Diamond Releases Rio

We've been waiting for the Rio MP3 player for some time now and after all the controversy, Diamond Multimedia has finally shipped its playback device, the Rio PMP300. The device will be available for order through e-commerce sites and in-store retailers in time for Thanksgiving weekend. Here's what we can tell you – and we know gamers have a rabid taste for MP3 files as much as they do for games – about the new product.

To prove that Diamond is truly shipping the Rio, the company sent one of the first devices to GameSpot. After fighting several other editors for it, we're happy to give gamers our first impressions of the device. We've played with several versions of the Rio throughout its development and while the design of the device has changed very little - the technology remains rock solid. The first thing you notice is that it's amazingly light and small. If there weren't a battery (only a single AA) in the device you'd wonder if it would weigh anything at all.

Downloading MP3 files to the device is pretty simple. A parallel port plug attaches to the port (but it has a passthrough so you don't lose the port completely). A small cable like the one used for some types of laptop modem plugs into the bottom part of the parallel port plug and into the device. Next, you install the Rio software that adds a sleek looking MP3 player to your desktop with an option to download files to the device. When you get there, all you need to do is choose the files you want to play on the Rio and the software does the rest. You may already have a few MP3 files on your PC but a sampler CD of MP3 files comes bundled in the box as well. If you're new to making MP3 files, the setup program also installs a limited version of MusicMatch Jukebox.

Running the music files is as easy as playing music on any walkman-like device. Hit the play button and pop the small earphones in your ears. The display on the unit is sharp and clear but doesn't allow one to view the song title or the band like you can in some MP3 software players. It may be a slight oversight for now but MP3 fans will more than likely want this to be a feature for a later model of the player.

For audiophiles looking for CD quality music without having to buy bulky CD players that eat batteries or expensive MiniDisc recorders this could be a worthy competitor. Other features of the device include a simple equalizer with options to optimize tunes for rock, classical, jazz and normal setting, a intro function that allows you to listen to a few seconds of each track, a random button, a repeat button, and an A-B looping button for listening to part of a song over and over again.

While Diamond isn't the first to ship an MP3 player, the Rio is the first device of its kind that will be widely distributed. After a court battle with the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the company was granted the right to sell the device. While the case isn't over, the majorpoint of contention in the suit was that the Rio lacked a Serial Copyright Management System. "Even though the Rio offers the functional equivalent of SCMS because it has no digital output, we incorporated a more formal implementation of SCMS copyright protection that prevents a second-generation copy of a digital audio recording from being made," said Ken Wirt, vice president of corporate marketing at Diamond Multimedia.

While it seems that Diamond is pushing to thwart any future suits from the recording industry by adding the SCMS to the device. In the long-term, it may help to branch the product out into a voice recording device or work the MP3 format into other markets. Since the MP3 debate began, other companies from Diamond's roster of competitors and some larger music-oriented companies (like Sony) have considered using the format in upcoming devices. This could be the start of some much bigger.

The Rio comes with 32 MB of memory and can store up to 60 minutes of music and up to eight hours of voice. If you're looking for added time for music, Diamond is selling 16 MB flash memory (30 minutes of extra time) upgrade cards for US$49.95.

The Rio sells for $199.95 and a list of e-commerce sites selling the Rio include Diamond's own online store, Barnes and Noble College Bookstores, CompUSA Direct, Compu-Plus, Cyberian Outpost, GoodNoise.com, IQVC, Microwarehouse, MP3.com, MusicMatch.com, NECX, and PC Connection. Retailers are also lining up to sell the product as well including Babbages, Best Buy, Circuit City, Electronics Boutique, Fry's Electronics, J&R Computerworld, and Nobody Beats the Wiz.

After listening to the Rio for a few minutes, it's going to be very difficult to send back this evaluation unit. If you're an MP3 fan, you're going to want one too.