RCA RD2780 20GB Lyra Personal Digital Multi-Media Player Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Last week I bought a Lyra 40GB mp3 jukebox and really enjoyed the storage, how it functioned as a hard drive, the sound, and ease of use.
The one thing that kept nagging me was how the 40GB mp3 jukebox was $299 and the Lyra AV was $399, so why not spend the $100 more and get the video player/recorder?
At first I loved the RCA AV device and spent the entire weekend playing with the features that were available. It was good improvement over just a pure mp3 jukebox, however after a few days the drawbacks and limitations became clear.
These are some big problems:
1. The video you capture is in ASF format and not avi, which makes editing in a common video editor a far tougher task.
2. The picture play back is only for .jpg files and not all jpg compression files worked.
3. Battery life with video only or mp3 only was very close to the same, which is alarming. The battery indicator also would go from full charge to 1/2 to 3/4 and never showed the correct charge. In one mixed function test the system ran for almost 3.5 hours. After another full 6+ hour charge it ran for about 2.5 hours in the same conditions.
4. The latest January 15 firmware adds a few features and fixes some problems, however a large amount of functionality is still missing.
5. RCA restricts users from backing up copyrighted works. People have figured out a work around, however there are several things that could be done to tighten copying, which severely restricts the usefullness of the device.
6. The system OS also runs slow. Checking the Lyra status screen took more than 2 minutes for some reason. At random times switching songs, stopping playback, or performing simple functions gives you 10-30 seconds of lag and it almost appears as if the system locked up.
The best things about the RCA AV jukebox include the nice TFT screen, the sleek form factor, the lower price, how so many accessories are included in the box, and how it forced Archos to lower the prices on their competing products.
If the RCA came out with complete functionality, recorded in avi format, and offered the same functionality as the Archos players it would have been a serious hit.
As it stands the RCA player is functional, has some good points, but it fails in a side by side comparision with the Archos. The promise was there, but the delivery was not.
Perhaps with jukebox 2 from RCA or after 6 more months of firmware updates the Lyra will be better competition, however there is a good chance future devices will be even further restricted as time goes on because media companies will just blame them as tools for abuse, ignoring the fact that any PC or Mac out there is a far better tool for any person wishing to pirate media.
I initially gave the Lyra a 5, but now feel it deserves a 2.5-3 for what it currently delivers. I am moving to a Archos AV340 because after my experience with the Lyra and after further research it appears the additional money is well worth it when it comes to these types of devices.

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Product Description:
Lyra Audio/Video, 20GB, 3.5" display - RCA Lyra portable audio/video 20GB Jukebox- 20GB internal hard disc (stores up to 300 hours of music, 80 hours of video, or 100,000 JPEG images)- Plays open mp3s- 3.5" TFT color LCD screen- Built-in rechargeable battery (up to 4 hours continuous play in video mode)- Hi-speed USB connectivity (up to 40 times faster, compatible with USB 2.0 and original USB specifications)- PC/Mac compatible- Composite video input/ouput jack (2.5mm)- Audio/video recording mode- Compact flash slot (type 1)- 3.5mm headphone jack- Dimensions: 135mmW x 80mmH x 24mmD- Weight: 275 grams- USB connection jack - Stereo line in/out (2.5mm) jack- External DC jack (3.5mm)- System requirements: Pentium III 500MHz or iMac G3. Windows 98SE, ME, 2000 with service pack 3, XP or Mac OS X version 10.1.5. Internet Explorer 4.0. Internet access. 100MB free hard disc space. 64MB RAM. CD-ROM drive capable of digital audio extraction. USB port- Sleek design- SilverPackage Contents:- RCA Lyra Jukebox- USB cable- CD-ROM for PC, music management software- Audio/video line out cable- Earbud headphones- Carrying case- Compact AC adapter- Car kit accessories (tape adapter, cigarette lighter charger)