Saturday, August 16, 2008

Sylvania Touchscreen Media Player

It seems as though everyone is getting into the TouchScreen media player games these days. I caught a glimpse of this 2.8" player at my local Walgreens, and thought I should take a deeper look. The package included the device, USB cable, AC USB charger, software CD, Manual, Quick Start, and warranty. There are minimal controls on the shell. The bottom end has the headphone jack, USB jack, and a microSD card slot. The left side show the Lock switch, and the right side has a Play (power) and Res (reset) button. The top edge houses a small telescoping stylus.The body is a flat black which seems pretty good at not showing fingerprints. The face is also black with a chrome frame. It makes a nice setting for the screen.

This is as basic a touchscreen player as there is. It will play MP3 and WMA music, AVI videos at 20fps, JPG photos, and TXT text files. There's an FM radio with FM recording. There is apparently a microphone somewhere, although I couldn't find it. The Sylvania does do voice recording. You can play back audio through a tiny speaker visible on the back of the device. Not worth doing though, IMO.

There is a Games icon on the home screen, and supposedly some games, however all I got was a gray screen when I selected games. Looks like this device needs a firmware update.

UPDATE: I received an email from the company (Curtisint.com) with info on the games:

You may download the following Rockchip games from Google which will play fine on your player:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean.rkp
2. Fighting Space.rkp
3. Tank.rkp
4. Rumble Cube.rkp

I found those games easily using Google, and after unarchiving them put them into a GAME folder I had to create on the player. All played, although the small control icons don't make for the easiest control.

Music playback is adequate. There is no sorting. Taping the Music icon starts the player. You can tap a back arrow to get to the directory on the device, and find the music folders. No cover art.

Photos look fine on the 320 x 240 screen, although my player seemed to freeze trying to load some. I understand why there is a prominant RESET button on the side of the device. The firmware on this device is not quite ready for prime time.

I haven't put a video on it, but the included software suggests it will only support 20 frames per second. AVI is the only format supported.

FM radio is perhaps the best application. It will autosearch and store up to 20 stations. Reception is good, and you can record right from the tuner screen.

Voice recording works. I suspect it uses the speaker as the mic, and with the speaker on the back side of the unit does not seem to pick up very well. You can pause and resume your recording.

Should you buy this Sylvania touchscreen player? The manufacturer informed me about adding games. As such, it's a fine but simple player. It went on sale at Walgreeens this week (8/17/2008), and at it's sale price it's OK for a media player. On a 10 scale, I give it a 6. Plenty of room for improvement, but still passes.

4D

148 comments:

  1. Hi, I just bought one of these players and I've tried everything to get games on it. How did you unarchive the games? I've been right clicking on the .rkp file and un-checking the archive box in properties is there another way to do this?

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  2. aporter,

    The .rkp files can go directly onto the player. I'd gotten them all together in one .ZIP file, which is why I mentioned unarchiving them.

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  3. I got my files from a zip file as well and unzipped them and put them straight on the player under my games folder. I thought when you unarchived them that you just unchecked the archive box under properties on each .rkp file. In the player they show up as .rkp files and everything but they just won't play. If it's not too much trouble for you, could u walk me through how you put your games on this player? I'm especially interested in how you unzipped the files and unarchived them. Thanks for your response.

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  4. my version does not have the radio player do you know where i can get it? e-mail me at nfs2192@aim.com

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  5. If you have one with no radio player, it's possible your version has no radio hardware. Manufacturers often make slightly different versions of players to meet retailer's pricing objectives. Contact the manufacturer with your specific model number for more info about it's features.

    4D

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  6. i picked one of these up and for some reason it wont detect anything that i put on my micro sd card. ive already formated the card, and still no luck. any ideas?

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  7. Did you try playing media from the card before you formatted it? It's possible you've formatted it some way that the player can't read it. Most cards should work without needing to be formatted.

    It's also possible you have a defective unit. I'd try another card first, without formatting it. You also may have to keep cards under 2GB to work.

    Good luck.

    4D

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  8. my husband recently got this player from walgreens as well and is having the same problems with the games feature. we downloaded the games from internet and still cannot play. could you tell me how you got yours to work i can be reached at bosangellady@yahoo.com

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  9. hi just wanted to give update. we called the manufacturer and there was a defect in our player so we returned it and got another one that is working great.to add games we had to name the folder game instead of games for some reason when you spell games the system does not recognize it.

