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Journal bethanie's Journal: More MP3 Player Pondering 49

Journal by bethanie
Well, thanks to all who replied to my JE wondering about MP3 players. The link to the CNET buyer's guide was particularly helpful. (Thanks, bellus quies!!)

And I know that it's going to flabbergast the vast majority of you, but I *really* can't see laying out the kind of money they want for any model of iPod.

It's not that I don't believe y'all that it's an unbelievably cool machine. I'm sure the styling is absolutely the slickest out there, and that the UI blows everything else out of the water -- that's what Apple is all about, and they wouldn't put a product out there until they could make these claims about it. FWIW, I used to be ALL about Apples & Macs, until about 10 years ago, when I was FORCED to go PC at work, I moved to Atlanta and couldn't figure out how to make the Internet work, and moved in with Hubby who was technogeek enough to take care of any computer problems I had, thereby negating my primary reason for having invested in Mac in the first place. I also got a lot more frugal and quit buying "name brand" types of things when I could find cheaper alternatives that would do an adequate job.

Anyway, here are my cons when it comes to buying an iPod:
  • Limited functionality -- Really the biggest issue for me, I guess. IF (and that's a BIG "if") I'm going to lay down $250-$300 for a player like this, it's *gotta* be able to do more than just play songs. Hubby and I are just multi-functional like that. Our digicam can take MPGs, our digivideocam can take stills. Our bed can inflate and deflate depending on how soft or firm we want it, and our car seats convert from rear- to forward-facing. We like to leave our options open and have our stuff do multiple duties (and that's why we don't have an electric can opener, TL). So a play-only MP3 player is pretty much out of the question, unless it's dirt cheap ($50 or less).
  • Price -- And this is tied into functionality. For what it does, it's just not worth $300.
  • Proprietary file format -- I should be able to buy my digital music anywhere I like, and play it in a universal format.

I *do* like what I hear about the random play function on iPod. The idea that I can load my songs in there and the machine can kinda "read" what I prefer the most sounds really cool. But honestly, it's something I think I can live without -- I don't mind searching for my own songs, or just listenning to whatever comes up. Compiling playlists is also part of the fun.

I really just want a player that I can use to carry my digital music on. But in addition to that, I like the idea of being able to record onto it from tape or vinyl or voice -- that could *really* expand the functionality of such a device!! One machine I'm looking at actually works as a portable hard drive -- if it's on your hard drive, you can transport it on this thing. That's a pretty cool idea, again, expanding the functionality of the device. Hubby has some files he'd like to be able to transfer between work and home, but over a dialup internet connection, they're just too big to e-mail. I have the same thing for my volunteer work.

In any case, this is all really hypothetical at this point -- I was thinking I might be able to find something really cool for $150 or less, and that's just not happening right now. They're still just too cool, and I'm not. I'm perfectly willing to wait until they're not the hottest thing going before I acquire one -- unless it gets counted as my "big" Christmas present this year.

So why am I putting this out there, if my mind seems to be so made up? Well, I would really like to have an intelligent conversation about this -- not just some "buy an iPod!" echo chamber. I've never been one to comply with trends, but I'm not such a nonconformist that I will absolutely refuse to go along with the crowd if it makes good sense to do so. So, given my issues, can you STILL say that the iPod is the best machine out there to suit my needs? And if not, then how about the other options available? I really appreciate pointers about what to avoid at all costs, as well! Thanks!

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More MP3 Player Pondering More

More MP3 Player Pondering

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  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • Not a bad idea. Thing is, I've already got a portable CD player, but it's nearly dead (has a LOT of problems playing CDs) and doesn't do MP3s. If I'm going to spend more mpney on something like this, I'm going to need to upgrade to new technology.

      But still, that's not a bad idea at all. I'll consider it, for sure.

      Oh, and about how many MB is one song in MP3 format? Just want to have an idea of how many songs/disc we're talkin'.

      ....Bethanie....
      • Comment removed based on user account deletion
        • you can also get 700mb discs and 800mb discs so in theory you could fit up to 155 or 177 songs (assuming they are all 4.5mb) but you'll find a lot that are around the 3mb mark in reality.

