I finally bought an 8gb Fuze today! My first mp3 player…so excited…except I realized (and maybe this sounds ridiculous) but the packaging is not the one that Sansa is currently using and the date on the back says 2008. Has there been an updated Fuze since then? Or am I just buying the same product sold now except in old packaging. Also, is the propietary port (hope I’m saying this right) is standard on all of them or has that been updated as well to a mini-USB? I’m new to all this so I hope this made sense!
There are 2 versions of the Fuze in existence. Currently only version 2 is being made and sold. The diference is only internally, the exterior is exactly the same, as is are the connections. But if you are in possesion of a v1 Fuze, you have a valuable item. Only the v1 Fuze will currently Rockbox. Rockbox is an alternative firmware/user interface that turns even the most modest of DAPs (digital audio player) into an audiophile device.
If your Fuze is v1, don’t return it, but value it that you have a Fuze that many people would love to have.
Count yourself lucky that you got a v1–if you did. Look under Settings/System Settings/Info to see if your firmware starts with 1 or 2.
If you peruse this board, you’ll find that the v2 seems slightly buggier than the v1–so much so that SanDisk had to backtrack on its latest firmware (look at the Firmware Update Thread).
If you do have the v2, use the 2.02.26 firmware, installed manually, rather than the .28 version. And don’t worry–the Fuze is still a nifty player in either version. It is a good idea to update, regardless of which version you got. Updates add things like .ogg and .FLAC capability and browsing by file and folder (as in Windows Explorer).
Manual installation couldn’t be easier, and you don’t need the Sansa Updater for firmware as long as you check back here every three months or so. You download the .zip file, unzip it, and drop fuzea.bin onto the Sansa Fuze drive.
You do need the Updater to get the latest Sansa Media Converter, for putting videos and photos on the unit, which can only be downloaded with the unit connected. Run the Updater once, get the converter and uninstall the Updater. Or don’t bother: Video4Fuze works better than Sansa Media Converter anyway.
The proprietary plug is the same in all Fuzes and in the E200 series as well. You can easily find a generic replacement cord for under $5 at Amazon, which is nice to have around if you’re going to be using the Fuze at, for instance, home and office. Just make sure it is for Sansa E200 and Fuze. The plug looks like an iPod plug, but the iPod power connection will destroy the Sansas.
Message Edited by Black-Rectangle on 12-19-2009 08:37 PM
I had to try three times to get an “old” Fuze. If it is a Version 1, count your blessings & look at the Rockbox thread in this fourm. If you really HAVE to have the latest & greatest, I’m very sure you can sell it quickly. Just note that it is a v1 & it should be gone in a flash.
Thank you all for your responses! I checked and it is actually a v2…amazing…I’ve never thought I would want an “old” one of something more than the “new” one! I appreciate all the information about the firmware and what I need to download because I am thoroughly clueless!
