4. The DMP-HD610 Up-Close

One of the first things we noticed about the DMP-HD610 was its size. When compared to the Apple iPod, the DMP-HD610 is slightly larger, but when compared to other hard drive-based MP3 players (such as the Creative Nomad Jukebox 3 and the Sonicblue Rio Riot), the DMP-HD610 falls right into line. In fact, when compared to the Nomad Jukebox 3 and the Rio Riot, the DMP-HP610 is slightly smaller. Much of the size difference between the iPod and other hard drive-based MP3 players is due to Apple's use of a Toshiba 1.8" hard drive on the iPod. This 1.8" hard drive gives Apple an advantage in designing a player that is smaller than other players that use the standard 2.5" hard drive. Use of the new 1.8" hard drive does add a significant cost to the iPod, since this is not the standard 2.5" laptop hard drive that the DMP-HD610 and other MP3 players use. Therefore, use of the standard 2.5" hard drive should translate into some cost savings for the DMP-HD610.

As you can see in this picture, the DMP-HD610 is a fairly big unit when compared to other MP3 players.

We found the overall construction of the DMP-HD610 unit to be acceptable. While the unit itself is plastic, it did not get hot under continued use. The button action was good, and we didn't encounter any sticking buttons or hard to press buttons on the unit. One important factor to consider, however, is that the unit is plastic. If you drop it, even when it is inside the included case, the odds of the DMP-HD610 surviving the fall unscathed are probably 50/50, at best. As is the case with any hard drive, normal hard drive handling precautions should be followed. Although laptop hard drive makers have attempted to build durability into these hard drives, dropping the hard drive can cause it to crash, and will cost you data loss. In our testing, we dropped the unit several times from about four feet into a standard bed pillow and we didn't experience any problems with breakage of the unit or damage to the hard drive. However, it is safe to assume that the more likely accidental dropping of the hard drive onto a concrete or hardwood floor will not provide similar results.

A look at the bottom of the DMP-HD610.