          I use to have one of these and it was great at the time and you can probably pick one up for $30-$40.
      • Figure about 1 MB per minute on average. Not knowing your musical tastes its a bad idea to quote MB per song. 20 minute classical works are going to be bigger than 3 minute pop made so the radio can maximize the time spent playing ads.
        • additionally, depending upon your level of audio-fidelity, you can rip at 64kbps mono (or less!)- cuts file sizes in half. Also, I tend to use my lil' 64 MB (Total!) mp3 player in VERY noisy environments (public transpo, planes, raised floor labs with gigantic air handlers) so I don't notice the "loss of fidelity."

          the other great thing about CD mp3 players is that they're around $20. If you don't have a CD burner, you can get one for $30.

  • I recommend more research. However, I prefere a tool that does one thing extremely well to one that deos a mediocre job oa many things.

    • Uuuhh, this [cnet.com] doesn't say a word about line-in recording. And the only other kinds of files it can hold are photos? It can do voice recording, but 7 out of 7 reviews for the compatible mic give it a thumbs down... And it still doesn't have an FM receiver, does it?

      So I did further research, but it's still not fitting the bill. I appreciate the impetus to do so, though. The more I read, the more I realize that an iPod just really isn't the right fit for me.

      I am probably not as picky as you are about my techn
      • If you want the ultimate experience for listening and carrying all your music around, the iPod is hands down the best. You *want* to use it. I've tried em all--the rest add some other functionality (like listening to shitty-ass FM tripe), forsaking design and user experience.

        Yes, about 70% of what's to love about the iPod *is* the experience (including playlists, randomizing, browsing your library, using iTunes, coming up with smart playlists that, for example, play your favorite 50 5-star eighties songs
        • I'm glad you chimed in, Rob, because I really value your opinion. You're smart and what you think is important to me. I'm glad that folks have pointed out the PDA-type functions (contacts, calendar, alarm clock) that the iPod has. Those could make a big difference WRT making it more worth the money (acting both as a player and a rudimentary PDA).

          One reason why I'd like to have FM access is to listen to NPR on it -- I don't really listen to music on the radio.

          I'm a little concerned about the complexities
          • Comment removed based on user account deletion
            • Comment removed based on user account deletion
              • :-)

                Things are good. Slept really late (past 11) for the 2nd morning in a row -- Squirt is a good li'l sleeper! It's nice to have Hubby home so I can take advantage of it.

                Had a really intense dream that we went to Disney World. So now I'm all about planning our trip... about 3 years from now, when Squirt is big enough to enjoy it.

                Other than that, things are OK. A little breezy ahead of Frances' approach. We'll grill burgers tonight and make chicken chili in the slow cooker for tomorrow, since that's wh
                • Comment removed based on user account deletion
                  • I can be a *very* determined sleeper when I want to be. And although our Master BR is on the main floor, we insulated the wall to "soundproof" it. It's quite effective.

                    As for DisneyWorld, you know they've got that Disney Rewards credit card -- you earn rewards that you can put towards a variety of things, including a Disney vacation. I was trying to find out about the T&C, to see if it'd be more worthwhile than the 1% dividend card we have (NOT Discover -- they can blow me). For us, in three years' ti
          • Couple last things and I'll leave ya alone. Except for the FM tuner, you could pretty much have all the functions via your computer. Recording the books on tape, album conversion can be done with software on your computer. Also, you can buy new digital books on iTunes Music Service (I've gotten about 3 so far).

            I'm not sure if a decent enough quality would exist in a handheld player to convert from album. Not that it has to be at audiophile quality, but it may not be good enough for the average listener
            • You really have a point there about the other functions being available on my computer. I don't know how much it costs to do that, but it would be a special project, anyway.

              The books on tape I have are kids' books -- I doubt they're on iTunes. But it's good to know that iTMS has books, too.

              I don't think that FM will be a deciding factor. The deciding factor will be value (i.e., a favorable ratio of features:price). Hubby and I were discussing it, and we both agree that a really awesome UI definitely has
        • Do you have a hammer that also functions as a screw driver? :)

          No, but I have a screwdriver than functions as a hammer. Not to mention, that if I take enough screwdrivers, I get hammered.

