My experience with mp3 players


First two rules about firmware:
  1. If it ain't broke, don't fix it: do not mess with or flash/upgrade/repair/fix the firmware unless absolutety necessary.
  2. If you have a Sigmatel based player (use CheckUDisk to check this), back it up with the sigmatel firmware extractor and save it in a safe place. This is not software from sigmatel, but in my experience it works (at least with the STMP35xx based players below).


Invion Rush MP3-RSH16-IEU, 1GB (aka. Supportplus, Oxford Digital)

This player originally came with firmware version 2.611.001 and has a STMP3507 chip (download manual and german data sheet). It uses a bit more than 50 mA current when playing mp3's and backlight adds 10 mA. I don't know how, but these measurements probably corrupted the firmware - soon afterwards it started behaving erratically, and in the end it continuously switched itself on and off. Invion has a homepage but without any links to firmware for this player. So then the search started, looking for mp3 players with similar features. I started looking for players with the same display resolution (96x32 pixels) and later for model numbers. After quite a lot of googling and trial and error, I found these firmware to work: The Trekstore firmware is more polished but there is one irritation; it doesn't stop at the end of a album (i.e. folder). Currently I'm using the Invion firmware but it has a few rough edges, so if anyone have the original firmware (or can extract it), please e-mail me. This firmware may also work on other Rush models: MP3-RSH01-IEU, MP3-RSH02-IEU, MP3-RSH03-IEU, MP3-RSH04-IEU, MP3-RSH15-IEU, MP3-RSH19-IEU.

In the search I found quite a few players that either looked identical or had similar features (without any firmware downloads). So if you experience firmware problems with any of the players below, as a last resort you may try the firmware above. (And if your player works OK, look at the two rules at the top.) Before flashing your player:
  1. Even if the players look identical/similar, the hardware may not be. Use CheckUDisk to see if you have sigmatel hardware.
  2. Extract the original firmware. With the firmware above you may end up with a dead player, and if your player sort of worked before, then you can restore it.
  3. Also bear in mind that the firmware above do not support FM radio. If you have a player with FM radio you can try the firmware for the Trekstor i.beat Censo FM model.
It is some time since I flashed my player, but I think this is the correct procedure to flash a Sigmatel-based player:
  1. Backup all data on the player.
  2. Unzip the firmware file.
  3. Take out the battery.
  4. Start stupdaterapp.exe in the unzipped firmware directory.
  5. Press the play button for 5-10 seconds and then plug it in. Don't release the button.
  6. Hold the button until it is recognised by stupdaterapp.exe. This may take 30-60 seconds.
  7. Click on "start" and the firmware should be updated. If it doesn't work, click on "format data area" and try again.
If it still doesn't work, switch steps 4 and 5, or look at this guide. Also take a look here for some screen dumps.

I have been contacted by a few users and it looks like some (most?) of the players below are based on an ALi M5661 chip and not Sigmatel. It's reasonable to guess that players with 566 or 56x in their model names use Ali chips. If you have a problem with an ALi-based player, check out this and this link. Also take a look at post 5 by shogun84 on page 2 (dated 28/3-07) in this thread (I haven't tried this, so I have no idea if it works).

Players looking identical (show pictures of all these players):
  • Bellwood BMP 102: link, picture
  • Compex MP566AF: picture
  • Evolve MP566AF: picture
  • Grundig MPaxx MP600: picture (According to this link this uses an ALi M5661 chip.)
  • Keenhigh 566: picture (This most likely uses an ALi M5661 chip.)
  • Master-G MP566AF: picture (A Brazilian user had a problem with this player and it looks like it uses an ALi M5661 chip.)
  • MP3 Prehravac MP566AF: link, picture
  • Nextar MA566: link, picture
  • SEG MP65: link, picture
  • Technisson MP566: picture

