posted
So I got a 4 gigabyte Zune for Christmas, but also recently ordered a new iMac. I recently found out it was incompatible with Apple's operating system. I'm in need of a new mp3 player. Is an iPod really worth $250.00? I don't want the nano becuase I filled up 4 gigs in a matter of 2 weeks. I would like to get my collection on one device.
I know I could split my hard drive into 2 partitions and run osx on one and vista/xp on the other, but that seems pointless since I'm sick and tired of XP's crap and Vista has nothing but problems from what I've heard. Any thoughts/suggestions?
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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I couldn't convince myself to buy an Ipod until I had money that wasn't part of any budget. When I had that (it was from an art show I did), I bought an 80gb classic. I love it, the sound is awesome and I use it a lot.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I won an iPod Shuffle in a thing at work a month ago and haven't even opened it yet. I think it depends on what's easiest for you.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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posted
OK, Shameless plug. I am creating/toying with an eBay affiliate store I am calling Zupodsa. I haven't registered it with Google yet or done any type of marketing. Typing zupodsa in Google yeilds nothing, but Zupodsa.com is live and very embarrassing.
I have a lot of work to do before I want it found as a viable tool to make decisions and buy stuff.
I am still creating the stores. I then need to create my web page content that compares the different products.
I am doing this to compare Zunes, iPods, and Sansa (Sandisk's MP3 Player)...hence ZuPodSa.
Since I haven't made my content pages that compares the products, my page won't help. I have done a LOT of research as I have thought about my site.
Currently I own a 4GB Nano. I love it! I subscribe to several podcasts like Linuxreality, Ninja Warrior, and some Hatrack recommended podcasts.
If you want the ease of iTunes with ALL of its' content, iPods are the way to go. iTunes has everything.
Zune's store is called Zune Marketplace. You can have a monthly all-you-can-download subscription which is nice, but you need Windows. If you have Zune friends, you can use your wireless feature to legally share music.
Sansa has no special store yet, but they are in a relationship with Rhapsody. Some of the players can run Rhapsody's music. More important, they are generally cheaper, more durable, and require no special software to move music around.
Speed is the one who pointed me to Sansas. He recommended Sansa's Clip.
Since I have several Rhapsody codes I wrote down from Wendy trips (the codes are on the large drinks), my next player will be some sort of Sansa. Click on "compare at the bottom of the screen to see the different versions on their website.
Sounds like Zune isn't the answer for you. iPod owners definitely have the best choice in paid content and podcast collection. Sansa's are super easy if you have music on your computer or you are ripping your own disks.
Real, iTunes, and Zune Marketplace are all proprietary, so the stuff you get there will only work on their respective devices. Your choice might boil down to what "store you prefer," tho Sansa doesn't rely on the "store software "to transfer/delete files.
All of them should play generic MP3s from other subscription places like from Napster and other businesses--tho Zune may have problems because it is not play-for-sure compatible.
*Zune, oddly enough, is not compatible with Urge because Microsoft backed off of letting Zune be compatible with Microsoft's play-for-sure initiative, even tho play-for-sure is a Microsoft initiative and the Zune is a Microsoft product.
Urge is combining with Rhapsody (which is play for sure compatible) and Sansa's will be able to play Urge music. Urge (MTV) originally had a relationship with Microsoft.
Wrap your head around that!
Posts: 2445 | Registered: Oct 2004
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quote:iPod owners definitely have the best choice in paid content and podcast collection.
I would argue that the Amazon.com digital downloads store changes all that -- quite remarkably, in fact.
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Christy has a Sansa player and enjoys it a great deal. We haven't bothered to install any of the software, and don't use Rhapsody to obtain or transfer content. MP3s without DRM are the way to go. Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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quote:Originally posted by lem: All of them should play generic MP3s from other subscription places like from Napster and other businesses
Actually, Napster doesn't deal in mp3s since it went legal. I think now they sell wma files (with DRM). So anything you download from Napster won't play on an iPod.
