Sony NWZ-S616F Walkman Video MP3 Player

Here’s where I have a tiny problem with the 616F: its video player. Don’t get me wrong, playback is clear and smooth as it’s compatible with MPEG 4 or M4V profiles at 30 frames per second. Firstly, Sony doesn’t provide you with a bundled video converter which would have made things so much more convenient, and secondly, it’s not easy to watch a full length video (even a 20-minute TV serial) on such a small screen. Even with its clarity, it tends to take a toll on your eyes after 10 minutes or so.

Of course, you can always download a converter. There's no shortage of these online and they let you watch short clips – including those you may have captured with your phone cam. I don’t recommend using the 616F for viewing widescreen videos. If you stretch them to 4:3 they look a bit... stretched. But only a little bit. If their 16:9 ratio is retained you’ll end up with a tiny image and black bands on the display. (As if it wasn’t small enough already!)

• DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) that restores the higher sound frequency lost when creating compressed music files.
• Clear Bass that enhances the bass sound while minimizing distortion, and
• Clear Stereo that helps reduce signal leakage from one channel to another.