Open source firmware replacement for MP3 players
Have you ever felt that your audio devices firmware is either causing problems with your device or that it's simply not cut out to provide everything that you need?
If so, you might find Rockbox an excellent replacement. Rockbox supports a growing range of digital audio players, but bear in mind that it doesn't support every model out there. Rockbox can provide an alternative to your host device's operating system and it doesn't necessarily mean removing the original firmware. It also provides the option to add various enhancements to Digital Audio Players (DAPs) which you wouldn't normally get with the default OS.
The developer claims that Rockbox works with most DAPs released since 2000 and even some PDA devices. The brands it supports are listed in the main interface and include Apple (iPods), Archos, Olympus, Toshiba and Sandisk. It even features a voice-driven user-interface suitable for operation by blind and visually-impaired users.
Obviously, it's hard to judge how whether it improves the firmware across all the possible devices you can use Rockbox with, although I'd be very wary about removing an iPod's firmware and replacing it with Rockbox. However, in most cases you can still maintain the original firmware in case anything goes wrong.
Some of the benefits Rockbox can bring to your device are Advanced cross-fading, 5-band graphic equalizer, and MPEG video support. The Rockbox Forum is full of happy users who have benefited from it especially those who have suffered a failure of the firmare and had consigned their DAP to the bin.
Rockbox is a comprehensive alternative to your DAPs firmware that if compatible with your device, may extend it's functionalities way beyond what you currently enjoy.
Changes
Several bug fixes
