C8N- did I pull the trigger too early with C8?

[phildro]

I am starting to digest the various reviews of the new version of the Redfly. Its nice to see the advances of technology, but now I feel like I have the best phone (Touch Pro) and the Redfly was going to unlock its potential...

But now I'm feeling like the C8 model is not going to get me there without supporting video. I know the Touch Pro has a video out cable that could be hooked into the multimedia input jack of the 8N...

I would like to understand the roadmap on how the software and hardware will converge to support video playback? What do I need to buy?

Thanks for the thoughts...

 

[Ebag333]

If it's worth the extra $100 to you, return the C8 and go with the C8N....

It would be nice with your Touch Pro to be able to watch videos/movies on the larger screen. If that floats your boat, go for it.

 

[wodin]

I know the Touch Pro has a video out cable that could be hooked into the multimedia input jack of the 8N...

Thanks Phil, I wasn't aware of that. That changes the whole picture!

I was debating about whether I wanted a Diamond or a Pro. I checked the user's manuals for both, and it seems the Pro has video out and the diamond does not.

That makes the C8N more desirable, and the Pro's removable memory more useful as well (I wonder how many movies I can fit in 8/16/32 GB?)

Now, do I want to spend an extra several hundred dollars just to be able to watch movies on my 'FLY? Oh, and carry around all those extra cables too?

 

[phildro]

Good point on all the cabling...when you look at the Redfly cabling, the USB tether and then the video out cabling from the touch pro, you start to question whether it is all worth it?

Check out the Engadget review and look at all the cabling!

http://www.engadget.com/2008/11/18/celios-redfly-c8n-hands-on-and-video-not-terribly-exciting/

Wodin, IIRC, the Touch Pro supports a max of a 16GB micro SD... I still am amazed at how much data can fit on less than a fingernail. Wow.

So back to the point--- if Celio can build a streamlined cable that can go straight from the "D" connector from the Touch Pro right into the C8N without a bunch of RCA-esque mumbo-jumbo, we may be in business.

Celio, if you are reading this-- think about how HDMI has revolutionized home theather connectivity-- on cable to rule them all and in the darkness bind them!

In the land of Redfly where the shadows lie.

 

[Ebag333]

So back to the point--- if Celio can build a streamlined cable that can go straight from the "D" connector from the Touch Pro right into the C8N without a bunch of RCA-esque mumbo-jumbo, we may be in business.

Celio won't do that because they can't afford to support dozens of possible combinations just to sell a handful of each.

The universal plug is a smart move on their part. Yeah it sucks that you have to have an adapter, but it's pretty much either that or no media port at all.

 

[wodin]

I went down to the Sprint kiosk today, and they had gotten some TPs in yesterday, and sold out yesterday! They didn't say how many, but it looks like they're still in rather short supply.

 

[ckj]

We are looking into the possibilities of producing a few (1 to maybe 3) device-specific cables that would go full LOTR so you’d only need one cable with just one connector on each end (without the octopus mess you see now). We’d have to make sure there would be decent demand first as it’s more expensive than you’d think to design and produce cables.

The 3 likely devices would be (in order)
iPod/iPhone
Touch Pro
Zune

We already have had enough demand that we’re pretty sure we’ll move on the iPod/iPhone and hopefully the Touch Pro and Zune too.

As far as roadmap goes. You can think of the C8N as a gen 1.5 product. The media port was a relatively quick and easy way to allow people to watch video from a huge array of analog TV output devices (if you can live with the extra cabling).

There are some big software tweaks and likely hardware tweaks required for full digital video from a phone’s media player, Flash, etc. So while we’re hoping to offer a firmware update at some point for the C8, C7 and C8N that will fully enable video through the phone, it may require a new device.

Gen 2 or gen 3 REDFLY products down the road will likely add video in a more direct way through the phone, through beefed up hardware on the REDFLY end.

 

[Aware]

Flash content works fine on the Redfly - provided the frame rate of the file is low. So no games. No Flash video.

But less animated content that is more informational that interactive works just fine. Tested with Flash Lite 2.0 and Flash Lite 3.1 on my BlackJack.

If the file is designed to scale to full screen, it happily fills the 800x480 REDFLY screen. Good news for me, at least, as I look at options for mobile learning applications for my emplyer and clients.

 

[bioart#WP]

I actually tried Spore on the redfly... was slow, but it did load I know I'm asking for too much.

 

[EdFrmBrighthand]

Check out the Engadget review and look at all the cabling!

Keep in mind, what Engadget shows isn't the cabling that's required. That's just one possible cable, and it's basically the worst possible setup. About 75% of the cables you see there aren't necessary.

You need a single component-video line running between the Redfly and the video player.
.

 

[cplush#WP]

heres a vote for a zune redfly cable! id love to hook my zune up to the C8N, but that cabling looks rediculous and there is no way i can manage that on an airplane...