          Seriously, multi-tools have thier place. Something that can be a limited use hammer AND a limited use screwdriver can be very handy. Not what I'd want to build my house with, but not without a use.

      • The iPod _is_ a portable hard drive, and can hold any file types you want. It also has (rudimentary) contact lists, to-do list, calendar (with alarm funtionality) and "notes" support. The "Notes" support lets you drop text files onto the iPod and read them on-screen - probably not suitable for reading an entire book, though still quite handy. (I have a bunch of Sol's stories on mine, so I can read them on the way to/from work for instance - at the same time as listening to my music.)

        Plus, the iPod can pla
        • Is WMA the format that Windows puts it into? I *really* need something that works really smoothly with XP.

          Thanks for the info -- it's really helpful!

          ....Bethanie....
          • Is WMA the format that Windows puts it into? I *really* need something that works really smoothly with XP.

            WMA is Microsoft's proprietary audio format which supports DRM. Some online music stores only sell DRMed WMA files, which might be an issue for you, though what I do in this case is burn the WMA to CD and rip the CD in iTunes. (This might be more work than you want, but it has the added advantage that I now have a CD I can play in my CD player...)

            iTunes is a perfectly capable ripper. It will rip CDs
  • I have a Neuros 80GB bundle [neurosaudio.com], which may or may not be overkill; you may prefer some of their other products [neurosaudio.com], if you're interested in them at all.

    The Neuros plays multiple formats (mp3, ogg, wma, wav, and possibly others that I'm not sure of), as well as FM radio. It can also record to wav or mp3. It's usable as a USB hard drive.

    It's a bit large though, especially if you tend (like I do) to use the hard drive unit, 'cause I'm too lazy to sort my music into playlists and load a limited amount at a time.

  • I got my wife an Archos Jukebox like this GMini [amazon.com]. It's a 20 Gig drive that doubles as a hard drive but plays MP3.

    I use CDex [n3.net] to rip and can build folders of mixes. I don't even have the thing half full, and I keep getting CDs from the Library. It's small, fully functional, plays MP3, WAV and WMA.

    My wife has had hers for a few years now and loves it. She couldn't figure out why I was telling her to stop using her Sony Sports Tape Deck, but about a week later she came back and said "Cool, now I know why y
  • The iPod can play all the non-proprietary formats of sound files (MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible, etc.). The problem is that the online music stores sell music only in copy-protected proprietary formats (whether Apple's or Microsoft's)

    I realize that this doesn't answer most of your objections, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
    • can it play ogg? no but thats not important for 99.9% of people - can it play wma.. no and that is important for most people who rip with Windows Media Player
      • No OGG, but iTunes with convert WMA files (non-protected) into a playable format.
        • And for protected WMAs, so long as the licence allows you to burn the tracks to CD, just burn a CD and rip with iTunes. It's what I do... (The loss in quality is not noticable to any but the most anal of audiophiles.)
          • Hey! It's amazing what you can learn by following links folks send you!! It's actually easier [ipodlounge.com] than that. iPod's sounding better & better.

            ....Bethanie....
            • It's amazing what you can learn by following links folks send you!!

              I wouldn't always agree with that. Might be an obfuscated goatse link... ;-)

              It's actually easier than that. iPod's sounding better & better.

              The auto-WMA conversion only works for unprotected WMA files. If you buy WMAs from an online music store (like I do for instance - my ISPs music store is WMA only) then you need to do the burn/re-rip step unfortunately. iTunes does not have the ability to play protected WMA files.

              Also, I forgo
        • OK, how easily does it do that? Is it a simple drag & drop thing, or do I actually have to, say, retype a file name or something of that ilk?

          It may seem trivial, but as I'm doing the vast majority of my computing one-handed or even standing up (and one-handed), in short, 5- or 10-minute bursts, that sort of thing is really important.

          ....Bethanie....
          • OK, how easily does it do that? Is it a simple drag & drop thing, or do I actually have to, say, retype a file name or something of that ilk?

            Simply drag and drop. In fact, when you install iTunes, it will even scour your HD for audio files and import them automagically if you let it.