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  10. i have one like this i have pirates of the caribbean on it and it plays great but when i put other games on ot you will sit there and touch it forever and it wont go

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  11. I just bought this MP3 player today at Walgreens and I have been fighting it for 3 hours.
    My computer isn't detecting it, so I can't put my music from Winamp onto it.
    Do you have any suggestions, bacause so far, It's the most irritating devide I have ever used.

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  12. can u scend me a link to the site you got pirates of the caribbean from at dragonkid678@yahoo.com please it would be a huge help ive been trying to find it for 6 days

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  13. hey iv been trying like hell to gt jeff dunham videos on here and when i put them on the converter it just frezes. any way u could convert one for me and send to my email grayshadows99@yahho.com THANKS

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  14. im downloaded Pirates of the Caribbean.rkp n saved it to a folder i made up but it still doesnt work any suggestions email it to miamibones305@gmail.com please

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  15. i went to rockchip.com and every link to every game is not a real link? i would really love games on my player. contact me at ariel.edwards88@yahoo.com

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  16. Rockchip.com is a window repair site (chipped glass from flying rocks). If you can give me the link you actually went to I'll check it out and see if I can help.

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  17. Im interested in this for e-books. do you have any idea how well it works or if it even works at all with e-books?

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  18. I threw a TXT file on mine just for you. The text is easy enough to read being white on a blue background. You use big up and down arrows on the screen to page through the text, and there is no full-screen mode. Only one font and font size. There is a bookmark feature. There is also a timed auto-paging through text with variable delay between pages. I won't rate this the best text viewer I've seen, but it'll do. Create a TEXT folder on your sylnavia and put your TXT ebooks in there.

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  19. hey im trying to get games for my player but i cannot find them anywhere on google it would be great if you could help... my email is ryan-tucker13@hotmail.com

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  20. I just pursche one of the things and it is not working at all. I cant get games on it and i dont have radio. I dont know how to put music on it at all. It is the most annoying thing i have ever bought and it is wasting my time. please email me @ tluvslittledogs@gmail.com. Thank You.

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  21. Is this thing worth $50 bucks? A local store has them on sale for 50.00. I'm thinking about getting one. I don't want to invest in a device that will give me a headache though. I want it mainly for music only, so how is the VOLUME on this thing? I like my music loud. Good volume or not?

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  22. $50? Yes. Most people are having trouble finding the games for it, but if you're interested in just music it's fine, and supports microSD cards for expansion.

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  23. We purchased this player earlier today. When I hook it to the pc via the USB cable , it indicates on the player's screen that it is hooked up, but there is no indication that it's charging. However when I remove it using the "safely remove hardware" function, the screen changes for a minute to show the battery is charging, then goes blank. So is it charging prior to showing it's charging? Hope this question makes sense...Thanks!

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  24. Pax,
    The Zylvania does charge, but isn't very refined in notifying you about it. It shows connected if the PC knows it's connected so you won't unplug it accidently. When you've safely removed it the PC no longer sees it but it is still getting power from the USB port, and will charge quicker after shutting off it's screen.

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  25. how do i setup the touch calibration on my player? or can i reset to the original settings.

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  26. 4DThinker, thank you for the reply.

    In answer to the qustion about calibration, power on the player, enter the "Settings" mode, then enter the "System" mode. Next, enter "Touch Calibration" You will then touch the pen to the center of a "cross" three times. That's all there is to it.

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  27. Touch Calibration:
    Use the little stylus that comes with the Sylvania.
    Tap on Settings.
    Tap twice to select Touch Calibration.
    When you see the + on the screen, touch the center of each one with the stylus.

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  28. i dropped mine and it still turns on, but it won't react to me touching it. do you know if the store warranty from sylvania itself covers that kind of damage?

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  29. It depends on the store. Some have a no-questions customer is alway right policy. Some are sticklers for the letter of the warranty. I haven't read any warranty for the Sylvania but I'll guess like most that damage from dropping isn't considered a manufacturing defect and covered.
    4D

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  30. I bought this at Big Lots and after a lil research and tinkering I have 5 working games, ^ great playing movies and tons of music. For the price I paid I would give it a 8/10.

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  31. ok i am having a problem with mine i just got it and havent had it for more then 4 days and now the screen is not letting me go to music and i lost my stylus using my fingers works fine i had just transfered some music and its charging and responding to get to the menu screen but now its not letting me get into music

    my email is krazzywarrior@hotmail.com

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  32. If the other icons work, then it's possible your music folder is corrupt. This happens if you unplug the device from your PC while it's still copying files to it. Open the device properties from your PC when it's connected. Use Tools to check and repair any errors it finds on the player. That should fix files allocation errors, but you may need to recreate the Music folder and re-tranfer music to it.

