Cowon iAudio 9 Bug / Feature Request Thread

[dfkt]

The iAudio 9 is a nice player as it is, but it could certainly do with a few improvements (same as every other gadget ever made). Most of the points below aren't really i9-specific, but would be nice on any other Cowon player as well, like the S9 or D2+. Feel free to add to this thread with constructive suggestions.

• Resume: Same as the D2 and S9, the i9 does not resume playback, it only remembers its place in a file but always starts on the main screen. Meaning, one always has to go to the audio or video screen and has to press play. This is tedious and should be fixed - resume means resume, not remember. Users fixed that flaw on the D2 and S9 on their own, with custom UCIs. This should really be fixed in the firmware (not only for the i9, but also the S9 and D2/D2+).
• Center button: Give us the option to disable the A-B repeat function on the center button, or let us remap the button to something else. File info display comes to mind, same as on the S9. Touching the AB-repeat by mistake can happen quite easily, and it's really annoying when it happens. I'm not saying to get rid of AB-repeat entirely, there are people who want that function - just make it optional.
• Wallpaper support on the primary main menu screen: I have no idea why Cowon only implemented wallpaper support on the secondary, much less useful main screen, but it is extremely simple to fix. I already fixed it. Please just implement it in the firmware.
• Recent files list: There's a lot wrong with the Cowon O2, but one of its features is pure genius: the recent files list. It's like a bookmark list, but without one having to actually set any bookmarks. It just remembers all audio and video files one didn't finish to listen/watch, and one just selects a file from the list to continue. A simple and perfect solution. Please implement it on your other players as well.
• AAC support: AAC is perhaps the second most widespread audio codec nowadays, after MP3. It's technically on par with Vorbis, and it's a lot more advanced and better than WMA. It really needs to be supported on all Cowon players, not just underdogs like the O2. Not sure what the licensing status is for AAC, but in any case it's way more useful than supporting APE and similar obsolete formats.
• Replaygain support: One of the most awesome features for me, currently supported by Rockbox, Sandisk players, and every decent software audio player, like Winamp or Foobar. I wish Cowon would support Replaygain, it would be the next logical step after gapless to make them true 'audio aficionado' gear. Replaygain information.
• Line-out for audio: The video-out cable seems to deliver line-level audio (more or less). It's a shame there's no real line-out for regular audio/music tracks on any Cowon player. It would be beneficial for hooking up the player to a stereo, portable headphone amplifier, and such - contrary to using the pre-amplified headphone output. iPods, some Sansas, and a few other players have dedicated line-out. Since Cowon players are regarded as being high quality audio players, it would only be logical if they would cater to the headphone amps crowd as well.
• Last.fm scrobbling in MSC mode: One can only dream... but Rockbox can scrobble in MSC mode by simply writing a text file to the player's memory. I would love to have that feature on a Cowon. Scrobbler information.

[CrowdAds]

[fredrik'en]

• AAC support: AAC is perhaps the second most widespread audio codec nowadays, after MP3. It's technically on par with Vorbis, and it's a lot more advanced and better than WMA. It really needs to be supported on all Cowon players, not just underdogs like the O2. Not sure what the licensing status is for AAC, but in any case it's way more useful than supporting APE and similar obsolete formats.

• Line-out for audio: The video-out cable seems to deliver line-level audio (more or less). It's a shame there's no real line-out for regular audio/music tracks on any Cowon player. It would be beneficial for hooking up the player to a stereo, portable headphone amplifier, and such - contrary to using the pre-amplified headphone output. iPods, some Sansas, and a few other players have dedicated line-out. Since Cowon players are regarded as being high quality audio players, it would only be logical if they would cater to the headphone amps crowd as well.

My 9 plays AAC happily. Both LC and HE-AAC coded with itunes and Nero. SBR seems to work as well, not just HE-AAC played as AAC-LC.
Have only checked the m4a-container, though, so 3gp and aac containers might not work.

I second the Line-out. I miss that from my Sony NW-HD3.

I would add to the wishlist:

1. Some way to see the file properties like codec, bitrate etc. (I'm a geek)
2. Warmer default sound, which is also a bit 'closer' to me. Now it feels like I am far away from the stage.
3. A standard micro-USB cable. Frankly, I don't care about video-out functionality... Who on earth actually uses that?

