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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for CEC mp4 players

Tue, 21/08/2007 - 11:09am — admin

Before purchase queries

Question: Why is this mp4 player about twice as big as Ipod Video?
Answer: Ipod video uses 1.8" hard disc whereas our mp4 player uses 2.5" hard disk which is about 2x the size. Hence, it needs to be physically bigger to accommodate the larger hard disc. In addition, the power consumption of 2.5" hard disc is higher, hence, a larger battery is also needed to allow reasonable battery life.

Question: What is the advantage of this mp4 compared to Ipod then?
Answer: Through the use of 2.5" hard disk, we can allow much larger hard disk capacity compared to 1.8" hard disk based mp3/mp4 players. In addition, our mp4 players are cheaper and have many useful functions such as build-in FM transmitter which is only possible on Ipod via 3rd party add-ons, causing users additional money and trouble to carry around.

Question: Why would anyone want a 80GB or larger HDD mp3/mp4 player?
Answer: Many people these days carry USB flash drives and/or portable HDDs to store their documents. The Hi-Play series products can act as a typical portable HDD to store documents, music files, movies and other information while connected to a computer. In addition, it can also be used as music and video player on the go. The combination of portable HDD and music save you the trouble from carrying separate gadgets for music and computer files. The large capacity of the Hi-play player allows this to be achieved without running out of room on the HDD. In addition, when using public computers such as in the Universities, it is very handy to carry your files, music and your favourite software, in the form of portable application which do not require installation to run. (list of portable applications available from Wiki, portableapps, etc; free installed applications available from synergymax) You can even transform your the mp4 player into a secure virtual personal computer by using the software from MojoPac

Question: Why would anyone choose this player to use as portable HDD instead of the cheap $20 portable HDD enclosure?
Answer: 2.5" hard disk, ie portable hard disk can consume more power than one USB port (500mA) can supply during start-up (1A) and read/write. Therefore, in a typical 2.5" hard disk enclosure which is powered entirely by USB port, if only one USB port is plugged (which most people does), it is possible to cause a power surge which may damage the USB port, possibily causing malfunction of the port. Whereas, the supplement of additional power from the battery in this player ensure that the HDD always receive sufficient power during start-up as well as during read/write. This can prolong life-time of the portable HDD and prevent premature malfunction/damage due to unstable/under-powered USB port.

For those who wants to see an independent opinion on this issue, Zdnet has a story on this.

Question: Does the player support video playback on TV?
Answer: No.

Question: What is the recording quality of X8 like?
Answer: Listening to the actual recorded sound track would be better than any descriptions.

Recorded using X8's build-in mic from computer playback of mp3 file supplied in the CD (*.mp3, 1.16 MB)

X8 recording cut out using Windows Movie maker from a University Lecture (*.wma, 973kb)

Question: What does it display when playing mp3/wma?
Answer: File name, Album and Artist are displayed when mp3/wma is played. While lyric (*.irc) is available, it displays the file name and the lyric.

Question: Can I fine tune the FM transmitter?
Answer: Yes, you can adjust the FM transmission frequency from FM 87.6Mhz-107.0Mhz by 0.1Mhz interval.

Question: Can the FM transmitter output the sound of the video being played?
Answer: Yes, as long as the FM transmitter is activated, you can listen to the sound of the mp4 video or mp3 music being played.

After purchase queries

Question: How can I prevent data corruption or hard disk failure?
Answer: Whenever you finished transfering files from the computer to the mp4 device, always use Safety Remove Hardware before pulling the USB plug on the mp4. This will properly shut down the hard disk, ensure all your files are safe and prevent premature hard disk failure.

Question: How do I set wallpaper?
Answer: Simply create 320x240 picture file and save it as BG.bmp in the sys folder. Mp4 restart is needed before the background picture is displayed. Please note that wallpaper function is available only on 2.4" LCD models.

Question: Can I display a logo when turning on the player?
Answer: Yes, simply create 320x240 picture file and save it as logo.gif in the sys folder.

Question: How come the recording on the A8 has lots of noise?
Answer: This is normal, the player is not faulty. The manufacturer is aware of this but there is nothing we can do about it. (X6/X8 has crystal clear recording using the build-in mic or line-in.)

Question: How do I choose between Line In and Mic when recording sound?
Answer: When you are in the recording menu, press A to switch between Line In and Mic.