    Hope that helps.
    4D

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  33. Hey, I got a problem with mine, the thing isn't calibrated yet, but because it isn't I can't touch on settings since it thinks I'm hitting the mic instead. I can't hit next to settings since it's right on the side of the screen. Is there any other way to enter settings or calibrate it? Please reply to dndfreak@gmail.com

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  34. i just bought this mp3 online. i haven't got it yet but all this trouble with everyone else's mp3 makes me want to return it. should i? i paid $54, is that a good deal? is this mp3 like the ipod touch?can you put more applications on it?
    please email me at: jasmine_hernandez95@yahoo.com
    A.S.A.P thanks

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  35. The Sylvania is nowhere neat being an iPod Touch. Read my review if you haven't already. There are only a few games you can add to it, but primarily it's an inexpensive touchscreen media player, and worth about what you paid for it. It'll play your music, show you your photos, and play a few videos if they all are in a format it will decode. The basics are covered but only barely.

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  36. do you know if there is anywhere ic an buy a cover(or case) for the mp3?

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  37. Sorry, I don't know of any specific source for a case. There are several media players that are the same general size. You might want to browse around WalMart, K-Mart, or Target for a small camera or phone case that would fit. take your player with your to try it out.

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  38. Today I bought the silvania SMPK8858. There is no radio feature button, and games do not work. The music plays fine, but I have not tried the movie and picture feature. I downloaded an rpk game and put it on the player but when I try to acess it from the player, the game will not open. Is it possible I bought a defective mp3 player or that I bought a different mp3 player?

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  39. I've read that there are Sylvania players out wth no radio. Most likely to cut costs. The only tip I can give you for games is that they need to be in a "game" folder, not "games". It's also possible there are .rpk games out there that simply won't play on the Sylvania.

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  40. 1. I've read the blog you have wrote about the MP3. If the games file is having a problem with the games and the MP3 cannot read the file 'GAMES' couldn't you just rename the whole file 'GAME'? If you did cn you play the games that the MP3 originally came with?
    2. How easy is it to transfer music from a CD that has been ripped to windows media player? Cna you just sync the ripped music to the MP3 or is there another step?

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  41. The folder you put the games in should be GAME, and not GAMES.
    Yes. You should be able to just drag and drop song from your PC onto the player. Put them in the Music folder. Or Windows media Player can sync them for you.

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  42. What if I don't have the game icon so how do I get it?

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  43. If you don't see a game icon, I imagine WalMart got so tired of the same questions this blog has gotten they asked Sylvania to stop putting GAME on the device so people wouldn't complain they didn't have any games. I doubt there is any way to add a menu icon. Look on your packaging and info that came with the Sylvania and find the mother company. Send them an email.

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  44. Mine came with a CD for a firmware upgrade. The instructions are limited. How do I use it and do I need to upgrade the firmware?

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  45. I'm sorry Jean, but without seeing the CD and it's contents I can't help you. Sometimes all you have to do is copy the new firmware file onto the player, then unplug it from the USB port. Sometimes devices need a special app to install new firmware.

    See if there is a web site or company mentioned in the literature, and look for a contact link. when I first got my Sylvania I contacted the company (about games) and did get a response from them. It's worth a try.

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  46. i have a 8 gb sd micro card inserted and i cant put any files on it, it says there isnt a disk in that drive. it is correctly inserted and i just purchased it so its not broke
    can anyone help me out??

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  47. I'm not sure, but I don't think the Sylvania supports more than 2gb cards. If it slipped in and clicked, then you've got it in the right way. Check your literature. If it mentions MicroSDHC then it should work. If all it says is MicroSD then 2GB is your limit.

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  48. Hello there, I just bought a Sylvania 4GB MP3 SMPK8854B. Music is easy, and so are the pictures. But, the movies and games are the toughest. What can I do? The game App just comes up as blue *and whats a good website for games?* I think I know how to put games on. I down loaded the converter for movies but its very confusing on Windows Vista.

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  49. How much does this cost?

    Also, would you recomend this one or a em308vid?

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  50. I don't know a current price or source. Check Walgreens.com.

    I haven't tested the em308vid, but it looks a little nicer from the photos I could find on the web. Looks can be deceiving though.

