Clip Zip Feedback and Feature Request Thread

@p_opus wrote:

 

Raise the 8000 song DB Limit at least to the 10000+ song limit on the Fuze+.  This player is capable of supporting a 32GB microSD card for a total 40GB storage.

 

I agree with you on this. If it has been done for the fuze+, it should also be the same for the clip zip. I would guess that the additional memory space needed for it shouldn’t be so great that users without a huge library will complain about it.

 

 

I have a mix of 128kps MP3’s ( and greater) and 6700 tracks that fit on less than 27GB. of storage.  The Fuze is only capable of addressing 5537 of them.  Much less than the advertised 8000.

 

 

When it comes to any advertisement, you know you should always read the fine print. :wink:

 

 

                                   

Playcount support! Please, oh please.

This allows songs to be automatically moved to/from the device after listening. Drag-and-drop content management really isn’t a viable option when the device holds thousands of songs. Also, some indication if the song/audiobook/podcast has been played already. Sometimes I have several episodes of a podcast loaded and, if they don’t have descriptive names, it’s hard to tell which ones I’ve already listened to.

It would be nice if the Zip remembered where in each menu structure you were after power-off. So, for example, if you are listening to podcast x, next time you go into the podcast menu it pre-selects the previously chosen menus as you go through the menu tree.

The lock button should always immediately lock/unlock the device, even after the screen has shut off. Currently, if the screen is dimmed, it first shows the mode so sometimes requires one press (active screen) and sometimes requires two presses (inactive screen.)

Thanks for listening!

I originally bought the fuze when the DB limit was 4000.  They increased it to 8000 with a firmware update.  I never ran into the limit because I had a 16GB card.   When I got the 32GB card, I was able to fit everything I own on the card, and ran into the limit.

Rockbox takes care of that.

I understand that the DB is probably memory resident and there is a limit of that internal memory space.  I work support for products with embedded systems and I realize that somethimes you just can’t raise the limit without adding more internal memory to run the application.  I get it.  Rockbox uses is a file DB so I get that Rockbox doesn’t have this issue.  They just increase the file size

But one thing I have never understood is the inability of the firmware to directly read the File Allocation Table of the Internal Flash Memory and SD Card.  I organize my music already using folders.  Add a filter that only shows supported file types and you are done. 

It doesn’t really matter, however.  I am a big Rockbox fan, and it looks as if the Clip Zip has enough similar with it’s predecssors that Rockbox isn’t far behind.  Also, since I found out how to maintain my Rhapsody integration on fhe Fuze, I think I’ll be picking up the zip as soon as I see Rockbox come up.

I concur with all 3 requests from dcastro

“x/y” display

With podcasts with the Clip+, the display during play of a given podcast would indicate that the episode being played was the x episode of y episodes on the device.    I found that useful to help me understand how many episodes i might have listened to already or how many I had left to listen to.      Certainly a “nice to have” for managing my various  lists of podcasts. 

@bpkengor wrote:

“x/y” display

 

With podcasts with the Clip+, the display during play of a given podcast would indicate that the episode being played was the x episode of y episodes on the device.    I found that useful to help me understand how many episodes i might have listened to already or how many I had left to listen to.      Certainly a “nice to have” for managing my various  lists of podcasts. 

Yep–also good for album play, rather than “flying blind” as to one’s place in an album.

Please bring back the Real Time Spectrum Analyzer Display and the Artist Information that I had on my Clip +.  On the Clip Zip, pushing the center button alternates between the album cover and track information.  This is nice but it is a big step backwards from what I could do with my Clip +.

Paul O.

@tokadap wrote:

Please bring back the Real Time Spectrum Analyzer Display and the Artist Information that I had on my Clip +.  On the Clip Zip, pushing the center button alternates between the album cover and track information.  This is nice but it is a big step backwards from what I could do with my Clip +.

 

Paul O.

It would be nice to have the artist info, but the spectrum analyzer didn’t really serve any purpose but to look pretty.

@gwk1967 wrote:


@tokadap wrote:

Please bring back the Real Time Spectrum Analyzer Display and the Artist Information that I had on my Clip +.  On the Clip Zip, pushing the center button alternates between the album cover and track information.  This is nice but it is a big step backwards from what I could do with my Clip +.

