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Login to post Forums » Off-topic discussion » MP3 player sugestions

Jan. 3, 2009 8:03 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

I'm looking at getting a new MP3, so I wondered what your thoughts are? I hate to be narrow minded, but i-anything is out of the question. I was almost sold on the 120gb zune, but im iffy on the zune software. Abillity to sync off of windows media player is a BIG plus. Video play back is a big requirement, so "full size" players are my first choise. Any issues to exspect on hard drive style(non-flash) players? My dying player is an RCA with too many issues to buy portable RCAs again. I have heard some good on creative, but i'm not sold on them yet. beyond this I'm at a loss, any input

This looks interesting, and 40 gb is enough, plus a good price. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16855128002 down side, the reveiws are rather low
Jan. 3, 2009 8:26 p.m. Grtechguy SuperDork

The ipod accelerometer can be used for many thing auto related :)

http://www.dynolicious.com/features.php

I need one :(
Jan. 3, 2009 8:28 p.m. Gimp Dork

I just got a 16G iPod touch and it is fantastic. Sure, it plays music, but being able to surf the web without taking the government issued laptop into the bathroom is the best thing ever.
Jan. 3, 2009 8:29 p.m. maroon92 SuperDork

I had a creative for 3 years, I dropped it so many times that the hard drive eventually broke

now I have an iSheep Shuffle. i-tunes is easy to work with, but I still miss the storage space, and customizeability on that Zen.
Jan. 3, 2009 9:27 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

I have too many digital movie copies that are not i-Friendly

So far my front runners are ZEN, 16gb, 140 and Sansa, 16gb, $130

If i had the money, i would get a 32gb touch, or a loaded iPhone

edit can the accelerometer in the new Nanos handel the performance software?
Jan. 4, 2009 7:59 a.m. therex SuperDork

If you really really really insist on not using the Zune player to sync with your Zune, a pretty simple registry hack lets you access the Zune like a USB drive.

But the Zune software isn't so bad, and the Zune Pass is really awesome.
Jan. 4, 2009 9:55 a.m. wherethefmi2000 Reader

Yeah and I have a feeling that a 30gb zune can be had for really cheap right now. I love mine it works great the zune software is ok, the only gripe I have is with video conversion once converted it get's converted again to fit the zune, I probably need to find out exactly what format to convert my video to though.
Jan. 4, 2009 12:43 p.m. billy3esq Dork

neon4891 wrote:

I have too many digital movie copies that are not i-Friendly

So far my front runners are ZEN, 16gb, 140 and Sansa, 16gb, $130

If i had the money, i would get a 32gb touch, or a loaded iPhone

edit can the accelerometer in the new Nanos handel the performance software?

If you had a Mac, there's a program called iSquint that will turn darn-near any video file into an iPod friendly version with one click. I'm sure there's something equivalent for Windows, but I don't know what it is.

My dad has had a variety of Sansas and seems to like them. I've played with them and a variety of Creatives, and I like the Creatives better, but they're still a distant second to the iPod in the UI department.
Jan. 4, 2009 3:50 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

currently bidding on a new 30gb zune on ebay, just under 3 hours left
Jan. 4, 2009 5:07 p.m. wherethefmi2000 Reader

let us know if you like it.
Jan. 4, 2009 7:03 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

outbid...
Jan. 4, 2009 7:07 p.m. jde Reader

In case you don't win the Zune, here's a couple more cents pitched in...

I bought an 8GB Sansa Fuze last April, and have been very pleased with it. Much better build quality and performance compared to the older Sansa (C200?) I'd bought my wife. Size-wise, it's slightly smaller than the Sansa View.

It works seamlessly with Rhapsody, and I use Media Monkey (freeware) to load podcasts and non-Rhapsody files onto it.

One big plus is it has a Micro-SD slot to add memory. Also, has a FM radio built-in, which occasionally comes in handy.

Before the Fuze, I used a reman Creative Zen Micro. Overall, I was happy with it, and there are a couple quirks to the UI that I wish Sansa used. Was a little bigger and heavier, and the screen wasn't as nice. Not sure how Creative's current models compare.

EDIT: Missed that you're wanting video playback. Haven't tried videos with the Fuze, but you have to you converter software to format files, which isn't particularly cool.
Jan. 4, 2009 7:30 p.m. pinchvalve SuperDork

Why no i-anything? I am certainly no Mac guy, but I love my Ipod. It simply works and works well.
Jan. 4, 2009 7:32 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

my old RCA came with the software to convert video, but it didn't work on my movies. In order to see if it worked at all, i had to down load some "other" vids and those worked just fine.

I dont mind converting files, as long as i don't have to jump thrue hoops to get the correct software
Jan. 4, 2009 7:44 p.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

At this point, I would only buy the iPhone or Ipod Touch. The App Store is just a game-changer, and I wouldn't want any device that couldn't use the apps. With the App store, they're not MP3 players or phones, it's a whole new platform.