    4D

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  51. you tested the em308vid on June 24th, 2009

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  52. You're right. Ematic would have been a better clue though. Of these two the Ematic is better.

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  53. Thanks so much 4D Thinker! I'm finally able to get movies on mine! I got games too, but they wouldn't work so I deleted them for memory. But anyways, your the best!! :D

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  54. i still cant figure out how to put games on to it, could some one e-mail me with instruction about putting game on. brady_239@hotmail.com

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  55. I was thinking about buying one of the Sylvania Touchscreen Media Player from what i have seen on your web site the thing arn't that good. All i do is listen 2 music and surf the web with my ipod touch and now i am running out of room on it cuz it is only an 8gb. Anyways i was wondering is the 16gb worth the 50 dollars and does it surf the web like the ipod touch can with the wifi? if u could email me and let me know at Acap804@gmail.com. thank you

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  56. Acap,

    There is no WiFi or web browsing on the Sylvania.

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  57. how do i download my photos? please help! I've got my music downloaded, no problem. At a loss for my pics.

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  58. i need to know how to update the firmware
    for the SMPK8854B sylvania model
    o ya and also ive been readin that the
    SMPK885B's should have games an next and
    radio but mine does not please hit me back
    at kornfan69@Gmail.com

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  59. If you don't have one already, make a Photos folder on your Sylvania. Then simply drag and drop photos from your PC into it while you have the Sylvania plugged in via USB cable. The photos may have to be limited to 640 x 480 or smaller. That's the largest I've got on mine and they take awhile to load.

    4D

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  60. I don't know of any firmware update for the Sylvania. If you find one it should come wth instructions on how to install it.

    To add games, create a GAME folder on the Sylvania, then download and copy any .rkp game files you can find on the web into that folder.

    4D

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  61. hi i have a problem with my Sylvania 4GB MP3 SMPK8854B player. the volume dont up the touch dont respond all more controls function except the voulme up

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  62. All I can recommend, Anonymous, is to hit the reset button. Then see if you can get yourself in to Settings>System>Touch Calibration. Recalibrate if it will let you.

    If none of that work, it sound like you've got a defective on and should take it back to the store you bought it at.

    4D

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  63. hi thanks for your answer with the problem of the volume up on my sylvania player. but i want to reset the firmware of my player are you can post an iso image of the original sylvania cd installation?? came with the player to take the firmware.

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  64. 4Dthinker ,thanxs a million on the advice.i have this player and to me it's worth the 50 bucks i paid for it.i took your advice and now i have games on it!i already knew how to put photos on it.good player for anyone who likes to listen to music and just have something to play around with. the games dont look flimsy at all to me.Only thing my avi wont convert videos for me. i have all my parts that came with it(cd,manuel).but when i put in a video to convert it wont..let me know if you had this problem.and maybe a fixer...again thnxs 4D

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  65. here is where i got my games from..http://www.mympxplayer.org...tank, snake and pirates of the Caribbean..enjoy...and yes you do have to label it... game...

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  66. Hi. I got this for my son for Christmas. I'd like to get a dock, are Ipod docks compatible with this at all? Sylvania makes a dock for ipods but it doesn't list that it is compatible for their players.

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  67. Any dock with a 1/8" stereo AUX input will work with your Sylvania, but the Sylvania won't plug onto the dock connector of ipod-compatible docks.

    4D

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  68. Does this mp3 player get internet?

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  69. No WiFi, No Bluetooth, and no internet. One or the other would have been required and it has neither.

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  70. the player listed on this page is sylvania smpk8854, sylvania,(curtis international), has two models for this series, smpk8854, smpk8854B.
    they are listed on curtis int website,8854 can play games and has 9 icons on main screen. the B model has 7 icons on main screen and does NOT play games, for the people who are confusing the two models.

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  71. people need to list the complete model number of their mp3 players...smpk8854, A, B, ...
    not all features are available for all players, features (games,Radio)are limited to whats in the firmware for the players.