 

Paul O.


It would be nice to have the artist info, but the spectrum analyzer didn’t really serve any purpose but to look pretty.

Agreed!

I like pretty stuff…

I would like to see the following changes to the Clip Zip’s operation:

When locked, pressing the volume buttons should not light the screen. The volume button is often used when the player is locked and lighting the screen just wastes battery power.

When paused during playback, holding the back or forward butons should scroll through the song/audiobook/podcast.

During playback of a podcast, pressing the back button should first take you to the beginning of the CURRENT podcast.

Thanks for asking for feedback!

@p_opus wrote:

 

It doesn’t really matter, however.  I am a big Rockbox fan, and it looks as if the Clip Zip has enough similar with it’s predecssors that Rockbox isn’t far behind.  Also, since I found out how to maintain my Rhapsody integration on fhe Fuze, I think I’ll be picking up the zip as soon as I see Rockbox come up.

 

 

Bertrik finally bought a Clip Zip for hacking (apparently they weren’t available in Europe), so hopefully they’ll be a usable rockbox build before too long.  Internally its almost the same as the Clip+.

I agree with the others regarding playback screen and other features that multiple users have mentioned.  I would also like to see:

  • Better stopwatch function with more features that a standard stopwatch would have and an easier to read display (the font size is unnecessarily small).  Timer sound is a great idea too.

  • More attractive overall visual design of the menu , and bring back the menu options that the clip+ had. 

  • HD Radio support with itunes tagging (don’t know if this is possible thru firmware).  This would be very cool with the recording option.

  • Games   would be a nice addition.  blackjack, etc.

  • Ape Support (monkey’s audio codec)

  • Coverflow option

  • Workout Routine Planner/Tracker

  • Pedometer

  • USB Control Function   and for gods sakes give us a dock

I don’t know if hardware suggestions are what you wanted at this point in the life cycle, but I do agree that a polished metal case would be nice as well as more color options in the 8gb variety.  I got a 4gb just because I wanted orange.  I would really like to be able to have usb control and some accessories to use it with.  Thanks for listening to us, and giving us the chance to help make the best mp3 player in the world even better.  I love this little player and I sing its praises to everybody.  Keep rocking at life Sandisk!

Ah, a mini-dock indeed would be nice! And I even recently saw one for another product that docked to a side-USB connection.

A couple more; just throwin’ it out there to see what sticks:

  • customizable background image
  • live pause/rewind option for radio
  • one button recording option
  • visualization option

After the screen times out and goes off, it takes two presses of the volume buttons to turn the sound up or down. Can we get that changed so the volume changes on the first press?

So maybe I got a little ahead of myself with the feature requests.  Can you make it so they don’t die after a week and a half?  AAAAAAAAAGH!

@2x4 wrote:

So maybe I got a little ahead of myself with the feature requests.  Can you make it so they don’t die after a week and a half?  AAAAAAAAAGH!

An explanation could perhaps elicit some help.:wink:

Believe me Marvin, if I had anything, I would give it to you, it just simply turned off, and won’t turn back on.  I know the battery was charged up when this happened, but I hooked up to my computer to charge and it won’t even recognize the device.  the error box even said something about the device is damaged or something.  I’ve never dropped it, gotten it wet, etc., so I have no idea how this is possible.  The only thing I can think of is that Newegg possibly sold me a refurbished one, but it didn’t say that in the description, and it’s so new I don’t think there would be refurbished ones available yet, but Newegg had a “replacement only” return policy on the thing, so that’s my only clue.

I found mine wouldn’t turn on once when I had it plugged into the computer charging, computer went to sleep because I left it.  When I went to wake up the computer I got an error about the connected device (it malfunctioned or something),  Unplugged the zip and it would not turn on.  Reconnected it to the computer…nothing.  Rebooted the machine…nothing still. Figured it had died on me but turned to the internet in hopes of finding a resolution.  Found the thread on Sandisks forums about reseting the zip which apparently involves holding in the power button at least 20 secs then trying to turn it on. It powered up and has worked fine since. 

Not sure if it may have helped in your situation but worked in mine and now I’m more prone to charge it on a wall charger rather than the computer that may interupt the connection and kill my little mp3 player.