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I've avoided the dreaded MP3 players for too long. I'd like something that can be used in the car (connect to my radio with one of those transmit adapter things) and also on a motorbike.
I'm a proper arse with audio quality, so it would be nice to find a way to play lossless as then I'd be able to use it attached to my HiFi at home. I'm aware of formats like FLAC so ideally the player needs to be compatible.
My basic requirements are...
Not tied into any specific media protection systems of software.
Robust.
Capable of storing upto 200 albums, ideally lossless.
Ideally blue tooth connection so can be used wirelessly on a motorbike.
Not a daft price.
Help!
Moon... Stick... Anything else?
My only advice for you really would be to not worry about the audio quality on a portable player (just use decent quality MP3, you'll never tell the difference through a car stereo or through the earphones), it's not worth it. Rip all your albums to lossless on your computer and link that to your hifi by all means, but then store MP3 versions on a seperate drive and put on the MP3 player. Really, you won't get what you want other wise.
Remember, 200 albums at lossless quality is going to be about 140GB (700MB per album or therabouts). Only thing with that capacity is the iPod Classic, but I'm 99% sure that iPods don't support lossless anyway!
Personally, would just get an iPod classic, but that's probably not what you want. There are other players out there that are more versatile, with "drag and drop" facility on a computer rather than needing to be connected to some software like iTunes. Personally though, I couldn't be without iTunes, NO WAY would I be able to organise all my music without it.
Sorry not to be much clearer, but until we get massive storage on tiny little HD's, I don't think lossless is a viable portable audio format yet. I'd love it to be, but we're not there yet I don't think.
Why is Ipod Classic and Itunes not an option?
Microsoft zune?
Never had one, but played with a first gen one a while back. Quite nice feel to it, screen was really nice and crisp BUT I'd still choose an ipod over it, I just like the ipods interface so much.
iPod will support AIFF, which is the file type on CDs. So exactly the same as CD quality. Bit overkill for a portable player, as mboy has stated. 320Kbps MP3 will be more than adequate, I wooduv thought.
You sure using earphones is a good idea on a motorbike? You'd need noise-canceling ones, which would block out outside sounds; not ideal, I woon't have thought. Maybe I'm wrong.
I'm not a fan of Ipod, as far as I understand you have to use itunes and that locks you down to managing your music from only one PC.
I wouldn't usually use a MP3 player on a motorbike but I will soon be doing lots of motorway miles. Music alleviates the boredom, keeps me alert and reduces the temptation to speed.
I think the other option is to rip all my music in a lossless format to an external hard drive and then convert it all over to MP3.
I'm not a fan of Ipod, as far as I understand you have to use itunes and that locks you down to managing your music from only one PC.
Yeah, you do have to use iTunes, and it does lock you into one computer for managing your tunes. To me this is not a drawback though, actually far from it. iTunes actually forced me to have some kind of order to my music collection, without iTunes it would be totally haphazard and all over the place. And I wouldn't know where one bit of music or another was. Ok, you can't just drag and drop something off a mate's computer if you like the sound of it, but you can of course drag and drop onto a USB stick or an external hard drive, and then stick it on your puter.
Was sceptical of iTunes for a while (even as a Mac owner/user) until I started using it properly. It's definitely the right tool for the job in my opinion.
iPod for me - music, video, games, podcasts, games, contacts, you name it.
iTunes is very good, I think.
Play your videos on any television with the red, white and yellow inputs (£35 for a lead is a bit steep though, but you do get UK and continental plugs with it). Useful for holidays abroad when you get fed up with the local TV (unless you can speak the language!)
Not sure how Meatloaf reduces likelihood of speeding! But perhaps you don't like Meatloaf...
Mine's a 3g Nano - cute (but would by a Touch if I had the dosh)
Ok, you can't just drag and drop something off a mate's computer if you like the sound of it
Er, I think you can, you know. i've certainly done that with older iPods for people. iTunes helps you organise your stuff. And is probbly the best music management software anyway. Free download, and I reckon you could probbly keep a copy on your iPod, to install on other machines. You can use more than one computer with it, but it's a bit fiddly.
ipod has the best audio quality David, i've listened to a fair few
use ALC format in itunes and it works pretty well. it's a sad thing for me to admit this as you know but it really is a pretty sorted product. if you want better quality then buy a portable CD player!
FYI even my tiny ipod shuffle has better sound quality and a better SNR than the creative labs heap of shit i used to have.
I have a Sony NETMD player if you want it, we won't get into the argument but their ATRAC system is better than mp3 as a compression format. plus it's uber niche 😉
Ipod is about the only option nowadays. Which is a shame as I loved my Iriver H320, video years before Ipod, played any format thrown at it and a far superior sound to an Ipod, if they brought out a proper replacement I'd get one in a heartbeat
[url= http://uk.europe.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=214&product=17811&listby= ]Creative are the best iPod alternative I reckon (though I don't know much about owt really)[/url]
Yep, go for Creative.