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RCA Lyra Portable Personal Digital Player RD2201
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MSRP:
$ 69.00
System Requirements: Pentium 166MHz minimum (recommend 200MHz or faster)Windows 95/98 with Internet
System Requirements: Pentium 166MHz minimum (recommend 200MHz or faster)Windows 95/98 with Internet Explorer 4.0 or better with Internet access (Windows NT with ASPI DLL)64 MB MemoryFree Hard Disk Space: 4 MB for software plus 1 MB for every minute of CD-quality audio that will be stored on the PC CD-ROM Drive Parallel Port Installed Sound Card Main Features Real Jukebox Support play Real Jukebox files on this digital player. Real Jukebox helps manage your music collection in two ways: CD Recording: When you insert a CD into your computer, RealJukebox records the songs as files onto your computer's hard drive. By the time you've listened to a couple of songs, the whole album has been converted to MP3 or RealAudio files. RealJukebox uses these file formats because they compress the music into a file that is much smaller than the original CD - and therefore takes up less disk space - with little loss in sound quality. internet Downloads: You've probably heard a lot about MP3, which has become a very popular file format on the Internet. There are thousands and thousands of songs available on the Internet, in a variety of file formats. RealJukebox helps you find songs on the Internet and download them onto your computer. RealJukebox supports a broad range of music formats, giving you access to an incredible variety of music. MP3 Support Tens of thousands of music and voice format MP3 files are available on the Internet. MP3 (MPEG Layer 3) is the most popular audio compression algorithm on the Internet for music and voice files.SkipFree Removable Solid-State Memory no moving parts means uninterrupted audio playback. Supports Type I and Type II CompactFlash. 32 MB SkipFree Memory Card includes a 32 MB SkipFree Memory Card (Type I/Type II CompactFlash Card).RCA Music Management Software: Ripper utility - extracts selected music tracks from an audio CD. Accesses CD databases from the Internet to obtain CD and Track Titling text data. Compresses extracted audio tracks into MP3 or G2 (Real Networks*) files. Links to Internet sites to download legal MP3 music files.File Management Utility - Sorts by artist, album, genre Lets you select files for download Create custom play lists Save to CompactFlash Utility - Initializes Flash Card Manages security features Transfers DSP (decompression) codeTransfers selected files Multi-Functional Selector Rotary Dial controls volume and allows for easy navigation of DSP and Mode functions.Table of Contents/Play List table of contents displays all songs stored on flash memory card. Users can personalize a play list by scrolling through the table of contents and tagging the songs they want to hear. The play list will play back the selected songs in the order they were tagged. 6 DSP Modes choose from five preset DSP modes (Flat, Bass, Rock, Pop or Jazz) or use 5-band Custom EQ to customize bass and treble levels. CompactFlash Reader/Writer this handy device transfers files from PC to Flash memory using PC parallel port.Delu
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Installed Memory
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64 MB
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Weight
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4.48 oz
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Top Ranked Products from RCA.
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Rating
Reviewed by:
Scott(Unregistered User)
Review Date
January 8, 2001Overall Rating
 4 of 5
Value Rating
4 of 5
Used product for
1 Week |
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Review 1 of 5
Price Paid:
$220.00 Summary:
RCA Lyra mp3 player is pretty good. If you are looking for value and simplicity this is for you. Strengths:
Light weight, easy to use, backlighting lcd screen, 64mb flash card included, sound quality is excellent. Weaknesses:
Why is it necessary to encrypt mp3 files to mpx files? You will not be able to copy files from one computer and transfer them to another. Lyra encrypts the mp3 file and recompresses them into mpx. Realaudio jukebox does not support mpx files. This is it's greatest weakness.