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  72. Hi hope you can help, my son got one for xmas, he was playing with it and has completly misalgined the touch screen, i cannot get back into the calibration page. I tried to open the frimware that they have on the disk and run the setup but cannot find the firmware on my computer. I am so lost does anyone have any advice for me . Thank you

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  73. Sorry to read about your troubles. I'll start this by letting you know I'm not an expert with the Sylvania, and anything I tell you comes with no promise or warranty. I can't get mine to misalign, so it's hard to know what will solve the problem. Mine has a Reset button on the side. Try pressing that (while the player is on), then turning the player back on. If that fails, use the stylus and try tapping all over the screen. Hopefully you can find a sensitive spot. Your goal would be to tap on Settings, then System, then Touch Calibration even if it takes tapping on a corner of the screen. There is also a Default Set icon under Setting that may return the player to factory condition. If all else fails, you may need to take it back for an exchange. Good Luck!

    4D

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  74. I got this for my 9 year old and we cannot get any music or games to work. Please explain to me how to do this. I have tried downloading and the files show up in Explorer but I can't seem to get them to move to the music or game folders to play.
    Thank you

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  75. Games don't come on the player. There are also two versions of the player, and one won't play games even if you can get them onto it. If there is already a Game folder on yours, then putting the seperate downloaded (not archived or ZIPped) game files into that folder should make them playable from the device.

    I use Windows Media Player to Sync music to most of my devices inclding this Sylvania. It depends on which version and what OS you are using, but that's the best advice I have to give. Good luck.

    4D

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  76. I purchased SMPK8854B sylvania model and I get the format error. I used the video converter that came on the cd with no luck.
    I am trying AVS Video Converter 6.2 now and still no luck.
    I have Frame size 320 x 240 Frame 20fps
    Bitrate 1000
    Which Codec should I use.

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  77. In trying to answer your question I bumped into a file structure error on my Sylvania when trying to play videos. After resolving that by chkdsk-ing it from Windows, and deleting/recreating the VIDEOS folder, I was able to put three videos on it that would find and play well. Those videos were 320 x 240 AVI, 20frames/second, bit rate variable. Audio in the videos was 64kbps 2-channel stereo at 44kHz.

    I hope that helps.

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  78. I did the chkdsk and found no errors.

    After 2 days it WORKS.
    Solution was.
    Going back to the AVI converter that came on the CD.
    I notice I never changed the Resolution to 320 x 240.
    Grampa needs to get new glasses and to read closer.
    Again thank you, you have a great site that helps people like me.

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  79. Hi, I received a Sylvania mp3/video touch screen smpk8858 for xmas. I cannot get it to do anything but turn on and off. I touch on any of the icons and it will do nothing. I've charged it and pushed the reset and still seems frozen or something. Am I doing something wrong?

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  80. It sounds like you've got one that's defective. The symptoms are the same as when the touchscreen isn't calibrated, but with no touch response you can't get to the option to calibrate it. Hopefully you can exchange or get your money back. Good luck.

    4D

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  81. i bought a sylvania smpk8854b and can only get to the mainmenu screen. when i push the settings icon it doesnt do anything. i push the power button up and it goes to the +. and still it does absolutley nothing. it's like the screen is froze. please help! dnlbrown6@yahoo.com

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  82. dnlbrown6, if pushing the reset button doesn't get it working, your only option left will be to take it back for a refund or exchange. It appears a small percentage of these players are defective from the factory.

    4D

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  83. hi there, thanks for the information on this mp3 player, seems like a lot of ppl are having trouble with it.
    i bought the smpk8858 version and was wondering how would i update the firmware and if it will be necessary.

    thanks again for the help!

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  84. I haven't heard of any firmware updates. I believe the manufacturer is Curtis.

    http://www.curtisint.com/support/manuals.asp?category=&subCat=&catName=&p=6.

    There I've found English and French User manuals for the smpk8858 and a driver, but no firmware updates.

    English User manual: http://www.curtisint.com/html/CustService/Manuals/SYL_SMPK8858_EN.PDF

    4D

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  85. also, for the video conversion

    i've decided to use MediaCoder program, what were the video format this player plays?
    When i used the program that came with the player to convert to avi video, it works, however when i use the MediaCoder to convert with the 320x240 res it does not seem to be working.

    When i tried to use the program it came with to convert one of my video, it just seem to crash right after it reaches 99%. not sure why that happens.

    thanks!

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  86. I had no problems with Music, Photos, Text files and Recording. The problem with my SMPK8854B is videos.I keep getting a Warning! File Format Error!
    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    And also, don't mistake this little enexpenceve player to have the same quality as an iPod Touch. You have to tap on the icons instead of just touching them. And the Scroll Bar has to be moved with the up & down arrows.

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  87. If you can’t navigate to the touch calibrate from the main menu, slide the power button up slightly, it will take you to the calibrate operation.

