iPod

[edyzmedieval]

This tiny little gadget has been revolutionising the world. Recently, they recently a new model called an iPod Touch, which combines superb design with 16GB of memory (not a lot, I know, but that's more than enough for me!).

I was wondering if it was worth it, or should the little iPod Nano do the trick.

[Lord Winter]

The touch IMHO is preaty much useless, a more expensive nano with a touch screen. I would say ethier go with the Classic if you need the memory or the nano if your fine with 8gigs.

[Beirut]

Funny you should bring this up...

I just got one of these yesterday. A Sandisk E280.


It's the size of a credit card, and a bit more than a 1/4" thick. The screen is just under 2" diagonally. It has 8GB of memory, the sound is really nice, and the screen is much nicer than you would imagine. The software is easy to install and it dumps your music and videos in very easily. The controls took me a few minutes to get used to (but I'm an idiot) and are pretty simple and straightforward. PC Gamer (ya, ya, I know) gave it 90%+ on the review and said it had several options that the iPod didn't. Oh, it has a Lithium battery that charges through your USB post and lasts, they say, about a full day. The battery is user replaceable and costs about $25.

I spent a while last night ripping all my Floyd albums, about twenty of them, and dumping them into this thing. This was why I got the thing, really. I wanted an MP3 player that would hold my whole collection. I still have plenty of space left for, you know.... other music.

This is my first MP3 player and I'm really enjoying it. I'll be showing it off today to anyone I can pin down.

*Just found this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i73sp9ZjkAk

Oh, by the by, this thing does not support the Lossless music file format. Bummer.

[KukriKhan]

Those are pretty snazzy-looking machines, fellas.

I work outdoors most of the day, so a flashy screen telling me what's playing, is just one more thing to get broken when dropped, scratched, or otherwise abused. So, for my purposes, the tiny, no-screen iPod "Shuffle", with 1GB (about 240 songs), serves me quite well. And I've found I only have to re-charge it via USB once every 3 days (= about 25 hours of operation).

So, although I envy your pretty Ferrari mp3 players for their looks, for now I'll stick with my itsy-bitsy John Deere green shuffle.

Besides, the little woman won it in a contest, so it's my favorite price ($0).

p.s. I've written a letter to Mr. Jobs at Apple, explaining that some of us can't afford to keep both ears tied up (for safety reasons) when outdoors - and could he think about somehow pumping both channels of sound thru a single earpiece. That was about a month ago - no response yet. :)

[Bijo]

It would seem iPod has struck a popular-cultural nerve. Personally I dislike iPod and all those products from them. Especially those first 'i' letters in the names, argh: iTunes, iPod, iSchmod, goddamn, it's starting to become.... a "nuisance". If I could only collect all these objects into a mountain and have it all destroyed, heheheh >:)

Fortunately I have not been struck by this movement. On the other hand, i I must admit it is generally a fine tool that serves some good utility in a facile, and mobile, manner. I assume it accepts data other than just audio? What are the audio formats used and how is their, and the iPod's, quality?

[KukriKhan]

Yeah, I agree, the "iThingee" has gotten out of hand. I take my iPod to my iJob, to listen to my iMusic in my iEar during my iLunchbreak.

Marketing, and naming aside, though, they work well (at least my "shuffle" does). Very easy to operate, quality sound, high capacity, and excellent battery life. My little shuffle only records audio. The fellas with the bigger machines and screens can capture video as well.

[Lemur]

I was wondering if it was worth it, or should the little iPod Nano do the trick.

I'm a big fan of the Nano. Relatively cheap, does the trick, no moving parts to break, etc. Sturdy little beast.

When it comes to portable devices of any sort, cheaper and less breakable = good. I wouldn't get the Touch just because I'd worry about it. The only reason to get it would be if watching movies was important, say for instance, if you were doing a lot of plane or train travel and you really wanted the option of watching some films to while away the hours.

[Geoffrey S]

Don't know about all these new iPods, but I'm still running a first generation iPod after six years and it's working perfectly; have only had to have the battery replaced once so far.

[doc_bean]

I'm not sure an iPod is ever worth it, given the price they're going compared to cheaper brands of mp3 players.

The iPod generation is really just a rehash of the yuppies.

[Beirut]

p.s. I've written a letter to Mr. Jobs at Apple, explaining that some of us can't afford to keep both ears tied up (for safety reasons) when outdoors - and could he think about somehow pumping both channels of sound thru a single earpiece. That was about a month ago - no response yet. :)

I use a stereo-2-mono adapter because I'm deaf in one ear. Not sure the adapter always works, though. There are still times I'm sure I'm missing some of the music.

I'd be happy to find a program that would convert music from stereo to mono and run all the stuff I stick in my MP3 player through it.

[Ramses II CP]

A touch screen for a device that is frequently stuck in a pocket or otherwise pressed and abraded against surfaces doesn't seem like a good idea. Just my two cents.

As far as iPods, they're very high utility tech devices IMHO. We've just bought a portable DVD player that will dock an iPod, which opens up a vast amount of free podcast type content to entertain the little one on trips. Of course it's also a portable HD, photo album, etc. iTunes just rates acceptable, but they've got more music and other content than any other service by a long way. Quite frankly even if the iPod were an inferior device I would probably compromise on it in order to have the broader selection of their library.

[Beirut]

I'm a big fan of the Nano. Relatively cheap, does the trick, no moving parts to break, etc. Sturdy little beast.

When it comes to portable devices of any sort, cheaper and less breakable = good. I wouldn't get the Touch just because I'd worry about it. The only reason to get it would be if watching movies was important, say for instance, if you were doing a lot of plane or train travel and you really wanted the option of watching some films to while away the hours.