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Rating
Reviewed by:
JC JD(Unregistered User)
Review Date
December 27, 2000Overall Rating
 5 of 5
Value Rating
5 of 5
Used product for
1 Month |
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Review 2 of 5
Price Paid:
$200.00
from computers4sure.com Model Reviewed:
RCA lyra Summary:
Great mp3 player Strengths:
Cool design, belt click, perfect sound Weaknesses:
No voicerecorder or fm turner
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Rating
Reviewed by:
John Harris(Unregistered User)
Review Date
July 16, 2000Overall Rating
4 of 5
Value Rating
4 of 5
Used product for
6 Months |
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Review 3 of 5 Model Reviewed:
RCA Lyra 2201 Summary:
The Lyra is a great product. I have not used the other MP3 players on the market, but the Lyra package meets multiple needs for me which means I probably will not migrate to a competitor. The compact flash medium is the same that I use for my Kodak digital camera. The Lyra came with a parallel port card reader which meant I did not have to purchase a compact flash reader for digital picture transfer. I usually compress the sound at 44 kbs stereo instead of the 128 kbps the Real JukeBox software allows. At kbs I can store almost 1 1/2 CDs or about 1 hour of music on the 32 meg card that comes with the Model 2201. Sound quality is supprising good at 44 kbps (320 kbps for the serious audiophile). I use my player during the morning commute and work-outs (mostly running). I do not need more than "radio quality", but the sound is better than FM radio. I am thinking of purchasing the newer 64 meg 2204 version for my girlfriend. She won't need 64 meg of compact flash. So we'll swap! Strengths:
Multiple formats; sound quality; grat headphones; lots of features. Weaknesses:
It's only a Mp3 player and does not record of have FM radio. The case and construction is somewhat fragile. I run with clipped "inside" my shorts so it cannt fall to the ground and disintegarte. One drop and the battery compartment cover broke. The spring in the battery compartment separated from the red wire. I am lucky to know how to solder. Transmission is slow and you really have to plan ahead to download a variety of music on the compact flash card without missing your train. My version did not come with the AC adapter or rechargeable battery pack. The adapter plug is so so small Radio Shack couldn't help. Similar Products Used:
None.
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Rating
Reviewed by:
the3rdpower(Unregistered User)
Review Date
January 7, 2000Overall Rating
 3 of 5
Value Rating
3 of 5
Used product for
2 Weeks Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1.00 votes
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Review 4 of 5 Model Reviewed:
Lyra 64MB version Summary:
okay...this is where things go BAD>
Bad BAD BADD software - plan horrible. RealJukeBox AKA Real FlukeBox and RealPUKEbox is the worst package imaginable. Of course you have to buy RealJukeBox Plus to actually be able to use this as a Jukebox Play... makes me wonder what the hell RealJukeBox basic is like *ugh!*. The on player OS is disgusting with irritating load times and no view of play list during actual song play. It's heavy (compared to others), the sound quality is a bit hissy. I'm really unhappy about the casing...it's cheap plastic (don't let the weight fool you - it is obviously not sturdy). Why oh why do you have to re-compress the file and change it subtly from MP3 to MPX? This take precious minutes when uploading to the compact flash reader/writer. Why in the heck is there a PS/2 pass through?? Power power management! Strengths:
CompactFlash,COMPACTflash, COMPACTFLASH!!, playlist, good headphones, 5 level EQ... Weaknesses:
weight, bulk, software, re-compression Similar Products Used:
Rio, Nomad, NOW PURCHASING THE YEPP to test.
Rio and Nomad sucked.
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Rating
Reviewed by:
Tom Robison(Unregistered User)
Review Date
January 4, 2000Overall Rating
5 of 5
Value Rating
5 of 5
Used product for
1 Week |
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Review 5 of 5 Model Reviewed:
RD2204 Summary:
I am really enjoying the Lyra. It's nice to put a bunch of tracks/songs together for the commute and change them out again for the next commute. The DSP modes work well and the 5 band EQ lets you customize the sound to your own liking. The included headphones are better than average, too. The bundled hardware includes a car cigarette power source and cassette adapter. The 64mb Compact Flash Card holds enough music using RealAudio 96kbps to fit more than an hour of good sounding, quality music. The bundled software is Realjuke Box "Gold", although you won't find the term "Gold" anywhere. I like RJ as I was already a fan of it. I upgraded to the "plus" version and like it even more now. Another benefit, the 64mb flash card also fits in my Epson camera! That's a lot of picture taking. Everyone I've shown the Lyra to has listened to it and liked it a lot. Strengths:
great sound, bundled software, nice features, strong case, bundled hardware Weaknesses:
Startup "loading" delays, pass-through port on provided cable does not work with scanner. This means I have to connect/disconnect from the back of the computer when I need to use the scanner. A USB Card Reader is due out later this month or next (Feb.) Similar Products Used:
none
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