I'm with Tom--I think Amazon is the way to go. Higher bitrate than most of the competition, and the stuff you download from them will play on anything. If you use iTunes, Rhapsody, Napster or just about anything else (except eMusic), and later you decide that you want to buy a digital music player from any other company, you may have some serious problems listening to the music that you paid for.
That's one thing that sort of annoys me about Apple. They try to make their computers compatible with as much PC software as possible, but they go to ridiculously great lengths to make iPods and iTunes as incompatible with other software and hardware as possible. Then once you buy an iPod and get some music from iTunes, you're stuck with them for life. Buying an iPod is like joining the mafia.
Just my two cents. Posts: 2804 | Registered: May 2003
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quote:Actually, Napster doesn't deal in mp3s since it went legal. I think now they sell wma files (with DRM). So anything you download from Napster won't play on an iPod.
I'm with Tom--I think Amazon is the way to go.
Excellent. This is the type of info I need for my site. Posts: 2445 | Registered: Oct 2004
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IIRC, the only major-label songs without DRM on iTunes are from EMI, and are priced thirty cents higher than their "normal" songs.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Then that's changed fairly recently. I'm almost certain it was the case the last time I checked. Yay for competition. Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Eh, I can't be bothered with the tediousness of shipping it out. If you want to come pick it up, I'd probably be okay with letting it go for a tiny sum.
I think Amazon is the way to go as well, I agree with Tom. I haven't downloaded any of Sansa's stuff with Rhapsody. The only thing I don't like about it is that I still can't figure out how to make play lists, so I've taken to grouping songs and changing the album titles so they'll all play together, which is less than ideal, but I think that's my fault for not figuring it out. Amazon is cheap, easy to use, and DRM free. Sometimes I'll download a few songs off the same cd and get one or two of them for free. I assume that's because it's cheaper to DL the entire cd at once rather than individually, so every couple songs you get like a bonus. For most of the music I buy, having a physical copy of the cd is unncessary, unless I actually like the entire cd, which is all the more reason to buy songs individually as I rarely like the entire cd. I haven't illegally downloaded a song in ages, as I find I'm quite okay with downloading them a buck a piece off Amazon, so long as after I DL them they are mine to do with as I please. I never liked iTunes, but I love Amazon.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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I know I could split my hard drive into 2 partitions and run osx on one and vista/xp on the other, but that seems pointless since I'm sick and tired of XP's crap and Vista has nothing but problems from what I've heard. Any thoughts/suggestions?
A virtual machine like Parallels, which is what I use, is a viable alternative if you already own a copy of windows. It doesn't gum up the works too much, and it's easy to get rid of.
As for the Ipod. I love mine but I acknowledge many deficiencies. Apple streamlines everything, but as a result the design does not allow for any customization. There are a few very stupid, very annoying features that should be changed, but they never get fixed.
For instance, if you accidentally press the play button when the ipod is in the main menu, it plays from the top of your library in alphabetical order. WHY??? It also takes about 10 seconds to load the library, and just so that it can play three seconds of Aaron Copeland before I stop it and reverse. That's dumb. Also the rating of songs while they're playing is useless, and presents an obstacle when cycling through the track information. The playlist on the Go feature is much toted by apple as this great idea, but it's poorly executed, as is the search feature they finally added.
Still a fantastic product imo, but flawed. Also their earlier designs were sometimes not so good. I had an ipod photo which I exchanged no less than 10 times in less than two years.
But my ipod video has only had to be exchanged once, and not because it broke down, but because there was a short in the minijack that made it pause frequently. It's a pretty complex device, so be prepared to schlep it to the apple store- they are good about exchanges, but you should buy the extended warranty because you'll probably need it.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: IIRC, the only major-label songs without DRM on iTunes are from EMI, and are priced thirty cents higher than their "normal" songs.
It's a mixed bag. Many smaller labels, especially in the classical genre, offer drm-free stuff even at 320kb. some of them are 30 cents more, some not.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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A while back I started to use iTunes as a media player on my laptop at work and rather foolishly agreed to let it "consolidate my MP3 collection". This basically meant creating a huge directory structure where each artist has its own folder, and songs are grouped by album, each in its own seperate subfolder.