Isquint (and other software) will quickly and easily convert your video. Actually Quicktime (pro) does a very fast and clean job of it.

Although I'm not sure how much you'd need to convert. iPods play more filetypes than people think.
Jan. 4, 2009 8:02 p.m. P71 HalfDork

I know jack about music stuffs as I really don't care much (drove cross-country with no radio, the P71 has the factory cop AM/FM with not even a tape deck, and the RX-7's factory tape player is stuck on the 80's hair-band station) but I recently bought my first MP3 player. I wanted something to listen to on the airline flights for my vacation and picked up a little 1G Sansa by SanDisk. It is AWESOME! It has FM Radio built in, is small enough to hide up my nose if I so choose, and it's rugged (I tend to break electronic things with ease). Mini-USB for charging and compatible with all music stuffs on PC's. Plays burned music just fine and has huge battery life.

Just my near-worthless 1c worth.
Jan. 4, 2009 8:19 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

mother berkeleyer, i just had a long post ready, but i deleated it...

now it is a toss up between the 120 zune and the 2 16s. But i also think i should wait for my new phone, most lickly a razr2, and that can take an 8gb card for MP3 use. Too bad my fiance wont let me upgrade my line to an iPhone, the plan is in her name

edit I brought this up with my better half, and after she was done rubbing it in my face of how I have been an iHater but now I want the iPhone, if I cover the extra cost of the plan we will consider it.
Jan. 4, 2009 8:52 p.m. gamby SuperDork

8gig Creative Zen V

Had it for a year now. I would have gotten an iPod shuffle, but a) I don't like iTunes b) the Zen V has a display screen c) the Zen seems more stout (I primarily use it at the skatepark, so it needs to take a hit or two). It's tiny, too. The above pic is huge compared to actual size.

Sounds great w/ Skullcandy ear buds and is a very intuitive interface. I leave it on shuffle 99% of the time, though.
Jan. 4, 2009 9:49 p.m. kevinSC1 New Reader

I love my Zen V, and my wife loves her Sansa Fuze.

both are easy to load - just drag & drop.
Jan. 4, 2009 10:04 p.m. Keith SuperDork

Tim Baxter wrote:

At this point, I would only buy the iPhone or Ipod Touch. The App Store is just a game-changer, and I wouldn't want any device that couldn't use the apps. With the App store, they're not MP3 players or phones, it's a whole new platform.

The problem is that the two big screen devices have moved too far away from the MP3 player focus. Sure, they're pretty and they allow me to dink around with the internet in odd places, but 16 MB? No thanks. I have an 80 GB iPod that's 3/4 full of nothing but legal music. Lots of CDs and eMusic, only about a dozen DRM'd tracks.
Jan. 5, 2009 7:19 a.m. Tim Baxter Online Editor

The sizes have gotten bigger than 8 gigs, but I really haven't found it to be a problem. I just have one playlist I sync, and I rotate the songs in it. If I was more clever I'd probably build a smart playlist for it.

But seriously. it's the app store that makes the difference. Pretty has nothing to do with it.

App Store changes everything. Combined with mobile internet done right, and you're witnessing the Next Big Thing. Microsoft should be TERRIFIED of the App Store.
Jan. 5, 2009 12:21 p.m. neon4891 SuperDork

If I do get it, I need to go for the 16gb. For the sake of music, my 2 gb player has never been filed past 3/4, but video is where its at. Damn you Tim, you have pushed me over to the dark side.
Jan. 5, 2009 12:38 p.m. mistanfo Dork

Ipod FTW. I have 2 Shuffles (1Gb), one for myself and one for the wife. My sister's old Nano (1Gb), which the wife uses for audio books (nice to be able to see wher eyou are in the tracks, which the shuffle won't do), what they now call a classic at 40Gb that needs a battery, and will be put into the car with an external amp and a small volume control, and I'm looking at either an IPhone or Touch, depending on who we go to for cell service when we move to Florida. They're just so easy to use, and yes, the app store is sweet, along with mobile internet.
Jan. 5, 2009 1:17 p.m. Keith SuperDork

Sorry, I meant 16 GB. Just doesn't cut it for my listening style. I need the equivalent of a kiloton of CDs on my iPod. I have a shuffle for mountain biking for indestructibility.

The MG is going to get a simple amp hidden under the dash with a jack for an iPod. I'll have a world of music with nothing visible, perfect for a vintage car.
Jan. 5, 2009 1:20 p.m. captainzib Reader

I have an 8gb Insignia Pilot. It's not the best piece of hardware, but it is flash based and has an SD card slot which is currently holding a 16gb card that I picked up for 37 bucks.

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