Product Description

The iRiver iHP-120 is the ultimate digital audio player. Listen to over 600 hours of your music or tune in to the built-in FM radio. With a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 16 hours, ultra-fast USB 2.0 file transfers and simple navigation, the iHP-120 is the music player of choice. Compatible with Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, XP, and Mac OS 10.2

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #40251 in Consumer Electronics
• Color: Black/Silver
• Brand: iRiver
• Model: IHP 120
• Original language: English
• Dimensions: 4.00 pounds

Features

• Play MP3, WMA, ASF, and WAV formats
• Includes built-in FM Tuner, voice recorder, and optical In/Out
• MP3 Encoding
• Backlit remote control with 4-line display
• 20 GB of internal storage

From the Manufacturer
The remarkably small and lightweight iHP-120 plays over 600 hours of digital music. Within the sleek magnesium body lies a rechargeable battery that delivers up to 16 hours of life, a built-in FM tuner, an ultra-fast USB 2.0 connection and an intuitive interface that makes it easy to find any song.

Features

• 20 GB of internal storage
• Holds over 600 hours of digital music*
• Built in rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• Up to 16 hours of battery life
• Supports MP3, WMA, ASF, OGG and WAV music files
• Ultra-fast USB 2.0 transfers (up to 40 times faster than USB 1.0)
• Integrated FM tuner
• Intuitive music navigation
• Real-time MP3 encoding (no PC required)
• Store or transfer files of any type
• Extra-large, 8-line, backlit LCD
• Line-in and Line-out jacks
• Optical input and output
• Upgradeable to future formats and features
• Dimensions: Approximately 60 millimeters (W) by 19 millimeters (D) by 105 millimeters (H)
• Weight: Approx. 160 grams

*Over 600 hours of music based on Windows Media format at 64 kbps.

What's in the box
iHP-120 Digital Music Player, iRiver earphones , backlit remote control with 4-line display, carrying case (with belt loop), installation software CD, AC adapter, USB 2.0 cable, line-in cable, and printed user manual.

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Customer Reviews

There is nothing to fear about not getting the Ipod.
Dont get me wrong...the ipod is great. It is by far the best design on the market, but it does fall short in some areas and the iriver picks up that slack.
I decided to look at brands other than the Ipod because most of my files are WMA's and i did not feel like converting all of them. I did a LOT of research and got it down to two players; the Rio Karma and the iRiver iHP-120. I went with the iRiver because it had many features that i was looking for that the Rio did not.
I have had it now for about a month now and let me just put it like this: the Ipod is not the only heavy hitter anymore. If someone were to offer me either right now...free....i would take the iRiver. Here is why:

What the Ipod has over the iRiver-
-Cool design
-User friendly interface (scroll wheel)
-Firewire (although iriver does have USB2)

What the iRiver has over the Ipod-
-4-line LCD remote so that you can see what is happening
-16 Hour Lithium-poly. battery (Ipod has a 6 hour)
-WMA compatable (for windows users)
-no software needed (shows up as an external hard drive. just drag and drop onto or from ANY computer without drivers. This includes non-music files)
-recording from any source (has optical in/out and comes with an internal AND external mic.
-music is laid out the way you want it to be because you put it on there how you want it
-FM radio tuner built in

Bottom line is that it lookes great, sounds great, has a great remote and lots of features that you dont see on most players.

This is not a review to say that Apple is no good. I am just saying that too many people seem to go into the search with blinders on and not see what else is out there. In my opinion.....the iRiver iHP-120 is, becuase of all the reasons i listed, the better player for me and i am very glad that i got it instead of the Ipod. If you are a PC user you NEED to check it out before you buy.

Hope i helped.

I love this product.
I recently bought the iRiver iHP-120 (H120), at Best Buy. I had a 10% off coupon, so bought it for $300. At the same time my roommate had bought a 15 GB Ipod. So, I had ample chance to play with both the players. I must tell you that I love the iRiver player. This has got lot more features, quality for lesser price.