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  88. found this on the sylvania smpk8854b

    http://www.hbci.com/~jkanz/SMPK8854-B/smpk8854b_sylvania.htm

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  89. My smpk8854B Sylvania Touch Screen MP3 player did NOT come with any CD, therefore I am not that good with computers and couldn't really find out what to do without it. I want to download music from itunes, I do not want to waste my money on them if I cannot download them though. On this website http://www.fixya.com/support/t862175-sylvania_video_mp3_player_says Sterling32 suggested plugging in the usb then taking the usb back out of the computer. ( with the mp3 on the other end of course. ) Is it possible to find the software downloadable online or will any of you who successfully used your software CD send me a file? My email is candies 2 @ ymail. com
    I made it with spaces because I am so tired of spam email. Please help.

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  90. Hi,

    I have just bought SMPK8854B sylvania touch screen Mp3 Player but the touch screen is not working. Can any one help me if there is anythng from my side that can make it wrk.

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  91. itunes may very well not work on these players.
    windows 98 drivers, and applications for all versions of windows, use winzip, or winrar if you cant view with your version of windows
    download here...http://www.curtisint.com/html/CustService/Manuals/SYL_SMPK8854B_DRIVER.ZIP
    a link to the manual is posted above by someone already.

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  92. OK guys, I followed the link provided a couple of comments ago ( www.hbci.com/-jkanz/SMPK8854-B/smpk8854b_sylvania.htm ) and I have been able to load 2 Movies on my Player( Air Force One & Temple Of Doom )each after conversion took 1.25GB )quality of picture is almost equal to watching the dvd on HD TV. Also the Touch Screen Feature is working much better. Follow the directions on the link, I think you'll be happy.

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  93. Also downloaded a movie to a 4gb ext micro memory card while it was in the smpk8854b player and it works great.
    Might as well go for a 8gb card.lol

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  94. robin, what brand 4 gig micro sd card did you try.

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  95. It is a Kingston Micro SD HC 4GB. And as I said, since getting these apps to respond my touch screen is working much better. One thing, the sound on the video does lag a little bit.

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  96. robin, try the video on your player if you didnt already, the sound lag might be cause the player is reading the card while playing the video.

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  97. I'm having some trouble with the AVI converter.
    I have the manual & CD, but I can't find the "Convert Now" button on the converter. I have the video I want ready to go, but...

    ReplyDelete
  98. jkanz,I'm getting better results using the tf card. Audio & video are in sync.

    One other thing, I'm having to use two converters. The included converter by itself wont convert but I'v been using AVS Video Converter 6.3 to convert to .avi but that file on both movies has been @ 4,5gb so then use the included converter to convert again and I end up with an avi file of @1.25gb.

    Hope this helps.

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  99. BTW, SanDisk MicroSDHC 8GB works fine.

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  100. i just recieved one of these phones as a gift. it was used and did not come with the disks. how can i obtain the firmware updates without paying an arm and a leg. it is for a "smpk8854b"

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  101. you did not get a PHONE, got a MP3 PLAYER, there are NO firmware updates, so you wont have to worry about paying (giving our first born).

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  102. Thank you so much, I had the same problem where my touch screen was misaligned, and I reset it while it was turning on and that did it! again thank you so much!!!!!

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  103. for those who cant get the cd conversion software to work, try vidrop - select generic rockchip 320x240 resolution from the dropdown list, your ready to go - does dvd - avi.
    http://www.vidrop.vpunk.co.uk/vidrop-0.57.3-install.msi

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  104. i just got a sylvania smpk8854 and the screen wont work alive done was charge it thats it email me at lildog000@yahoo.com thanks

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  105. mine wont turn on. I will spend 30minutes to an hour trying to reset and turn it on. Somtimes this works. If anyone knows what i can do please contact me at sippingcyanide21@yahoo.com

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  106. I have a sylvania mp3 player smpk8854B & when I try to sync it to the computer to download my cd's it will not recognize the mp3 is even plugged in. I have tried dfferent cords too but they dont work. I do not have the original software either. any ideas? my e-mail is loudermills@sbcglobal.net

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  107. to loudermills,

    go here as i did, youll find your answers
    http://www.hbci.com/~jkanz/SMPK8854-B/smpk8854b_sylvania.htm

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  108. Loudermills: If it doesn't work, return it to the place you purchased it from. Ask them for a replacement or a refund. Good luck.