Agreed. I just wanted a fancy MP3/video player that could act as a portable entertainment center. I can't listen to music at work, it's not feasible, but there are times when I would like to have a diversion and this little gadget is diverting, that's for sure. Had a lovely walk today listening to some Moody Blues. (I still remember listening to Simon & Garfunkle on the very first Sony Walkman cassete player back around '81 or so.)

I bought my 11 year-old a $50 Sansa 512MB El Cheapo last Christmas, but she doesn't use it much because she has an iPod that someone else gave her. The El Cheapo Sansa sounds nice, it's easy to load up and use, so me and Mrs. Beirut use that is either of us feel the need to go to war in the trenches and bring tunes along.

The $50 El Cheapo Sansa. I think you can get a 256MB version for the price of a pizza.

[Marshal Murat]

I have a 'Mini Cube Mp3 player'

Mini Cube Mp3 player

Mine has 2 GB, and it's small.
Very small.

I could lose it, easy. It's barely 2 inches.
Small.

But I can run/jog/walk/bike with it, and it's size makes it unobtrusive. It suits my needs, but I think I need to upgrade sooner than later.

[Bijo]

I use a stereo-2-mono adapter because I'm deaf in one ear. Not sure the adapter always works, though. There are still times I'm sure I'm missing some of the music.

I'd be happy to find a program that would convert music from stereo to mono and run all the stuff I stick in my MP3 player through it.

If you use a stereo-to-mono adapter I would have to assume the whole signal would become mono, as in both channels (stereo left and right) become one.

If you need a program to convert the stereo files to mono I think there are some free ones around, but I don't really know for certain and where if they exist. Then again.... I'm not certain, but perhaps you could use any free desktop media player. For instance I remember that Winamp is able to write audio files to the disk if you want, and it should be possible to have it write them to mono.

I would not recommend however to convert them: (1) suppose you give a file to another person he or she would have mono forced; (2) you are already using an adapter which should function just fine; (3) in some cases mono would squeeze the signals too much together possibly creating conflicting signals (generally the audio quality would be decreased).

[edyzmedieval]

Momentarily I am using the phone memory to store all my music but 7 hours of music already filled a 512MB card, so it's clearly the time to get myself an MP3 player. Momentarily I saved enough to get myself a more expensive one, especially with Christmas coming up and me being totally clueless on what I want. (the first time it happens! )

So, Beirut's option is clearly one on my shortlist, along with a Touch and a Nano. Any other suggestions folks?

[Husar]

especially with Christmas coming up

What? Didn't we have that about a year ago already?

As to your problem, I guess it depends on how much music you want, I have a 1GB card for my cellphone and it's not even full IIRC.

[Mikeus Caesar]

I have the one on the right - the Creative Zen Vision:m. A 60GB monster with amazing screen quality and very easy to use controls. Best thing i've bought in years, despite it's rather hefty price tag. It will last me for quite a long time, and it's rather resilient - i've struggled to cause much damage. A few scratches to the screen through my own error, but nothing else. Much better than iPod's, which my friends are always complaining about having broken.

[Lorenzo_H]

I've got a Nano, not the newest edition, the second newest. The really thin one.

Its ok...

I'm thinking of getting an iPhone, though the iCliche is getting on my nerves too.

[Ramses II CP]

Don't you mean your inerves?

[edyzmedieval]

Don't you mean your iNerves?

There, I corrected it for you.
I've been looking at Sandisk and they have some pretty nice stuff around in their collection.

[Bijo]

Why don't you just find an old-fashioned walkman and use those old-fashioned tapes? Ah, good old days.

[edyzmedieval]

I got myself a Touch, 16GB, which I found at a super bargain price. I replaced the Apple headset, which was of poor quality, and replaced them with high end ones. It's absolutely perfect for me. I already filled 3GB of music, and till I go back to school I'm going to fill it completely.

Does anyone know what format for videos iPod supports?

[Lemur]

All of the iPods with screens can handle MPEG-4, or better yet H.264. Here's a complete guide.

-edit-

Nevermind, that guide is way out of date. Here's a more recent how-to primer.

This appears to be the best one-stop-shop for converting video in this way.

[Ramses II CP]

I believe most of the videos on my iPods are .mov files, including all the low res Red vs Blue episodes. I'm sure Apple has some drm format for the videos they sell too. Offhand I don't know of any other supported formats.

edit: Lemur preceded me with better info, thanks for the link. :)

[Lemur]

Since Divx is becoming the de facto standard for storing your own video, here's a converter from Divx to iPod-friendly formats.

[edyzmedieval]

Can I hug the Lemur?

[Lemur]

If you don't mind fur and fleas, then yes.

[sapi]

Since Divx is becoming the de facto standard for storing your own video, here's a converter from Divx to iPod-friendly formats.

Would you happen to know of a freeware/open source one?

The only one that I've managed to find converts in real time...and if I ever look like I'm going to sit and wait for 40GB of divx to convert in realtime, please shoot me

EDIT: Think I've found something, though this is reminding me why I should have got a dual core

[Blodrast]

Would you happen to know of a freeware/open source one?

The only one that I've managed to find converts in real time...and if I ever look like I'm going to sit and wait for 40GB of divx to convert in realtime, please shoot me

EDIT: Think I've found something, though this is reminding me why I should have got a dual core

Besides pqdvd-to-ipod, Imtoo is pretty useful/popular. IIRC, they've got a whole suite of thingies... Afraid it's not free, although it's been a couple of years since I've used anything like that. Don't remember how fast it was... think something of the order of converting 250-300MB in a few minutes (i.e., pretty slow, if you've got 40GB to cover).
Anyhow, I'll say again that the last time I looked for something like this was two years ago, and I'd hope more stuff has popped up in the meantime.

Sorry if this post isn't very useful, I thought I'd share the little I know about this.