    • Players with similar features, i.e. buttons and display (show pictures of all these players):
  • Base mp565a: picture
  • Clas Ohlson 38-1693, 38-1694, 38-1695, 38-2380, 38-2672: link, picture
  • Clas Ohlson MP569A, 38-2201, 38-2202, 38-2203, 38-2379, 38-2671: link, picture (I have the 2GB model and it is ALi-based.)
  • Denver MP-509, MP-1009, MP-2009: link, picture
  • Denver MP-1021, MP-2021: link, picture
  • DIGMA MP565: link, picture
  • DK Digital MP-050, MP-051, MP-052: link, picture
  • Korr KMP 221: link, picture
  • Lazer MP567A: picture
  • Lumatron IMP563A: picture
  • Lumatron MP563A (?): picture
  • NSpire MP565AF: link, picture
  • Proline MP565A: picture
  • Roadstar MPR-290U: picture
  • Soligor MP565: picture
  • Well MP3-play01: link, picture
  • Wiwa WMP 501: link, picture
  • Wiwa WMP 502: link, picture

    • Here's some that may work (or most likely not work):
  • Apacer AS 820: link, picture
  • Proline MP529: picture
  • RAM components: link, picture
  • Twinmos Red Rock S21: link, picture



    • Sandisk Sansa m250 2GB

    This came with firmware 4.0.44E and uses an austriamicrosystems AS3525 chip. Some of these players have a radio chip which can be unlocked following these instructions. It consumes 65-75 mA when playing mp3's, and background lighting adds 25 mA. Sadly it doesn't come with folder navigation, only ID3 tags. A disassembly of the player can be found here.


    Sandisk Sansa m230 512MB

    This originally came with firmware 2.2.3E, but after following these     instructions, firmware 2.2.5A was installed (for firmware 3.2.8E see here). This unlocks the radio. It uses a Telechips TCC770 SoC. Playing mp3's it uses about 60 mA and the radio consumes 67 mA. No folder navigation here either.


    Clas Ohlson MP569A 2GB

    This uses an ALi M5661 chip and consumes 53 mA. The first impression is that the sound quality isn't the very best. On the other hand, skipping to the next/previous song is almost immediate (as opposed to a second on sigmatel players). If you have a problem with this player, check out this     this and this link, and also take a look at post 5 on page 2 in this thread (I haven't tried this, so I have no idea if it works).


    Packard Bell AudioShare 1GB

    An OK and simple player. According to the Sigmatel firmware updater it comes with a STMP3502-4 chip and it uses about 95 mA (and 1.3 mA when it's off, i.e. the battery is drained in 4-5 weeks). And at last, a company with a decent     homepage and firmware upgrades. You should upgrade to version 2.611.107 which adds folder navigation, a huge improvement on a 1GB player (this firmware is for the AudioTwin model, but it works fine on the AudioShare as well). Also note that with this firmware you change the volume by pressing and holding the "<<" and ">>" keys.


    Matsui MAT 105MR, 512MB

    When booting, this player goes through the ID3 tags of all files (artist, album and title) and creates an internal database. This is done every time you switch it on and it takes quite some time. Unfortunately it does not read the track number; so when you play an album, the tracks are played in alphabetical order - very annoying. According to the Sigmatel firmware updater it comes with a STMP3502-6 chip, and the player consumes about 80 mA and backlight draws an additional 20 mA. There is a long thread in a cnet forum about this player, and if you want to flash your player, search for a post by asifiqbalkhokhar dated 04.03.07. Download firmware (from the cnet forum) and manual (from CD). Can probably also be used for MAT 101MR, MAT 102MR, MAT 110MR and MAT 120MR.


    Logik LOG3502-256/MP3-256 LCD, 256MB

    Works ok with no fancy features. Draws about 90 mA when playing mp3's and 120 for wma's. Background lighting adds about 25 mA. Download     firmware and manual (both from the CD that came with the player). Can probably be used for the 128MB (LOG3502-128/MP3-128 LCD) and 512 MB (LOG3502-512/MP3-512 LCD) models as well.


    Links:
    This page was created 16/7-07, updated 16/3-11. Contact:     knut.reitan.backe@ntnu.no