Below is a review for one of our favorite travel items: The Disney Mix Max.
We purchased these on clearance at Target over a year ago. They are regularly priced at $100. We paid $25/piece for 3 of them for each of our children. Prior to this time, we had never before owned an MP3 player of any kind.
It was fairly easy for us to figure out how to download the software so we could download songs and charge the unit. I spent 3 weeks reading through every word of the instructions and combing the web attempting to figure out how to transfer video files before giving up. In the year we have had the unit, we have never once watched a video on it.
We are quite used to downloading video onto our computer. We had movies on our computer, but could never figure out how to get one of them transferred to the mix max even when using the max allowed 2GB added card. (We tried with both a 1GB and a 2GB card to no avail.) The cards were loaded, but they would not play on the mix max.
There are NO INSTRUCTIONS regarding the video that comes with this unit. The software that comes with this unit allows you to download the MUSIC only. They obviously do NOT want to make it easy for the common person to download video onto this player. They WANT you to spend $20/pop for their video cards. (Which we are not willing to do.)
I would love to give this unit a 5-star rating. Other than the video problem we have had, we LOVE the mix max! They are easy for the kids to use. They are VERY durable. We have had ours for over 2 years and they still look new despite having been used often by our three young children and on 5 cross-country trips.
Shortly after purchasing these units, I did purchase an actual mix-max case for one of them on clearance that allows my oldest to keep hers in the case all the time while listening to hers. I also purchased a regular Mp3 case for the other 2 to carry theirs in, but they must take it out when they listen to it.
I love that these can be charged through the USB on the computer. We have found that the actual charge-time for the batteries is MUCH longer than what they state on the package. We are able to get easily 20-24 hours of play time out of one charge. Of course I have only tested the mp3 portion of the play-time. I am judging by the time my kids have listened when we've been on our cross-country trips.
I don't like that there isn't a volume-limit feature. My 5yr old son often turns the volume up all the way and we are constantly having to tell him to turn it down. I also wish there were a neck-strap. (They do have a wrist-strap, but that's not something a 5yr old cares to keep on.) It's frustrating to have to pick it up off the car floor if my son falls asleep while listening to his mix-max on a trip. This wouldn't happen if he had a neck strap.
We also don't like that there doesn't appear to be a driver for Vista. We can charge their mix max's while we were on vacation through our laptop which has Vista. However, the music software isn't compatible for Vista and there are no drivers that I can find online for Vista.
If the video portion of this unit were more user-friendly, I would easily give it 5-stars. I'm glad I only paid $25/unit because I would be disappointed if I had spent $100 for each of these thinking I had a video feature!
-Me
We purchased these on clearance at Target over a year ago. They are regularly priced at $100. We paid $25/piece for 3 of them for each of our children. Prior to this time, we had never before owned an MP3 player of any kind.
It was fairly easy for us to figure out how to download the software so we could download songs and charge the unit. I spent 3 weeks reading through every word of the instructions and combing the web attempting to figure out how to transfer video files before giving up. In the year we have had the unit, we have never once watched a video on it.
We are quite used to downloading video onto our computer. We had movies on our computer, but could never figure out how to get one of them transferred to the mix max even when using the max allowed 2GB added card. (We tried with both a 1GB and a 2GB card to no avail.) The cards were loaded, but they would not play on the mix max.
There are NO INSTRUCTIONS regarding the video that comes with this unit. The software that comes with this unit allows you to download the MUSIC only. They obviously do NOT want to make it easy for the common person to download video onto this player. They WANT you to spend $20/pop for their video cards. (Which we are not willing to do.)
I would love to give this unit a 5-star rating. Other than the video problem we have had, we LOVE the mix max! They are easy for the kids to use. They are VERY durable. We have had ours for over 2 years and they still look new despite having been used often by our three young children and on 5 cross-country trips.
Shortly after purchasing these units, I did purchase an actual mix-max case for one of them on clearance that allows my oldest to keep hers in the case all the time while listening to hers. I also purchased a regular Mp3 case for the other 2 to carry theirs in, but they must take it out when they listen to it.
I love that these can be charged through the USB on the computer. We have found that the actual charge-time for the batteries is MUCH longer than what they state on the package. We are able to get easily 20-24 hours of play time out of one charge. Of course I have only tested the mp3 portion of the play-time. I am judging by the time my kids have listened when we've been on our cross-country trips.
I don't like that there isn't a volume-limit feature. My 5yr old son often turns the volume up all the way and we are constantly having to tell him to turn it down. I also wish there were a neck-strap. (They do have a wrist-strap, but that's not something a 5yr old cares to keep on.) It's frustrating to have to pick it up off the car floor if my son falls asleep while listening to his mix-max on a trip. This wouldn't happen if he had a neck strap.
We also don't like that there doesn't appear to be a driver for Vista. We can charge their mix max's while we were on vacation through our laptop which has Vista. However, the music software isn't compatible for Vista and there are no drivers that I can find online for Vista.
If the video portion of this unit were more user-friendly, I would easily give it 5-stars. I'm glad I only paid $25/unit because I would be disappointed if I had spent $100 for each of these thinking I had a video feature!
-Me
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