The MP3 Player from Hell - Sandisk Sansa Express

I recently purchased a Sandisk Sansa Express 2Gb Mp3 Player. I wanted it particularly for its ability to record FM. I record a lot of lectures that are broadcast on low powered FM transmitters in the hall.

I checked out reviews from various sources, and finally decided the Sansa was the best fit. My only trepidation was about the battery. I HATE built in batteries. They cannot be replaced when they go flat, so you are forced to re-charge at every opportunity, and long taping or listening sessions are out of the question unless you carry a charger. The Sansa re-charges via a computer USB port, and has a long battery life. So I went ahead and bought one.

Bugs in the firmware

My first problem was when I tried to record from FM. It would not record a session longer than 2 hours. In some cases I want to record up to 3.5hrs of programs. Well, lets do it in 2 stages, easy enough, I thought. Wrong! The recorder interface locked up if not accessed for 2 or 3 minutes. The unit can be powered off, but the recording session is not saved unless you stop it and click "Save". So my first (and second, and third) recording sessions ended with no data saved.

I found out that there is a firmware upgrade. I downloaded and installed it. recording worked fine, and the 2 hour limit was removed. I was feeling better about the device now.

But wait, there's More.
I use my player while I walk, and have been happy with my Creative MuVo player. When I started using the Sansa player, I quickly realised that the colour, backlit display was absolutely unreadable in daylight. A fail for me, as a walk daily, and I walk outdoors. I made do by starting a playing session indoors, and just using memory to work the buttons. The menu and button layout is less than intuitive, so this caused some frustration if I got into the wrong menu by accident.

The last straw.
When removing the Sandisk Sansa from the USB port where it was being charged, it would often lock up in the "On" position, with the backlit display on. Before you ask, yes, I always dismount it correctly from the operating system, still, about once in five times it would lock up. There is no reset button, there is no way to remove the battery, and the only recourse was to wait for the battery to go flat, and then re-charge it before use.

Last night, it locked up with the display turned off, and probably shut down. It will take the battery weeks to bleed down. It is now in the bin, and despite only having 512Mb of memory I am back with my reliable workhorse, the Creative MuVo TX FM.

Lessons learned

1. Don't believe everything you read in reviews.
2. If you buy from E-bay your ability to return is very limited, the device was as advertised, the problem was a manufacturing / software problem, so I was on my own.
3. Don't buy any device you cannot get the battery out of.
4. Think carefully about the type of display you get on any device you will use in daylight.