    4D

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  109. I want to get one, but I don't know if it would work on a mac. I have a 1gig sylvania mp3 and it works on my mac but I don't know if they changed it for the touch screen mp3

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  110. i dropped mine now it will only charge and turn on no icons work what do i do? email me courtneygass547@hotmail.com

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  111. Sorry, Courtney. Dropping one isn't covered by most manufacturers warranties. If you've only had it a short while and still have the receipt you might give taking it back to the store a shot. Don't mention dropping it though. ;)

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  112. courtney, push the power button up, but so it dont turn off, it should bring up the calibrate,
    you may have droped it on the power button when it fell. read up further for how to...

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  113. hhi i just got one but it wont turn on... help? email me @ fmhbljkbjr@yahoo.com Ok thanks

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  114. Plug it in. Charge it up. If it never wakes up then take it back for a refund.

    4D

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  115. I just bought a Sylvania MP3 player SMPK8858 (8GB), I didn´t have problem downloading music from the Windows Media Player, but when I play it back, it does not display the name of the artist. What should I do to enable this feature?
    The User´s Guide is not very helpful.
    Thank you

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  116. WMP does not store song info in the files. You'll need to either download another app (MP3tag) for example to "tag" your music files or do it yourself by right clicking on each on and selecting properties, then details, then the info you want to add or edit. The Sylvania "should" then display at least some info about each song, but mine will need a charge before I can verify that.

    4D

    4D

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  117. Is the touch screen on the Sylvania MP3 player replaceable? Is it connected via a ZIF connector or is it soldered to the main board?

    Thank you!

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  118. I wouldn't have any idea about the screen. Most devices can be taken apart. Not sure if the Sylvania is worth the trouble though. You're on your own as I've never cracked mine open.

    4D

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  119. I just bought this two days ago and I left it on as I went to sleep last night and now it won't cut on again. When I plug it into the wall nothing happens and my computer doesn't read it any more. Any suggestions?

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  120. If the battery was completely drained, it will take some time on a charger before the device has enough power to start up again or even indicate it is being charged. Plug it in to an AC-USB charger if you have one and leave it there for a few hours. Then see if it will turn on and can be recognized by your PC.

    If nothing works, take it back for a refund. This play is cheap for a reason.

    4D

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  121. hey i got mines from a friend but it doesnt have the radio app. is there a way that i can download the software or could you send it to me in an archived file. write back to me at jmanakahalofan2@hotmail.com

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  122. When I open the device there are no preset folders for Audio, video, ie anything matching the icons on the screen. So I justb loaded all the mp3 files and all is good. Then I converted a DVD to an .avi file and put it on the device.its in the same list with all the mp3s but when I select it I get a file error.
    Any suggestion?

    Also, the recommeded firmware upgrade that manual say is on the disk is not there????

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  123. You can make your own folder to help you keep track of what's on the Sylvania. If you use Windows Media player it usually does that for you. Mine has these folders, all in capital letters:

    FM
    GAME
    MUSIC
    PHOTO
    TEXT
    VIDEO
    VOICE

    The video files I have that work have are AVIs at 320 x 240, and 20 frames per second.

    I can't help you with a firmware update. I've never seen one for the Sylvania.

    4D

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  124. So I bought the player without the radio player, and I liked it, but when I calibrated the touch screen, it doesnt work now. I pushed the reset button, but all it does is shut the player off. How would I restore it to factory settings? (terrill.chris@yahoo.com)

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  125. I'm sorry Chris. I have no clue if there is even a way to reset to factory state. You might want to contact the folks at Curtisint.com for help. They are the company behind the Sylvania.

    4D

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  126. Hi! I have all the games downloaded and i dragged them onto the desktop but it says "choose application"so i decided to copy the link and paste it onto the desktop and it says the same thing! I don't know what to do and i am getting very tired of wasting time on here trying to figure this out. Can you please tell step by step instructions on how you put them on and just to let you know i have an old apple computer which an eMac version 10.3.9.Please help me!!

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  127. Hi. I was wondering if anyone else has had a problem with the screen becoming super bright. I lost the device for a few months when I was in the process of moving, and when I turned it on again the screen is so bright I can barely make out the icons. I tried to get into the settings menu to see if I could tone down the brightness of the display, but I can't make out enough of the settings menu to see what line in the list that is. Any suggestions? Thank you.

