MODTHEBOX.COM - Canada's Premier Case Modding Source - Reviews - Samsung YP-U1 USB Drive Music Player Review

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Installation of the Samsung YP-U1 USB Drive Music Player is extremely straightforward and all that is required is to simply insert the drive into any available USB 2.0 port. Upon insertion, the embedded LCD screen provides a visual indication of the USB 2.0 connection. From within Microsoft Windows, the YP-U1 will be treated and recognized as a simple removable device allowing consumer's access to the available 1GB of flash memory.

Samsung YP-U1 USB Drive Music Player main menu

Upon powering of the unit, consumers will be greeted with a small-animated Samsung splash screen which switches to the main player display menu. The main menu is illuminated with a backlit feature that lasts approximately 30 seconds after which it’s turned off until a button is pressed. Consumers can toggle between the five available menu options which include Music, Navigation, Playlist, Settings and Exit.

In the Music Menu, consumers can adjust volume levels to their own personal preference or switch between music tracks. This menu also allows music tracks to be repeated or shuffled at random. The Navigation Menu allows consumers to browse files and folders for music tracks to be played. The Playlist Menu allows the customization of music tracks in any specific order. This is the perfect compliment for the audiophile that may wish to organize music by genre, artist or title. The Settings Menu breaks down into 7 submenus’ which include Play Mode, Sound Effect, Display, Language, System, Time and File. The seven submenus’ allow a ton of configuration from adjusting sound, changing LCD display modes, scroll speeds, ID3-tag information, speed searching, auto timer and file maintenance. The Exit Menu is self explanatory and will allow you to return to the main player display screen.

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Transferring your own personal music to the Samsung YP-U1 USB Drive Music Player is very easy and can accomplished using two different methods. The manual method is to simply drag and drop your music tracks using Windows Explorer from your music source directory to the YP-U1 destination directory. Once transferred to the YP-U1, the tracks will be instantly available in the music play mode. The second method involves installing an application that is bundled with the YP-U1 called the Samsung Media Studio. The Samsung Media Studio package is quite useful and allows you to move, format, encode, create, and delete files with the click of a button. Consumers will appreciate the built-in 2xMP3 support which is a compression feature that allows you to adjust the bit rate selection of your music files. Lowering the bit rate allows you to store more files but at a loss in overall sound quality. The YP-U1 has the capacity to hold approximately 120 music tracks for a complete portable music collection.

Conclusion:

The Samsung YP-U1 USB Drive Music Player is a well-implemented design that is both versatile and portable. The small form factor allows for easy travel and can be put in just about anywhere including a belt and around the neck thanks to the included accessories. The MP3, OGG, WMA and WAV formats combined with the storage capacity makes this unit a complete all-in-one multimedia solution. The overall ease of use is excellent requiring a simple drag and drop to transfer music. The 4-line LCD is ideal for low light environments and displays a wealth of information on a single screen. Music buffs will appreciate the ability to switch between their favourite songs at the push of a button. While the YP-U1 USB Drive Music Player excels, there were a few aspects that I will comment on. The bundled ear phones pail in comparison to real high quality headphones that can be purchased elsewhere. I would recommend swapping out the headsets if you plan on using this unit on a daily basis. The overall battery life of 13 hours before a recharge is required is very poor compared to rival units that are currently on the market. While the neck strap provides a simple to use portable option, I would have loved to see a protective carrying case provided with package for the LCD screen. Samsung has additional USB based Music Players that incorporate a FM Tuner, adding this type of functionality to the YP-U1 would really put this unit over the top. Finally, it will come as no surprise to anyone that Samsung is positioning the YP-U1 to compete against Apple's IPOD Shuffle. From a price comparison standpoint, YP-U1 is in the same price range as the IPOD Shuffle but in my opinion is a far superior product in terms of design, ease of use and functionality. Overall, I was pleased with the Samsung YP-U1 USB Drive Music Player and award a final score of 8.5 out of 10.. If you have any questions regarding this review be sure to visit the Samsung Canada website for more information or discuss them in our forums.