Great for iTunes, but I did prefer having all my MP3s in a single directory and use WinAMP (or similar) to provide the artist/album/playlist segregation structure in software. Well, that's just spilt milk, and to be honest I am more than happy with the iTunes functionality.
Anyhow, as I slowly rip my CDs into MP3s I realised I needed a backup, but the price of an iPod has been the stumbling block. Luckily my wwonderful Wife and Parents-in-Law clubbed together to get me an 80GB iPod Classic for my birthday a couple of weeks ago.
I must say that my first impressions are very positive. It has a great, solid feel in the hand and the interface could not be easier. I had a couple of problems with the synchronisation at first until I, er, ahem, read the manual...
The sound is good even with the ear-buds that came with it, although I am an audio nerd and use various different headphones depending on th esituation... There are also some nice bonuses like its' compatiblity with my home-cinema system, which replicates the iPod interface on the TV.
My one niggle is the coverflow system. If you only listen to the Top 40, then you're fine, but the iStore has a very limited selection of cover art. As a result, if you have a more eclectic music collection you end up with row after row of grey icons. Luckily my complete discography of Pink Floyd provides an oasis of colour...
My next purchase will be an FM adapter for the car. Can anyone recommend a good one?
PS - Anyone know how to add cover art to an iPod *without* using the iStore download process?
Posts: 892 | Registered: Oct 2006
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One major thing to keep in mind about the iPod: iTunes, which you'll be required to use, has become such ridiculously awful bloatware that for me, it's unusable as a music player anymore.
Posts: 4313 | Registered: Sep 2004
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quote:My next purchase will be an FM adapter for the car. Can anyone recommend a good one?
A good friend of mine has the official Apple accessory that goes with it I think (it might have been a Griffin) but it worked marvelously on a road trip we took, You had to jimmy it every now and then to find a better station, but for the most part it was just fine. I really want one for my Sansa before we go on our next trip.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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quote:Originally posted by erosomniac: One major thing to keep in mind about the iPod: iTunes, which you'll be required to use, has become such ridiculously awful bloatware that for me, it's unusable as a music player anymore.
To be fair you can turn off most of the feautures you don't like.
Problem is that yeah, what started out as the first program of its kind to work really well is not getting better.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by erosomniac: So, uh, you guys are aware that iTunes songs have no DRM and are at 256 kbps, right?
1. That's only iTunes Plus, which is a limited subset of their main collection.
2. It's still in a proprietary non-mp3 format, so you're going to have to find a way to convert it to make it play on a non-iPod. And last I heard, the easiest way to convert the format is to burn it onto a CD and re-rip it, which costs you a CD and loses a bit of audio quality in the process.
That being said, it is progress. I've still never downloaded anything from iTunes Plus, as as I've never found anything there that wasn't easier and/or cheaper to get from Amazon, eMusic, or on CD. But maybe someday.
posted
One other thing, in case I didn't mention it. If anyone does buy a Sansa, I recommend not installing the Rhapsody software that comes bundled with it. The instruction manual tries to make it sound like you have to, but the device works perfectly well without it (which is one of its best features), and there are plenty of other music downloading services out there that are compatible with the Sansa.
Of course, if you like Rhapsody you might as well use it, but don't let them trick you into thinking it's necessary.
And if you want to make playlists, you just put them together in Windows Media Player (the one you already have installed) and use that program to upload them onto the device. No extra software needed.
Posts: 2804 | Registered: May 2003
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Speed: you're misinformed. The format is less proprietary than MP3, several players now accept it, and converting un-DRM'd songs from iTMS to MP3 is a matter of selecting a menu item.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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2. It's still in a proprietary non-mp3 format, so you're going to have to find a way to convert it to make it play on a non-iPod. And last I heard, the easiest way to convert the format is to burn it onto a CD and re-rip it, which costs you a CD and loses a bit of audio quality in the process.
itunes converts acc to standard mp3 as well. It's just a right click away.