Question: The recording controls seems a bit messy and difficult, is there any solutions?
Answer: After the recording, press Play to pause the recording, then hold on the C button for a few seconds and the player will Save and Exit the recording menu. Alternatively, hold on to the Play button for a few seconds to cause the player to Save the recording and then press C to Exit.

Question: How do I lock/unlock the keypad on X6/X8?
Answer: Press the B button.

Question: Why does the FM transmission on the X6/X8 do not work?
Answer: Please make sure that the FM transmission is activated in the setup menu and earphone is plugged to the player. (The FM radio transmission is always off when the mp4 is switched on and need to be activated every time you turn on the mp4. It is always off to save power.) For best FM transmission quality and range, simply plug a earphone wire (the longer the better), i.e. earphone without the "ear piece speaker" to the earphone socket. An alternative would be to turn the volume to minimum when having FM transmission, that will improve the quality of FM transmission. Once the FM transmitter is turned on, the radio receiver tuned to the same frequency, it will become very quiet instead of "noisy" (when FM transmission is off). This can be used as a quick check on whether the transmitter is working. And once you play mp3/mp4, you will heard the music over the radio. :)

Question: Why does the video and sound do the match in the X6?
Answer: It is partly due to the low frame rate on the X6, temporary fix at the moment is to use the older movie conversion software to convert movie files to 15 frames/s. At 15 frame/s, the sound and picture are in sync. Old movie conversion software can be download here.

Question: Why does the video and sound do the match in the X8?
Answer: X8 supports maximum of 25fps. When video is converted to ~25fps, in some cases, the picture and sound might not be in synchrony. Therefore, it is recommended to convert the video to lower frame rate, such as 20fps to ensure both picture and sound are in synchrony.

Question: Is it possible to improve the sound quality of the mp4 video file produced from the Blaze video conversion software?
Answer: No. We are aware that the sound quality from Blaze video conversion software is unsatisfactory. Hence, we recommend that users use Mediacoder instead to do their video conversion. Mediacoder allows user to fine tune many settings, such as video and sound bitrate.

Question: Does the player support playlist?
Answer: Yes, when playing music, press the power/menu button and select add to favourite.

Question: Does the player support multiple playlist?
Answer: No, there is only one playlist called favourite.

Question: Can I edit the playlist on the computer, etc?
Answer: No, the playlist can only be edited using the player itself. Therefore, we do not recommend anyone to use the playlist because it is too much hassle to set it up. Much easier and faster to group your mp3/mp4 into different folders using the computer and play those folders on the player.

Question: How do I synchronize my mp3/wma music on my computer to the player?
Answer: As the player works as a portable hard disk when connected to the computer, the easiest way to synchronize the player is to use a file synchronization software, one example of such freeware is Sync Toy by Microsoft for Windows XP.

Question: Why is my folders not arranged in alphabetical order?
Answer: Some users had reported that adding folders into the player over time can cause the folder order to be messed up. This is because this mp4 only arrange files/folders according to the time the file/folder is added to the hard disk. This is useful to allow user to find new music more easily but not everyone likes it. Possible suggested solutions are

  1. add all folders all together at one go, or
  2. use software to sort the folders

Question: Can it play flash files in *.exe format?
Answer: No. Macromedia flash files need to be in *.swf to work.

Question: Can it play flash games?
Answer: No.

Question: Does it need conversion before playing flash files?
Answer: No. Note that not all flash files works, compatibility with flash files is not very good yet.

Question: How do I check the available HDD capacity available?
Answer: Press button A on the left hand side of the A8 player. Button B on the X6/X8 player.

Question: How do I check the remaining battery life?
Answer: Press button A on the left hand side of the A8 player. Button B on the X6 player. Note: The number of hours displayed on screen is not accurate and should not be trusted.

Question: How do I check whether the battery is fully charged?
Answer: Press button A on the left hand side of the A8 player. Button B on the X6/X8 player. Followed by pressing the right arrow button. This will show the charging current, when it reach ~80 mA or less, battery is should be fully charged. Maximum charging current is 480mA. The player will automatically shut down charging when battery is fully charged. However, it is not recommended to leave player plugged to USB/charging for extended period. Note that when the HDD spins up when you press the botton to show up the charging current page, the charging current will be higher due to HDD power drain, hence not a good indicator of battery charge.