    • The iPod can play all the non-proprietary formats of sound files (MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible, etc.). The problem is that the online music stores sell music only in copy-protected proprietary formats (whether Apple's or Microsoft's)

      It's also worth noting that the iTunes Music Store's DRM is trivially defeated [hymn-project.org] in a lossless manner. I don't know if a similar tool exists for DRM-encumbered WMA; I've never looked for such a thing as I don't have any files that would need such a tool.

      (I end up incurring some

  • Not to sound like a smart-ass, but how about an iPaq?

    This isn't my ad, but something to look at [ebay.com]. It's the same one I have. With all the cool kids having their cool toys, I thought to myself, why don't I stick a 1Gb MMC card in the top, and carry it around to listen to music. I haven't done it yet, I had bought mine for a small portable hacking device. :)

    Mine is a 206Mhz StrongARM computer, that I can stick any PCMCIA card into I want (I have the sleeve for two PCMCIA cards, and an extra battery
  • First, I'm going to go through my run of your iPod objections. If you prefer, just skip this section. This is not a "Buy teh iPod!!11one11!!" shill. This is my review.

    -- iPod --
    The iPod is quite functional. It plays a fairly standard set of music file types - MP3, WAV, AIFF, Audible - as well as a few you don't find many places - AAC, Protected AAC, Apple Lossless. The battery life has always been acceptable for me, while it does slowly discharge if left unused for a long period of time.

    I have used my iPo
    • Thank you for the time you put into this!! It gave me a lot of info to digest and helps me realize the iPod is more functional (albeit at an additional cost!) than I had initially thought -- the reviews don't mention this stuff.

      Thanks, OcHab! ;-)

      ....Bethanie....
    • I have the iTrip, and although it is cool, it is not particularly easy to use, and I personally wouldn't recommend it to anyone, especially if they are syncing from a PC.

      I do believe that some of the other FM transmitters are a bit simpler though. The idea is great, just this particular design is cumbersome.

      Pixie
  • I went through the same thing (twice) when asking mp3 player questions. I think of them (with love) as the iPod people.

    My really short answer - I have a Rio Karma, which I like. It's only down sides are 1)must use it's charger - no replacable battery, and 2) It's a little bulky for running, etc. My second is an iRiver, which has get sound quality, line in recording, recording from any audio source, and FM tuning. It takes a AA battery. It's downsides are: 1) less capacity and 2)It records to some proprietar

    • Hey, thanks. I thought I remembered you asking about these, too. I should go back and read the replies you got, too.

      When you consider the capacity as a disadvantage of the iRiver, what capacity do you have, and how much (# of songs/length of time) does that hold? How does it impact how you use it?

      I've heard that the Rio breaks easily, and basically not to get one. I need something that can take some abuse -- even if I try to make it off limits for the kids (which, let's face it, is wishful thinking), I
      • iRiver - 256Meg - 40-80 songs, depending on bitrate, length, etc. Basically, I have to actually CHOOSE which music will be on it for any given period of time. Sort of like in my truck, I can play any of my CDs, as long as it's one of the 6 in the changer today. The battery seems to be good for 8-10 hours. (I forget what it's "officially" good for, and have no idea the impact that climate may play) So if I go on a trip, I need to remember to bring extra batteries, and choose a good mix of music. OR take the
        • Hrm. That limited capacity is a problem. Just a couple months ago, I *finally* changed out the CDs in my changer after over 2 years of having the same 6 in there.

          If I'm going to go ahead and get one of these things, I've got to be able to load a LOT of music onto it, else I'll never change it out, get tired of what I have on there, and it'll just sit on the shelf or wherever and not get used.

          BTW, I have a really awesome set of computer speakers, complete with the big subwoofer & all -- back when I w
  • hubby and I are considering one of the 'inflate your own side ' models, is it comfy and is it worth the price ?
    • Well, it's the most comfortable bed we've ever slept on. Of course, we love the versatility, even though we don't really play around with the settings too much.

      We originally looked at the Sleep Number beds, but they're priced really high. Instead, we got a Comfortaire [comfortaire.com] bed, which is the same thing, but priced a lot lower. I'm pretty sure we got the Celenia model 'cause it was a good deal. Had it just about a year now, and it's seen me through a pregnancy and into cosleeping with a baby -- it's nice, and I

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