AAC is not a format, just an mp3 codec, fyi. Originally the program didn't offer a converter, now it does, so it's a non issue.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
I hadn't heard about the sansa before "switching over" to itunes/ipod. It sounds like Sansa/Amazon is the best choice if you have a PC--but if you're getting an imac, it comes with Itunes on it, and while Itunes IS "bloatware" on a PC, it runs fine on macs.
I also got 100 bucks off on my ipod when I bought the macbook. That was a no-brainer.
Seconded to everything Orincoro said. WIth 50 gigs of music, searching, scrolling, and load time is a nuisance on the ipod. I had to buy a good pair of headphones, too (the earbuds AREN'T bad, but they're not good either).
Also--it's not as difficult as people are making it out to be to change formats. In the past, I've downloaded a simple program, clicked "start" and had my entire music library converted the next morning (I was changing .mp4s to .mp3s to make them easier to share with friends)
edit--beat me to it, lloyd
Posts: 1314 | Registered: Jan 2006
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Orincoro: AAC is not an mp3 codec. They are both specific methods for encoding songs. MP3 is part of MPEG-1 (and -2), and AAC is part of MPEG-4 (and -2). MP3 is not a container. AAC is not a container. AAC goes in an MPEG-4 container, and as far as I know MP3 has/is its own container.
I'm pretty sure iTunes has offered the conversion capability all along, though the ease of accessing it has changed (the menu item would only appear if you had the "import as" preference selected).
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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Blayne Bradley
unregistered
posted
in my experience you can`t go wrong with a Ipod Shuffle but I`m some sort of freak that doesn`t have more then 300 megabytes worth of music. Although the newer generation shuffle has that docking port thing which just broke on my due to negligence, and getting a new charger even if non appble is absurdly expensive.
I say get an Iphone, those things are awesome.
My experience with Sansa`s is that despite treating them like royalty they still manage to crash and break every 3 weeks on the get go.
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I love my shuffle, but I only use it for one purpose - having music for my cardio exercise. So, there's very little on it, but I love the small size, because it doesn't get in the way while I'm running and I load it with songs that have the right tempo to keep me energized.
Now, I am somewhat jealous of my daughter's iPod and I may invest in another one for me later, but I'll still keep my shuffle for exercising.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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posted
I haven't been in the market for an mp3 player in some time, but I'd like to throw in a shout out for Creative players. I've been nothing but happy with mine and, when I was shopping around, they were significantly cheaper for what you got than an iPod.
Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
Hmm, iTunes' ability to convert to mp3 must have changed since last time I checked. I'll have to try that out one of these times. Just for clarification, does iTunes offer instant format conversion on its entire m4p catalog, or only the non-DRM iTunes Plus tracks?
Also, last time I tried downloading anything from iTunes, the default download was the 128kb/s m4p (with DRM), and if you wanted the iTunes Plus format (even if it was available), it took a fair bit of effort to make the change. It seemed like they were trying to make people who didn't know the difference get the old format. Has that changed lately?
Ladyday: I bought my Sansa from Best Buy, and it doesn't require the installation of Rhapsody. Like I said, the product packaging does its best to make it seem like you need to install it, but I never did and mine works perfectly.
Posts: 2804 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
iTunes has had the ability to convert to mp3 for quite a few years now. It is only possible to do it automatically in the tool for DRM-free files, though there are easier ways than burning and ripping for files with DRM (basically, mini apps that are set up to automatically capture audio streams). While Apple has gone after the provider of an actual de-encryptor of the file, they haven't gone after the ones using audio stream capture (and that practice arguably doesn't violate the license).
To get DRM-free tracks by default when available, all you have to do is enable your account for it. The iTMS prompted me to do this when I went to get something that had both options.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
I have consistently gotten more bang for my buck by not buying apple products.
Lyrhawn -- you might want to check out Rockbox. It's an open-source firmware alternative for a variety of mp3 players. I have it running on my Sansa and have been quite pleased.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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quote:Originally posted by fugu13: iTunes has had the ability to convert to mp3 for quite a few years now. It is only possible to do it automatically in the tool for DRM-free files.