[coelho]

Originally Posted by dfkt

• Last.fm scrobbling in MSC mode: One can only dream... but Rockbox can scrobble in MSC mode by simply writing a text file to the player's memory. I would love to have that feature on a Cowon. Scrobbler information.

Will I be able to scrobble the i9 in MTP mode? Can I assume the every new player in MTP mode will be able to?

[dfkt]

Cowons usually work with the Zenses MTP app. But all new players don't - the Sansa players for example don't store the play count and don't work with Zenses.

[coelho]

Okay. Thank you for the information.

[DeadMan]

I bought again the player (received in 24 hours with FedEx from advancedmp3.. impressive!!!). Maybe I'm sayin something obvious, but I've found a way to insert the cover in OGG files.. Just place a Jpeg file in the folder of the album and name it "cover.jpg". Friggin lame XD

[filousophe]

it would be really great if cowon could make a section for audiobooks on the main screen. in addition, the resume option that sansa clip+ offers per audiobook file would also be a good idea if they could implement it on i9.

[Marvin the Martian]

Thread resurrection of the day!
ReplayGain support would be my feature request.

Today, in between rounds of snowblowing, I am going to experiment with a substitute method. Mediamonkey Gold will level volume while syncing, supposedly using the MP3Gain protocol. So I have it set to 89db, just like RG, and later on today I'll load some tunes and shuffle, and see if:
A. it does indeed level out the volume when shuffling
B. if it does "A" without ruining the sound quality of the tracks.

[WalkGood]

Marvin I know Cowon surprised me in the past with a late fw released for the 7 but I find it hard to believe that they will release any more past 1.14 for the 9, I only hope I'm wrong ...

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by WalkGood

Marvin I know Cowon surprised me in the past with a late fw released for the 7 but I find it hard to believe that they will release any more past 1.14 for the 9, I only hope I'm wrong ...

The i9 has been out for about a year and a half, right? I can't say as I really expect an update either, because even that 1.14 update was a while ago, IIRC.

That's why I am going to try that Mediamonkey/MP3Gain trick....but if I think it does mangle the sound, I can always adapt and use the player as strictly one album at a time, if need be.....I have 4 other players that will work with Replaygain if I want to shuffle.

Who knows, I may end up deciding to just use it as an album-listening player anyways. 8GB would be a nice little collection of favorite albums, given that my portable files mostly are V2, V0, or 320kbps.(no lossless on my DAPs)

[dfkt]

If you keep MP3Gain at the standard 89dB (just like Replaygain), it should definitely not distort or make the sound worse in any other way.

If Cowon added Replaygain to their general feature set, I would jump in joy - that's their only main disadvantage compared to Rockbox or Sansa at the moment, for my needs.

[Devaj]

This is a long shot, seeing that the last posts were over 6 months ago, but here goes...

I'm new to abi and especially new to Cowon, I've recently bought one from advancedmp3 and I'm thinking of returning it already.

I was very impressed with it at first, but that was just because of the sound quality. When I tried to use it (like I would my Creative Zen X-Fi <3), features were lacking.

Seeing as this thread for requests, I'd greatly admire;
1. A search function in the music menu,
2. the ability to add individual albums, artists, and songs, of my choosing to the Now Playing
3. Being able to see the queued up items of the Now Playing

These are the features that I would love to be implemented. I'm currently rifling through the masses of webpages to try and find something alike, but alas, no luck so far.

Also, who will see to these requests?

Thanks.

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by Devaj

This is a long shot, seeing that the last posts were over 6 months ago, but here goes...

I'm new to abi and especially new to Cowon, I've recently bought one from advancedmp3 and I'm thinking of returning it already.

I was very impressed with it at first, but that was just because of the sound quality. When I tried to use it (like I would my Creative Zen X-Fi <3), features were lacking.

Seeing as this thread for requests, I'd greatly admire;
1. A search function in the music menu,
2. the ability to add individual albums, artists, and songs, of my choosing to the Now Playing
3. Being able to see the queued up items of the Now Playing

These are the features that I would love to be implemented. I'm currently rifling through the masses of webpages to try and find something alike, but alas, no luck so far.

Also, who will see to these requests?

Thanks.

I wouldn't hold my breath for these features to be added.

[Devaj]

Originally Posted by Marvin the Martian

I wouldn't hold my breath for these features to be added.

Not what I hoped to have heard. Looks like the i9 is going to for returns.

Such good sound, such good features missing - makes it less and less worth it.

Thanks for the reply nonetheless.