RCA Lyra X3000 (20GB)
Editors' rating
Good
6.7
out of 10
- The good: The RCA Lyra X3000 was designed to make it easy to record video in your entertainment center and watch it on the go; has useful photo features; supports music from à la carte and subscription WMA services; and comes with a healthy set of extras. We appreciate the built-in kickstand, the memory-card slot, and the removable battery, and we eagerly await the device's future compatibility with DirecTV DVRs.
- The bad: The RCA Lyra X3000 has only a 20GB hard drive (wait for the 30GB X3030), it could be a bit more intuitive to use, and it doesn't play lossless formats or radio. The unit also has poor audio-only battery life and a slow transfer speed, and it cannot multitask.
- The bottom line: If you're looking for a good way to record and watch video using a compact device, the RCA Lyra X3000 is a solid choice; however, serious music addicts may want to use something else as their primary portable audio device, due to the device's 20GB capacity, its poor audio battery life, and a few navigation foibles.
- Reviewed by:
- Eliot Van Buskirk
- Edited by:
- James Kim
- Review date: 4/10/06
- Update date: 10/20/06
Intro of RCA Lyra X3000 (20GB)
Editors' note: The rating of the original review was 7.3. We're not so hot on the 20GB capacity and the price that goes with it. Check out the new version with 30GB, the Lyra X3030.Portable video is looking more like something the average person might actually want to experience, thanks to smoother-operating PVPs such as the 20GB RCA X3000 ($399 list price). The multitalented device makes it simple to record from DVD, cable, satellite, or broadcast television; plays nicely with your photo library; and supports music purchased or rented from WMA services. Plus, it's the first device we've seen with a scrollwheel that approaches the iPod's on the usability scale, though the menus it navigates aren't quite as user-friendly as Apple's. While we like this budget portable video recorder, we'd like to see more than 20GB of storage. As it turns out, RCA will be replacing the X3000 with the 30GB X3030 beginning in mid-April. If interested, you should wait to buy--the X3030 is similar in look and feel and will be the same price.
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