The choices are simple enough, denoting the device's various features: video, music, photo, eBook, record, files, resume, radio, and setup. Navigating through the choices is handled via the Up and Down buttons, while the Play key takes care of making selections. Files are folder-tree style (this is a UMS device), so you won't find music searchable by artist, album, genre, and so on. Our test unit didn't come with many instructions, but with a little trial and error, we figured things out fairly quickly. (Important: The Menu button is contextual and serves to pull up many of the features and settings.) The interface on the whole is plain--easy to get the hang of with a little practice but clunky and not particularly attractive.
The RoverTV has a decent smattering of features, though it doesn't support DRM-protected files nor does it integrate seamlessly with any media jukebox programs. It does support WAV, MP3, and WMA audio files; JPEG, GIF, and BMP image files; and MPEG-4 video (we were able to get DivX, unprotected WMV, and AVI files to work without a hitch--this thing can play much of what's thrown at it). Text files (eBooks) can also be viewed, along with lyric files (if your songs have them). An equalizer, accessed via the Menu key while you're on the playback screen, offers settings for pop, classic, jazz, and rock, along with a custom five-band EQ. And the built-in FM radio includes an autoscan function and 20 preset slots. Photos can be viewed in slide-show mode, and you can watch them while listening to music. (See the Tips section for instructions on how to do this.)
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