I was under the impression that iTunes plus (the DRM-free format) has only been around for about a year. Am I wrong?
Posts: 2804 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
iTunes plus is the ability to download DRM-free songs from the iTMS, not the ability to convert non-DRM music to MP3.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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By doing research on how much different mp3 players costs and the features they have.
I've bought both Apple and non-apple products. Each time I bought a non-apple product, it would have cost me significantly more to buy an ipod with the same functionality. When I've bought an ipod, I could have spent significantly less by buying another brand of mp3 player which had the same functionality that I ended up caring about.
Posts: 16551 | Registered: Feb 2003
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Oh, I thought you meant that it had the ability to convert the stuff you bought from the iTunes store to mp3 for quite a few years now. I guess I misread. Posts: 2804 | Registered: May 2003
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posted
Wow, I wasn't expecting so much information that quickly. Thanks for the ideas guys. I've decided to set aside some money for an 80gig ipod classic. Now all that needs to happen in the world is for the iPhone to be made available on Verizon Wireless and my life will be complete. Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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quote:Originally posted by mr_porteiro_head: I have consistently gotten more bang for my buck by not buying apple products.
Lyrhawn -- you might want to check out Rockbox. It's an open-source firmware alternative for a variety of mp3 players. I have it running on my Sansa and have been quite pleased.
What are the advantages?
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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Of course not, but if you like it and you can afford it, go for it. Or if you don't know too much about what you're doing and want something to hold your hand and make it easy for you.
Posts: 13680 | Registered: Mar 2002
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I like my iPod. I need to get one with more room because I finally ran out. But I like it quite a bit.
Posts: 6026 | Registered: Dec 2004
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From what I hear, the big selling point of iPods is having a very smooth and easy to use interface.
Provided you're using compatible hardware and software.
Earlier versions of iPod and iTunes have had a number of consumer-unfriendly quirks such as not supporting the wma format, batteries that the company refused to replace, and cumbersome DRM. While it is my understanding that most, if not all, of these problems have been addressed, they still don't exactly fill me with a surging need to buy Apple's more expensive hardware on the inference that, no really, they've got it right now.
There are plenty of good third-party products out there, and I have to imagine that many of them have Mac-compatible flavors.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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But in practice, those third party products are much harder to use with the mac than is itunes/ipod. I know that's by design on the part of apple, but it's a fact nonetheless.
The problem I think is that if apple doesn't think a feature will be easy to use, or everyone will want to use it, you don't get that feature.
Apple is like my grandparents: they know what they're doing, they've got a lot of experience, but if you start coming up with these complex plans, they stop you at step three and suggest- "why don't we do this another time."
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Blayne Bradley: I say get an Iphone, those things are awesome.
I would love to have an iPhone, but they are only on the AT&T network, which has the worst signal quality where I live. So much for the "most bars campaign", at least in Sacramento, CA. If only it was available on Verizon...
Not to mention that I believe the biggest size of music storage available is 8gb. Even if it was 16 gigs, that's not enough.
Posts: 4229 | Registered: Dec 2002
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quote:Originally posted by fugu13: Orincoro: AAC is not an mp3 codec. They are both specific methods for encoding songs. MP3 is part of MPEG-1 (and -2), and AAC is part of MPEG-4 (and -2). MP3 is not a container. AAC is not a container. AAC goes in an MPEG-4 container, and as far as I know MP3 has/is its own container.
Why is it so easy to convert between them then? And why does apple use the AAC format instead- besides the obvious reason...
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Why wouldn't it be so easy to convert between them? They're just audio formats. A worst case is to convert into a common representation (wave forms) and then re-convert, and there are no doubt much 'smarter' approaches based on functions that map between the corresponding mathematical transformations employed.
Not being privy to apple's internal discussion, I can't say for sure why they use the AAC format. Of course, it being better in just about every technical way to MP3 is probably a factor. Additionally, it meshes well with the formats (high definition) apple expects to see in the future in other multimedia.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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