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  128. Jess,

    Sadly, even at the brightest setting my Sylvania doesn't get too bright to see. In any case, the setting icon should be on the bottom right (9 position)when held vertically. Display is in the 4 position (left side center). On the display settings screen there are three options, with the center one being LUM or brightness. Once you've picked it there are settings from 1 to 5, with 5 being the brightest and the bottom choice of the list. one is the first at the top.

    I hope that helps.
    4D

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  129. I'm thinkin of buying this and i'm kind of having doughts and im not very good at electronics so im really confused about it like it said text so when you say text does it mean texting like on a phone or text like to read books on it...if you caould help me out that would be great!and im conserned about buying it and then it just giveing me trouble and at our walgreens its 100$ and i really dont want to spend money on something that wont work...oh and how long is the warranty??? there is alot of questions so if you could get back to me on here or E-mail me at saribeth@ymail.com

    thanks,
    sarah

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  130. Hi Sarah, This player doesn't do texting like on a phone. It only displays text files you might put on it. Those files must have the extension .TXT, and include only simple text with no formatting. You can create TXT files with windows NotePad.

    4D

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  131. Please help me my name is gabby. I have all the games and i am really getting so mad that i cant get the games on my touch screen. My sylvania is different like it does not have radio or game, mine says applications. I need help putting the games on here.Also I can't convert the videos on the disc because it's an .exe file and mac's dont open .exe files. I am getting really confused since you did not answer my first post above Jess.

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  132. Jess,

    I do not work for Sylvania. I did not recommend anyone buy this player. All I did was review one. I gave it a 6 out of 10, and as an educator that's a D- to me. Take it back to where you got it and demand a refund. If you've got a Mac then consider an iPod Nano. I see more problems with Mac users and their devices, no matter which device they use.

    4D

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  133. I searched this on a different website and it says it might not be avaliable at Future Shop anymore. I really want to get one since it's cheap and close to an iPod Touch. Plus, I LOVE Touch screens! But I don't know where to find a Sylvania Touchscreen 8GB Mp3 Player. Best Buy, Future Shop? Please tell me where I can find one. I prefer the one with the Radio feature but if it costs a lot more, then I'll just get the one without radio. I want one that's under $60. Where can I get one? Please help!

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  134. Try JR.Com, buy.com, or amazon.com. Walgreens was where mine came from, but that was more than a year ago.

    LINK: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=sylvania+MP3+player&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=8863625728054310107&ei=U35bTLmnK4zCsAPy26kC&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDgQ8wIwAw#

    4D

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  135. I have a Sylvania SMP8854B. When I try to calibrate the touch screen, the little + icon does not move. Any suggestions on what is wrong?

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  136. i recently bought one from ebay and was wondering if i need soft ware on it to put music on it. p.s. i have not received it yet

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  137. You should be able to drag and drop your media or use Windows Media Player to transfer music over if you want. Nothing special needed.

    4D

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  138. does this mp3 touch have internet conection

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  139. No, this Sylvania player does NOT have an internet connection capability.

    4D

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  140. my sylvania 8858 have a problem, from yesterday the mp3 player are no sense of touch by my hand, when i touch the touchscreen, the light come out..but i can't click anything including music video setting..etc ..i have try the touch calibration on the power on/off key..but after i pointed at the first direct point,the second direct point can't sense my touching...can anyone help me with..Thank you so much.

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  141. If a reset of the device doesn't fix your problem 仔, it may very well be worth taking back for a refund (if still in warranty) or throwing away. Better yet, find a BestBuy and ask them to recycle it for you. Some other stores do this too. I know of no magic tricks, sorry.

    4D

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  142. i have a problem with mine i put music on it and when im listening to it there are realy annoying blips in the songs what do i do to fix this

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  143. Sorry, Anonymous. I know no tricks to solve your blibs. A Reset may help, but if it doesn't your best bet may be to take it back for a refund or recycle.

    4D

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  144. How Do I TXT On Here Because I Dont Know How To?

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  145. There is no texting, since there is no wifi and as such no data connection to the web. If you copy a simple .txt file to the player you can open and read it though. Frankly I've never found much use for this "feature". Enjoy this player for it's music capability. Look at a modern smartphone if you need TXTing.

    4D

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  146. Mine says "Sylvania 4GB Video MP3 Player with 2.8-Inch Color Touch Screen, Expandable Memory Slot, Built-In Speakerphone" what's the Built-In Speakerphone and how do you use it?

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  147. Speakerphone is simply a poor translation for "speaker". If you hear music from the player without headphones plugged in then you are hearing the speaker.

    4D

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