MP3 players

[TheReverend(c)]

Going to buy a new mp3 player. Im still using the rca lyra i bought back in '01. Decided to choose between ipod, creative zen and iriver t30 based on Maximum PC's latest reviews and tests. If any of you have these tell me if anyone have had any problems with them. I tried to check out the Ipod Nano at my local Best Buy today but it was surrounded by about 15 people like it was the "preciouse" from LOTR.

[Playaa]

I had a 4th gen iPod (the one right before the iPod Photo) and LOVED it...the only reason I got rid of it was so I could get some money to buy the iPod Video (which I just did today).

I can't recommend the iPod well enough...the thing really is amazing. Also, if you don't plan on using a ton of space, the Nano is what I would have gotten...but I use my iPod as a portable hard drive between work and home so I need all the space I can get.

[JackieChan]

*cough get an iAudio X5 cough*

[waterox]

I too have a 4th gen iPod, got it for xmas last year. My first one worked fine for 4 months but all of a sudden wouldnt start up. Returned to apple no hassles and got a brand new one in less than a week. The ease of return makes me love apple. The only problem is if you buy music in itunes getting it to any other non-iPod player is a major pain in the butt (and probably involves hacking apple's drm).

[TheReverend(c)]

Ive decided to decide between the Creative Zen and the Ipod. I see the T30 is good but its so small im afraid Ill lose it.

[stutters]

ipod:

warranty + customer service = good

converting how many gigs of *.mp3 into *.m4a = bad?

 

zen:

menu + nav = good (just used a friends last night. more impressed than i expected to be)

customer service = bad

does this force a conversion, too?

 

sorry i'm piggybacking your thread, rev. i've been debating the ipod leap for a while, but i don't want to convert my 80gb mp3 library, period.

[Bubblegum Bandit]

sorry i'm piggybacking your thread, rev. i've been debating the ipod leap for a while, but i don't want to convert my 80gb mp3 library, period.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'm confused an iPod won't play mp3s? You have to have it in the m4a format? I was putting off the ipod because I wanted something with an FM tuner as well. Almost bought a creative player. Found out that Griffen decided to make a new tuner for the ipod so I'll be getting one in the near future. Reason I wanna stick with the ipod, other than those already listed, is because they are becoming so mainstream with other venues. (wording my be a little off there) What I'm getting at is all the car adapters, home stereo adapters, etc. Sure, most of the other ones have line outs on them, but you can't control them through the same interface. If you get the true ipod compatable car stereo now, you toss the ipod in the glovebox and control it from your dash. I think that would be sweet. I have a 6-disk changer in my trunk from factory, no single disk slot in the front. What a pain to have to get out and change disks and what not. With ipod, I can just carry me whole music library with me, no fumbling for disks, changing magazines etc....

[stutters]

I'm confused an iPod won't play mp3s?  You have to have it in the m4a format?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

from what i've heard, you have to import AND convert your music via itunes. 20gb original mp3, converted into 20gb m4a/itune = 40gb disk usage

 

right?

[TheReverend(c)]

ipod:

warranty + customer service = good

converting how many gigs of *.mp3 into *.m4a = bad?

 

zen:

menu + nav = good (just used a friends last night. more impressed than i expected to be)

customer service = bad

does this force a conversion, too?

 

sorry i'm piggybacking your thread, rev. i've been debating the ipod leap for a while, but i don't want to convert my 80gb mp3 library, period.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not a problem SJ I need the advice.

[anonymo]

I'd say right now, stick with the iPods. If you don't need excessive space/storage I'd recommend the Nano, it's really cool to load a whole bunch of pictures on it and scroll through them really fast. Otherwise get the iPod Video...eetz shaweet

[EbilDustBunny]

if you get one of those ipods... don't jog or do anything vigourous with it... you'll end up doing something to the hardrive. Unless you get a nano... that's a flashdrive. I think that was the smartest thing ipod thought of so far. We get plenty of the 4 gen and mini in for repairs and it takes apple forever to repair them.

[TheReverend(c)]

if you get one of those ipods... don't jog or do anything vigourous with it... you'll end up doing something to the hardrive. Unless you get a nano... that's a flashdrive. I think that was the smartest thing ipod thought of so far. We get plenty of the 4 gen and mini in for repairs and it takes apple forever to repair them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is apple gong to phase out the hdd based ipod?