Question: How come the battery life of my mp4 is much less than stated in the specifications?
Answer: That is because your battery is not fully charged. To fully charge the mp4, turn off the mp4 and leave the mp4 plugged to the USB port for about 3 hours. This is the fastest way to charge it. It can also be charged while turned on, however, it will not be able to charge to 100% while on, only up to about 90% after 3 hours. Check here for benchmark of real life X8 battery life under different conditions. For mp3 playback, turn off the screen if you want longer battery life.

Note: do not use USB mode to charge, USB mode will drain power instead of charging it due to the HDD spining all the time and draining more power than the USB port can supply, therefore draining the battery.

Question: Can the build-in battery be changed?
Answer: Yes and No. To access the battery, the entire mp4 player has to be taken apart including the hard disk and PCB boards. This will void the warranty if any damage is made, ie customer will be liable for repair charges incurred. In addition, the battery used inside is not generally available. (Maybe with the exception of battery repack shops) Unless you are a profesional in this area or know what you are doing, it is best to sent it back to us if you need to buy a new battery. Having said that, under normal use, the battery should last at least 3 years, and should not need battery replacement in the life-time of the mp4 player.

Question: Warranty had expired and my mp4 is not working, what should I do?
Answer: If you would like the mp4 player to be fixed, we can repair it. Please contact us on cost, etc. Note: the hard disk inside is probably still working and can be salvaged and used in newer mp4 models or USB 2.5" PATA hard disk enclosures.

Question: I have brought a mp4 player without harddisk, How do I install the hard disk?
Answer: Detailed step by step instructions can be found here.

Question: I just installed a new HDD, how do I set it up?
Answer: In Windows XP, go to control panel --> administrative tools --> computer management --> disk management --> locate your newly installed HDD --> partition and (quick) format the HDD in FAT32.
NOTE: This player can only support FAT32 and maximum of 3 partition. Under Windows XP, FAT32 is only allowed to be formated to 32GB per partition, to format larger FAT32 partitions, 3rd party software such as this or older windows such as Windows ME or earlier is needed to format FAT32 larger than 32GB. Non-FAT32 partition cannot be accessed by the player but usable on computer.

Question: Why does my player suddenly shut down/run out of power when plugged to the computer and transfering files?
Answer: While transfering files, the HDD consumes more current than USB can support, hence, power is drawn from the battery to supplement this. As the battery is drained completely, the player shuts down. As a result, it is recommended that you do not tranfer large amount of files while battery is almost flat. Note that when plugged to the computer and running in USB mode, the HDD is constantly running; it continues to charge the battery if power consumed by the HDD is less than what is supplied by the USB port i.e. 500mA.

Question: How do I copy photos from my digital camera to the mp4 player via OTG?
Answer: 1st, plug the short OTG cable included in the package to the OTG port (the one next to the USB port). 2nd, plug your camera's USB port into the OTG cable. 3rd, follow the instructions on page 28 of the manual.

Note: Not all digital cameras are compatible, if this feature is important to you, we suggest you test your camera on our mp4 player before you buy. This compatibility list is not comprehensive but will give you some ideas.

Question: How do I exit OTG mode?
Answer: Press C button for about 5-10 seconds to exit OTG.

Question: My mp4 hang, ie do not respond at all, what should I do?
Answer: Force the mp4 to turn off by pressing the C and M button simultaneously.

Question: How do I check the serial number of my mp4?
Answer: Go to setup menu --> Version --> ID: (this number is your Serial Number)

Question: Where can I download latest firmware, video conversion software, etc for my Hi-X8?
Answer: Please visit this page for firmware downloads, video conversion softwares, font libraries and instruction manual.

Question: Why is the random music playback NOT random?
Answer: There are reports that music playback in random mode is not random. Users have reported "No matter where I start in the list of songs with Random selected, it will play the next 4 tracks and then track 4,19,94,469,296,455,226... in the same sequence every time.". Suggested solution to this would be to make add/remove one or two mp3 files and update the music database as described below.

Question: How do I update my music database?
Answer: Enter the Music menu -> press M -> you will see UPDATE DATABASE highlighted in blue -> press Play, and the mp3 ID3 database will be updated. Note: The database do not update automatically and needs to be updated manually.

Question: Why the CEC player do not read when I have >130GB of music files but the files show up correctly when connected to computer?
Answer: This is a limitation of the device itself, please repartition the hard disk into 2 or 3 partitions and maintain <130GB per partition. Then, all the files will read correctly on the player.