does the iriver come with the remote, new in box, or is this another purchase? i think i am going with the iriver anyway. it just sounds like a better unit all the way around for what i need.
Some do, some don't. Check the whole listing on eBay to make sure you're bidding on the one you want.
I don't follow the talk about the remote, since I don't have/want the remote, but I recall there being an issue of noise added when the remote is plugged in. Hopefully someone can chime in on that. Again, the unit is rock solid (haven't tested optical in myself) and sounds comparable to a JB3 with analog in. Transfers are fast without needing any software (device shows up as an external drive on my Mac). Small, lightweight, good meters, no overheating issues, etc. etc.