What do you know about power over ethernet? can any standard ethernet port deliver power? ie could i hook up a wireless bridge to the empeg without a power brick if the bridge supported PoE? do you know if the empeg serial connector delivers power?

How thick is the Pearl? It appears to be fairly large in that respect. Does it support recording? The new iPod will soon be doing so.

Stu

Does it support recording? The new iPod will soon be doing so.

Actually, it already does... sort of.

Yeah I know about that and have tried it, I just don't consider that supporting recording, b/c you have to go into an undocumented diagnostic mode. Background noise is a bit high and of course six seconds is not very useful. Still when they come out with a software update and proper connections, I think the quality will be outstanding, given the specs on the ADC chip. Depending on if they put level meters and gain adjustment into the software, it might even serve as a worthy replacement for my long trashed Sony DAT.

Stu

Pearl is indeed thicker than the iPod, albeit it substantially shorter. We have an entirely different design philosophy (with little details such as a useful battery life) which some people will prefer, while others will go for iPod. I won't even try to convince a Mac fan - I know you guys catch anything Apple deign to throw at you

No plans for recording in version 1.0. There's plenty of headroom, though, as we use the next generation of the chip used in the iPod. Even so I'm not convinced that single speed capture is going to be the killer feature - quality playback features such as the cross fader and fully parametric EQ are more important.

Rob

So you are using the WM8731L? Pretty nice.

Stu

Yes, at it happens, but I was actually talking about the processor.

Rob

Actually we use the 8721, not the 31. We have no line inputs. We do, however, have USB host with which to attach ADCs should we want them...

Hugo

little details such as a useful battery life

???

I've never had the first problem with the battery life in my iPod, other than it seems to use it up more quickly than I'd expect lying around turned off.

i forgot to even ask, does it have an FM tuner?
man i hope so!!

brian

My iPod? Nope.

The 8721 is what the iPods used to use, if I remember correctly. So you probably use the built in USB controller on a PortalPlayer PP5002 then right?

Stu

The new iPod has a stated battery life of 8 hours. That means it is going to be somewhat less in reality. A smaller battery was used to shave a couple of mm off the thickness.

Rob

Mine is one of the older ones with a stated life of 10 hours. While I can see people possibly wanting more than that, even given the inflation of the stated spec, I'd have to say that it hardly qualifies as not being ``a useful battery life'', even at 8 (or whatever that means IRL).

I wish all our portable customers thought like that. They're used to CD players with 30 hours of playtime.

Rob

A good point. And I actually have one of your portables (for my wife), though I need to get a memory card for it.

The 5002 doesn't have a host USB controller. We don't use the 5002.

Hugo

Their site says it features an "integrated USB 1.1 Device Controller," but thanks!

Stu

Yes, "device controller" is a USB slave (just like the empeg-car); "host controller" is what we have in Pearl

Hugo

Very good! I forgot to make that distinction. I obviously don't do much work with USB .

Stu

Sorry if this was discussed already, but how does the Pearl compare to the new Ipod in terms of mass? I stopped by my local Apple store and played around with an Ipod and it was much heavier than I expected. The posted weight of the Ipod is 5.6g (6.2g for 30Gb) but I think the small size makes me feel like it should be lighter.

I'm pretty sure you meant ounces.

Rob

Amazing design.

Someone else asked this as well. But, will this include an FM tuner?

Wow is that ridiculously light! Yes I meant ounces. (punching myself)
So, are you able to answer the question?

I only have postage scales to check with, post they show the Pearl prototype as being exactly the same weight as the smallest iPod. Weight really isn't an issue in either case.

Rob

What are the chances of it appearing somewhere in holland next month

High, considering it's almost in beta now...

Hugo

Any 'unofficial' UK release dates?

Nope, but if you really want one (as usual) get it from the US. They will be getting it first.

Hugo

Looks like Rio won't be the only player with a 1.5GB model according to this.

Twelve companies so far have plans to release products with the drive. RCA/Thomson, Rio and five other manufacturers will come out with MP3 players with the Cornice Storage Element (SE), and a major U.S. retailer will feature a Cornice-based player from Korea. The first products will hit shelves this quarter, according to Cornice.

Looks like alot of competition for the 1.5GB model, what about Pearl??