Things I liked :

1) The quality of the music is amazing.
2) It plays all the formats that I generally use.
3) The radio is very clear.
4) Feels robust.
5) Small (almost the same size as iPod).
6) Comes with all the accessories. ( My roomate had to buy leathercase and USB cable)
7) Can be used as an external harddisk. No drivers needed. No software needs to be installed. Just plug n play.
8) The recording feature. Though I havent used this feature yet, online reviews tell me that, the quality of recording is just awesome.
9) Awesome battery life.

Things I did not like:

1) The leathercase has a belt clip, through which you have to pass a belt, to keep it on your waist. In the gym , I wear gym shorts and I dont wear a belt. so, I have to hold it in my hand and run. I would have liked a clip-on type belt clip.
2) The ear-phones that come with the set are not the best.
3) The LED is kind of dim (comapred to the iPod).

iPod Vs iRiver

1) iRiver comes with radio, recording and accessories. The iPod does not.
2) In iRiver I dont have to install any software and arranage all my songs. I can just drag and drop all the folders in the player. I like this arrangement compared to the ID3 tags. In iPod you have to arrange all your songs using ID3 tags. My roomate spent the whole Memorial Day weekend arranging his songs :-)
3) Ipod can not be used as an external hard-drive. iRiver can be used as an external hard-drive, no drivers need to be installed. Just drag n drop.
4) The quality of music is about the same in both the players (best quality).
5) iRiver's battery life is double compared to iPod( 16 hrs to 8hrs)
6) The iPod looks cooler and I loved the button placement, sensitivity of the buttons of the iPod.
7) The iPod's ear buds are too cool.

Bottom line : If you want more bang for your buck, and looks dont matter that much, go with the iRiver.

A tough contender vs. the iPod

Having owned four different iPods and become weary of their bad screens and ease of dropping, I thought I'd give this iRiver player a try. For the most part, I'm pleased with it, but it's hard to write a review of it without comparing it to the iPod, so here goes:

Plus:

Great sound. Plenty loud enough and very customizable. The included WOW and SRS functionality gives any music great presence, even through the skimpy earbuds that come with the unit. You can switch from one equalizer setting to another with the touch of a button--something you can't do with the iPod, which requires you to navigate back to the Settings menu.

Clear, easy-to-read screen. By the way, it has a blue cast, not green, as in the photograph above. And it provides far more information at a glance than does the iPod's screen.

Extras. Built-in voice recorder, optical in and out ports--and a Stop button. Hallelujah.

Illuminated inline remote with clip. Just too cool.

Grip. Not as slippery and prone to hitting the floor as the iPod. But then the iRiver isn't quite as stylish, either.

Minus:

Navigation. If you're used to the ease of use of the iPod, you may find navigating around this unit a little difficult, especially as the main navigation button on the front of the unit is made for tiny fingers, and it's all too easy to press it in the wrong direction (the remote is better for this).

Charging. You must use the AC adapter to charge the unit (unlike the iPod, the iRiver doesn't charge off its connection to the computer). And charging takes several hours. However, the battery maintains its charge for a longer period than does the iPod's. The iRiver also has no dock.

Software. You can simply mount the unit as a hard drive, drag files onto it, and unmount it. Or you can try to use the "DB" software that comes with the unit, which I've found doesn't work. And the iRiver itself doesn't make it clear enough when you can disconnect it from your computer, particularly if you're using a Mac (the only way to disconnect the unit completely from the Mac is to shut the Mac down--a nuisance).

Packaging. The iPod clearly has the edge here. The iRiver comes in a blister pack that you have to cut apart with scissors, so it's hard to fit all the pieces back into the packaging for storage (the iPod comes in a slick square box that's easy to reassemble) and avoid the sharp edges of the plastic.

Advice: If you're a PC user looking for an alternative to the iPod, one with extra features and superb sound, get the iRiver. Mac users will probably be happier overall with the iPod.