Sony NWZ-A820 (Reality Check - Screen size!)

[WillieDynamite]

I've been looking at the measurments online of the great new Sony players and I am a little confused about the screen size. If I am reading the numbers right the Screen is smaller than the Ipod 5.5 and classic. The form factor of the player may trick you into thinking that the player and screen is larger. Just like when I saw the 616F online and in the box in the store. When I got it home and unboxed it SHOCK! it was so tiny.

I am a true Sony fan and think the SQ can't be beat, (esp with the Napster 2Go tracks) but for video and pictures the screen is way too small on the 616F. Knowing this I am a little let down by the screen size of the new player. Looking online I got the feeling that the screen size was bigger but doing the math it seems smaller that the Ipod's by like a hair.

My point is that people have been complaining for almost two years about how small the screen for the 5th G Ipod was and how you couldn't watch a movie on very easily. Do you think they will say the same about the new Sony's?

I only ask because I have been saving up and have been trying to decide between the Zune, Touch and the New Sony. I know I want 16gb or above so these kind of fit what I want, and I know I will be watching videos some of the time. SQ is important since I will load the player up and use it at home as well (hooked to a stereo).

Screen size is important and I don't want to lose myself in the excitement for these new players.

Maybe it is better to wait and see the players in person at a Sony store, Etc.

Plus Sony hardly supported the Last two great players - few options for cases (Keychain anyone?), no podcast option, no easy way (Legal) to get video on the players...

I would love to see a larger player (size wise) with more space or a HD. Until that happens I may hold off buying this generation of Sony.

Am I the only one turned off by the Screen Size? Discuss.

[Old skool D]

Hi WillieDynamite. Welcome to ATRAClife

To be honest with you I'm more concerned with more storage capacity, then screen size, as I'm only concerned about listening to music, as opposed to watching films.tv shows etc. If you look on you tube, MP3 generation do a live demo of the new A820 series. You may get an idea of the true size from that. ( the link is in one of the previous pages on this post)

[WillieDynamite]

I hear what your'e sayin' Old School.

I can't front, I probably pre order one anyway. Sony sounds that good.

The other great concern I have is the ECOSYSTEM - If I want a good case there are probably two, maybe three options. The Sony site here in the US doesn't even cary the clip for this player. They only seem to offer the siliconce slip-on and probably the lame keychain like the 818 and 616. What about us active users?

BTW I love the Napster integration. The tracks are very high quality (takes up a lot of space) and sound great wired through my home stereo.

I may just have to give up on video and join the Lovefest. I wish there was a hd player from sony. They would rule!

[Zizone_]

For my daily portable music device use, I think 2 to 2.5 inch screen is perfect. I recently purchased SonyEricsson's W890i and will write review soon, but really 2 inch screen is perfect for me.

[gotthat]

NWZ-A820 has 2.4 inches for the screen size, that's pretty nice already, if u know how large is 2.4 inches for a screen, then you already know how it looks like before u go to the store. This is sony not apple, so it's a perfect piece of hardware. It is larger than the NWZ-S61X series for sure

[1_blue_pixel]

I'm not sure how the screen size stacks up to other players like iPod, but this video has a comparision between the A820 & the A818:

video of side by side A820 - A810 series

Found that at the GenerationMP3 page that was in Stuge's post.

[dura_]

Thanks for the video, very interesting.

Well, that settles it; I'm gonna stick with my A808 which still looks as new, and consider again next year when there are 32/64 GB players to onsider, hopefully from Sony.

But spending €300,- basically for 8 GB extra going from the A808 to the 82X seems uneconomical; I do not watch video's so the bigger screen means nothing to me, I don't care for bluetooth (loose the cord get another battery to carry and watch) it's bigger so i don't see why i should buy it.

[WillieDynamite]

That was my point behind the post. The Apple ipod (Classic and 5th generations) and My Motorola Q both have 2.5 inch screens. Sony was in a position to knock this generation of players to the top, but decided to go conservative with the screen size.

Part of the major B**ching by the masses against the Ipod with Video was the screen size of 2.5 being too small. I don't see why Sony couldn't have made a 3" screen and really competed with the big boys.

As it is I think Sony won't promote these players in the US market and will just be content with the diehard fans like myself who will buy it anyway. In my opinion they seem overpriced by atleast $50 across the whole line. If these players had 3" screens they could justify the prices they are currently at. I also feel they are pissing off a ton of the worldwide fanbase by releasing different capacity players for different markets. All markets should get 16GB at the same time. (and I thought 32GB would be where the bar is)

Maybe if Apple and Zune sell well with Large screen players this year Sony may produce something that can compete. Right now this seems to be competing with the nano.

[WillieDynamite]

Thanks for all the replies, I decided to wait and not get the New Sonys (not now, and not at the current prices).

I did get a Zune 80 (original art series). I love the capacity and the screen. The sound quality is great (running a close second to my Sony 616). The screen size is perfect to catch up on Battlestar Galactica.

I was very shocked to read early reviews of the new Sony players that say they have plastic backs. I haven't held any of the new units yet but would Believe that they are probably plastic. My 616 was definetly plastic, but Sony tried to make it look like it was metal. If you look closely at the black 616 (or under a magnifying glass) you will see metalic specks embedded in the black plastic to give it a metal "Look". Kinda Cheesey.

I will reconsider after Sony drops the price.

[lamewing]

I made a comment earlier about the A728 having a plastic back and the A818 having a metal back. I think I was wrong regarding the A818. Maybe the plastic is thinner on the A728, but perhaps it is just a matter of the A728 having a wider area, who knows. I returned the A728 but after using it to watch videos of a distance learning class I must say that the larger 2.4 inch screen trumps the 2.0 inch screen.

The Zune's screen is great, but it is a weird trade-off. There seems to be slight vertical interlacing on the screen, but at the same time the COLORS looks so good that it is like looking at a plasma TV screen. The iTouch didn't do it for me as I really like having physical volume controls. The Zune works well in this area, but the Sony is the best with true dedicated volume controls.

I think I will hold off and wait for a 32GB model in the next iteration. If I was more confidant that we (in the West) will still be able to use SS a year or more down the line I would pick up a ATRAC-based model in Japan this May, but I fear Sony will close the servers and then we're out of luck.