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iRiver adds a DAB radio to its arsenal in the new B20
The relatively new DAB standard offers high-quality signals and a greater range of channels for listeners, but it usually comes with quite a hefty price premium.
A sign that DAB is beginning to replace traditional FM transmissions in the mainstream comes from iRiver with its new B20 portable media player.
Effectively a follow-up to the excellent Clix2, the B20 has many of the same features, including video, photo and audio playback, an FM radio, voice recorder, games and a series of appealing fonts and themes. Both audio and video quality were superb, and thankfully this carries through to the B20’s DAB support, through which it can receive up to around 40 channels (depending on your location in the country).
As with FM radio, transmissions can be recorded to the device’s internal memory to play back later, and although the built-in retractable aerial and subsequent added bulk make it less aesthetically pleasing than the Clix2, radio listeners will find it offers an excellent degree of control.
Other notable improvements include a built-in mono speaker and mini-SD memory card slot - something for which you’ll be thankful when you see the price tag.
DAB radios may be dropping in price but they are still a lot more expensive than conventional tuners, and with the B20 starting at £149 for the 1GB version it doesn’t look like this is going to be the product to change that. The highest capacity 4GB model costs an extra £60, and while we expect these prices to come down in coming months it looks like the best option for those who want a B20 with more storage space is to pick up a mini-SD card on the cheap.
We were big fans of the Clix2 on its release, and since the B20 has all of the same features and more it’s only the pricing that lets this player down. If you’re really keen on the DAB aspect and are less interested in video playback it's easier to survive with the small capacity, and at the end of the day this is still the most feature packed pocket-sized media player we have seen.
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It accepts SDHC cards
I bought it (1Mars 2010) for the DAB radio, but the fact that accepts 4GB and 8GB uSD cards makes me view it also as a valid MP3 player. iRiver says it accepts only mini SD cards of up to 2GB, but I have now inside a Kingston uSDHC card of 8GB (with a micro-to-mini SD adapter) loaded with more than 5GB of mp3 and wma songs. No hitch until now neither while playing or recording. Works well as voice recorder (voice activated). Negatives: Proprietary connector!!! What do they do with all those pins? Anyhow on the other side is a normal USB... I didn't see advertised any glitzy extension for it. It seems EPG is not active in Switzerland. I can't program the radio recordings, neither on FM or DAB. It's a pitty because the gadget has the hardware possibility (it has a wake-up alarm). I am not very happy with the buttons: the screen rocker works too well when I want to unfold the antenna, and the 3 buttons on the left edge are too small, too flat and too close one to another. iRiver considers that the PC software should be installed and used (???) only as administrator. The iRiver web sites are made at most for web graphics fans, not for normal people that search product information. I don't say they should kick out employees, but at least to hire an adult to lead them. Bugs: Nice idea to offer the possibility to have portrait display mode additional to the landscape mode, but is not working in all sub-menues. It is a non-option. I couldn't start the PC software for podcasts. I have no display of DLS and SLS data (radio channel info text and images) for the DAB+ stations in my region. Final word: for the price I paid for it (70CHF=48euro) it is very, very good and a bargain. By adding a big capacity SDHC card it is even better.
Posted by Tudor, 07 Mar 2010