[Guest zerodamage]

if you get one of those ipods... don't jog or do anything vigourous with it... you'll end up doing something to the hardrive. Unless you get a nano... that's a flashdrive. I think that was the smartest thing ipod thought of so far. We get plenty of the 4 gen and mini in for repairs and it takes apple forever to repair them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is apple gong to phase out the hdd based ipod?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Not for a while. Not with the Video Ipods becoming quite popular.

[stutters]

i just got back from my sister's wedding, and my new brother in-law gave the groomsmen ipod shuffles (he's now approved, btw). this is great, now i have a shuffle to snowboard with (i.e. "break"), and will let me see if a bigger ipod is worth the money.

 

my main concern was itunes. i still think itunes still sucks; i'd rather use winamp for listening to music at my machine. on the good side, itunes doesn't really have to do more than work as a playlist. it ONLY imports the music, and only converts, er more accurately encyrpts, the music when loading it onto the ipod. as far as i can tell, the program itself (with 80ish gigs of imported music) takes up about 52mb; 30 for the program, 22 for the playlist. still, not bad.

 

there is one downside. you "register" your ipod with your local itunes. if preacher were to bring over his ipod and plug it into my itunes, it would tell us that his ipod is registered somewhere else. if he uses my library, he'd have to erase everything on his ipod. when he brings his full ipod back to his itunes, he'll have to erase everything before synching back up with his library. from a copyright standpoint, it makes sense. but that kinda renders the larger ipods as useless for file storage to share with friends. there's gotta be a work around, but i'm feeling lazy atm.

 

i can't personally say anything about ebil's jogging point, but most of my friends snowboard (jump, crash, go boom) with the bigger 20gb ipods. most say their screens break, but the thing still works. i think they're mainly 4th gen's and before. does that make a difference?

 

anyways, i still think the customer service + support from apple makes the ipod the winnder. hope that helps preach!

[TheReverend(c)]

i just got back from my sister's wedding, and my new brother in-law gave the groomsmen ipod shuffles (he's now approved, btw). this is great, now i have a shuffle to snowboard with (i.e. "break"), and will let me see if a bigger ipod is worth the money.

 

my main concern was itunes. i still think itunes still sucks; i'd rather use winamp for listening to music at my machine. on the good side, itunes doesn't really have to do more than work as a playlist. it ONLY imports the music, and only converts, er more accurately encyrpts, the music when loading it onto the ipod. as far as i can tell, the program itself (with 80ish gigs of imported music) takes up about 52mb; 30 for the program, 22 for the playlist. still, not bad.

 

there is one downside. you "register" your ipod with your local itunes. if preacher were to bring over his ipod and plug it into my itunes, it would tell us that his ipod is registered somewhere else. if he uses my library, he'd have to erase everything on his ipod. when he brings his full ipod back to his itunes, he'll have to erase everything before synching back up with his library. from a copyright standpoint, it makes sense. but that kinda renders the larger ipods as useless for file storage to share with friends. there's gotta be a work around, but i'm feeling lazy atm.

 

i can't personally say anything about ebil's jogging point, but most of my friends snowboard (jump, crash, go boom) with the bigger 20gb ipods. most say their screens break, but the thing still works. i think they're mainly 4th gen's and before. does that make a difference?

 

anyways, i still think the customer service + support from apple makes the ipod the winnder. hope that helps preach!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes im currently considering the ipod nano and the Iriver t30. Thanx for the input SJ. Now Im off to Bestbuy. Pray that the crowds returning gifts dont swallow me whole!

[stutters]

Yes im currently considering the ipod nano and the Iriver t30. Thanx for the input SJ. Now Im off to Bestbuy. Pray that the crowds returning gifts dont swallow me whole!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

<checks watch>

 

um, did he say anything about a search party?

[stutters]

hm, well i hope you're doing ok, preach.

 

a bored day yielded -> songbird. an iTunes replacement? definitely maybe.

[Playaa]

Sharepod

 

allows you to upload songs from your ipod to any computer.

 

Also can be used to force songs onto the ipod from any pc...though they get overwritten if you sync automatically so I don't use that portion.

 

But you do NOT have to sync the ipod to the computer that you hook it up to...hit "No" when iTunes asks if you want to...then you can use Sharepod to put your music from the iPod onto the pc.

[stutters]