555-Shaggy

What would it be and what are your reasons?

Would like something simple to use and at least 2000 songs (preferably more).

To be used with PC, and want to sync 2 players with one PC or 1 player with 2 PC's (if you see what I mean).

Don't currently download music although could be tempted to save getting all the rubbish with compiliation CD's.

Want to be able to play the music on the MP3 player, PC's burn to CD's for back-up and playing in the car.

So, what would it be and why?

Thanks

KiwiGTI

iPod because

-sound quality
-iTunes
-image
-accessory range

AndyWalker

seconded

i dont think id entertain anything else

GC8

Whch iPod though? 4GB Nano @ £130; 8GB Nano @ £170 or 30GB iPod Video @£190.....?

Luan Pra bang

Anything apart from an ipod.
Becuase
Anoying to use.
Awkward to move from 1 PC to the next
I tunes is rubbish and uses lots of resources annoying if you have a laptop.
Sound quality is bad
reliability is very bad
Accessorys range is good though overpriced.

AndyWalker

prob the 30gig video one for me

GaryK

ipod

mainly for the accessories and the fact that most manufacturers are now putting ipod links in cars.

555-Shaggy

Don't iTunes copy protect music though? or is this just a rumour I heard?

Why would I want iTunes when I already have Windows Media Player?

Can you use an iPod without iTunes?

Can the iPod videos be worn while working out in the gym? via armband or something?

Luan Pra bang

Ipods are rubbish for this kind of thing I have 2 ipods and 2 computers and they are a night mare to use together they like to delete all the songs of 1 ipod every time you plug a new one in.

555-Shaggy

So, what would you get?

TopBanana

Ipod Nano. I only use it with one PC and it's great.

Chris L

iPod sound quality is only naff if you use the standard head phones (which can probably be said for most players). Encode at a high bit rate on AAC or similar and you will get good results. I've been looking around too and I keep coming back to the 30Gb iPod video (cheapest I've found is £148).

lightning101

Tevion 20gb £65 inc vat, can take flash memory cards from camera etc, comes with sennheiser headphones as standard. You can buy them on aria and get next day delivery Quality far exceeds IPOD

Oh and you can buy spare batteries on ebay (lithium rechargable) for 4.99 each

KiwiGTI

I have 2 PCs and 3 Macs, all with iTunes on, and 4 iPods. (iPod video, older 15GB iPod for the car, wife's Nano and a Shuffle for on the bike/gym)

I don't have any problems syncing them with any of my computers, and I haven't consolidated my iTunes libraries onto one of them. (although if all computers are on the network I can share iTunes libraries between them)

Apart from that I can wirelessly stream my music direct to my Airport Express connected to my home stereo from any of my computers.

When I want a CD burnt I just select the CD and insert a blank disk and click the burn icon. i can also make my own custom playlists and burn them. They can be any mix of my own ripped CDs or from songs I have bought of the iTunes store. I can rip as many of these CDs as I want, there is no limit. Additionally once burnt to CD the music is a WAV file and is completely unprotected.

AAC is proven to be a better quality format than WMA files, but I can also record in MP3 or Apple lossless.

Any ripped CDs automatically have their track names filled in and the cover artwork downloaded.

If anyone can point me to a better program that is free, or even paid for, then I would be interested to see it.

555-Shaggy

I'm trying to have a look lightning, but struggling to find... link?

KiwiGTI

Think that say it all really, I've seen dozens of no-name MP3 players and your chances of getting any support are zilch. Try controlling that from your cars head unit or getting updated drivers for Vista etc.

speedking

Creative Zen micro or similar from that family. Cheaper, repairable, songs available in multi formats, songs transferrable, built in radio which you can record off, can be used for data storage. We use three with two computers, and have never deleted our entire library, or paid three times for the same song

lightning101

Medion the manufacturer are german and are one of the largest electronics manufacturers in europe.

I have both the tevion and my partner has an ipod, the tevion wins hands down.

Markus

Music downloaded from the iTunes Music Store is in Protected AAC format, do yes, it is DRM'd. However, there's nothing to stop you from burning this to a CDRW and then ripping it back in a non protected copy should you wish to use it on a non Apple MP3 player.

There are a few other solutions instead of using iTunes, one of them being Anapod Explorer.

I managed two iPods on four computers and don't have a problem. I've ensured that iTunes is not using the default option to automatically sync the iPod against the computer and thus I don't have problems with music being removed as iTunes tries to auto-sync against the computer you currently have it connected to.

Hanslow

A Creative one. I have a Zen Sleek Photo . Sound quality is excellent, navigation is excellent, simple drag and drop and ability to use as general portable media.

PeteBrant

You can do all that on WMP ( and even more on WMP11 - stream video etc) and on Sony Connect.

As for AAC being proven to be better quality then WMA, once you get to a given bitrate,say, above 128kbps, there is virtually nothing to choose from the main formats (AAC, WMA, ATRAC, MP3, OGG etc).

You can get adapters for most MP3 players to other units - I have a 20GB Sony NWHD3 connected to my Head unit - I can control everything without having to touch the MP3 player.

Having said this the Nano's are absolutley gorgeous bits of kit - If I didn't have a MP3 player already, then a 8GB nano would be my first choice.

Chris L

Have to say on my initial searches, I'd be inclined to agree. I couldn't find the player on Aria (under Tevion or Medion) or on Kelkoo. It sounded interesting, but if you can't get hold of them....

I would also agree about iTunes, as a free piece of software it seems to do the job very well. It is a little resource hungry on a PC, but it runs perfectly on my MacBook

GC8

Wheres that from Chris?

Luan Pra bang

Creative player of some kind though I still use Ipods as I got 2 of them a few years ago without knowing about the problems with them and have regreted it ever since.

Chris L

I'm sure it was off a search on Kelkoo - I'll check when i get home

555-Shaggy

Cheers Chris, I'm interested too...

Simon C

Ipod.

I've had my 20gb for coming up 3 years now and no probs at all. Its even now replaced the CD changer in the car.

Just bin the standard earphones and replace with something decent.

scoob_babe

I was looking at the creative zen vision M but then Apple brought out an 80 gig ipod for not that much more (relatively speaking) plus there was nothing on the Creative web site about new products to compete. I got the ipod . Thanks to Messiah, I have now got some videos on it which are handy at the gym!

Itunes is the link between the hardware and media however all of our music is MP3 anyway so I just dragged it over to itunes to sync. This way I don't lose anything if/when itunes / ipod crashes and the sony mp3 player that we also have can use the same mp3s

You can buy generic cables that will let you use any mp3 player in a car, you aren't restricted to ipod.

HTH

BOB.T

I have an ipod nano, it's great! I use it in the gym, no problems at all, it still works despite being dropped onto the treadmill and fired across the gym, twice!

KiwiGTI

It's when you want to be able to control the MP3 player from your head unit that iPods become useful. (ie: browse songs on the head units screen etc)