MP3 Player advice Please
TV ClubHouse: Archive: MP3 Player advice Please
Tishala | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 12:05 am     I think I wanna get one, but I have no idea what is good and/or bad, how much memory they should have, which features I should look for, which models or companies are good or bad, etc. Everyone here is a technophile, it seems to me, so I hope I can get some guidence. Gracias. |
Ddr1135 | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 05:52 am     Tish, I'm also techno-challenged. Only information I can offer is the one I bought my son was accidently washed (he left it in his jeans) and it still worked! |
Scorpiomoon | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 11:46 am     Tishala: Recently, on TechTV's "Call For Help" they reviewed some mp3 players. You might want to check out the article and reviews. Here's the link to their reviews: http://www.techtv.com/callforhelp/products/story/0,24330,3566796,00.html (Sorry for not being able to post the above link properly. Because they include comas in the URL it doesn't work when I posted it using the TVCH message code.) I have an mp3 player from Samsung. I love it. If I were to get a new Samsung model, I would get this one If I'm not mistaken, a company called Creative is the "industry leader" when it comes to mp3 players. (Well, that's after Apple. Apple's iPod is the mp3 player out there. But it is incredibly expensive and, I'm guessing, can only be used by Mac users.) In terms of what to get, it depends on many things. How much do you want to spend? How much memory do you want? Are you cool with dealing players that work with their own software or do you want to be able to simply drag and drop your mp3s on the to player? I'd say, look through various reviews to get a feel for what options various players have and decide which ones you can and can't live without. In terms of memory, again it depends on how much you really want to have. You can get mp3 players that will hold 1000+ songs. Personally, my player (which is two years old) has 32MB of internal memory and I use a 32MB Smartmedia card. It holds about 20 songs. Unless you're wanting to carry around your entire music collection all the time, I personally think 128MB is more than enough. But that's just my opinion. If you have any other questions just post them here and I will try and help. |
Reader234 | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 11:50 am     My question... MP3, dont you download the songs onto a Mp3 player? And isnt that now a no no to download??? Or is there a site for Mp3 downloads? |
Scorpiomoon | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 11:53 am     Reader: There are sites where you can buy music in mp3 form. But what you can do, and what is perfectly legal, is, if you have a CD, you can "rip" the songs off of it, turn them into mp3s and put them on your player. (Ripping songs off a CD is easy and doesn't hurt the CD. ) |
Tabbyking | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 11:54 am     that's why my son wants for christmas. he wants at least 10G though. we found one on eBay from RCA that went for about 130 bucks at the end of auction, which was a really good price; however, the seller had zero feedback so far and i won't buy from someone with no feedback. (one year, a 'seller' put up a picture of a computer and wrote 'what you see is what you get.' it was a dutch auction and he sold all 10 or 20, whatever he had listed for upwards of 1k each. turned out he sent 'a picture of the computer'. i don't know how the people got their money back--some people want money orders or paypal only and then are gone after making some quick money.) this new person selling the MP3 may well be legit, but it's just my policy not to buy from someone who isn't 'established' with eBay. |
Scorpiomoon | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 12:06 pm     I hear ya, Tabby. I've been on eBay for five years and have had nothing but positive experiences, but after hearing so many stories like the one you mentioned just leaves one feeling extremely cautious. |
Tabbyking | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 01:27 pm     well, i just bought my son the rca lyra2840 40GB jukebox whatever (how long a name can they have!?)from amazon. it was 30 dollars less than anywhere else (circuit city, target, etc.)...and not much more than the 10 and 20 GB MP3's i found online. that will be his big christmas present. we will have to see what he can download...i am worried, too, about what can legally be downloaded! |
Tabbyking | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 01:34 pm     the rca2840 lists for $349.00 with rca. i got it for $269.88 at amazon.com (it lists for 299 at every other store where i could find it online). i'm sure it will be half-price by next summer, but that doesn't help us now! |
Cathie | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 09:08 pm     Tabby, you don't have to download if you have CD burner software on your PC. Most software will let you convert the tracks on your audio CDs to MP3 format. The only problem would be when you want to have MP3 files of songs you don't have the CD for, but of course I know you would never attempt to illegally download anything... p.s. Your son is very lucky--I know that $$$ would rather be in Vegas, huh? |
Tabbyking | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 10:00 pm     thanks, cathie, i will certainly check on that for kyle, and are you EVER right about rather having the $$$$ for vegas! is there ever a time you put yourself before the kids, even when they are grown and 50 years old?! i remember before i had kids and i bought my bandolino and sebago shoes, and i. magnin clothes, and vehicles...pretty much what i wanted...then i met a woman in our building with a small daughter and was amazed that every time she went shopping, she bought things for the daughter. then i had a child and it was all about HIM. LOL and i have been broke but pretty contented since then! |
Cathie | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 10:46 pm     That reminds me of a co-worker I had in the 80's. She was young, spoiled, the whole me, me, me thing going on. When she had her first child she was actually jealous of the baby because she (new mom) wasn't getting all the attention anymore. She called the office crying when the baby was about a week old because everyone had brought gifts for the baby and nobody had brought any for her. On the bright side, I did run into her about 15 years and two more children later, and she had miraculously matured, was bragging about the kids accomplishments, etc., just a regular mom. |
Sanfranjoshfan | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 11:08 pm     I haven't ever used an iPod or any other MP3 player, but I have been 100% satisfied with every Apple product I've ever owned. The Apple iPod works for both Mac and Windows: Up to 10,000 songs The new iPod now comes in 10GB, 20GB and 40GB models. It’s lighter than 2 CDs, can hold up to 10,000 songs, and downloads music at blazing speeds. Touch-sensitive With no moving parts, the iPod has an all-touch interface for enhanced durability and sensitivity. The dock The 20GB and 40GB iPod models come with a dock that syncs via FireWire or USB 2.0* and charges via FireWire. There is even an audio line out for connecting to powered speakers or a stereo system. System Requirements: iPod for Mac requires a Macintosh with built-in FireWire and Mac OS X v10.1.5 or later (Mac OS X v10.2 or later recommended). iPod for Windows requires a PC with built-in or Windows-certified FireWire or USB 2.0* card; and Windows 2000, or Windows XP Home or Professional. View iPod warranty information. * USB 2.0 connection is for Windows PCs only; dock connector to USB 2.0 cable sold separately. Link |
Tabbyking | Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 11:15 pm     when i compared the iPod and the one i got from rca, they were pretty similar, but the iPod was at least 200 dollars more! i have a very good friend, whom i have known since he was 12 and setting the neighbor's yards on fire, who did most all of the software for apple from its start-up days, did macpaint and the hypercard, etc., so i try to be loyal to apple, but i just couldn't justify the added expense! |
Tabbyking | Thursday, November 20, 2003 - 09:29 am     so does anyone know of inexpensive download sites? my son does have several cds at home that he can download, but there is no way in God's green earth we can afford 99 cents a song to download anything off the internet! |
Cathie | Thursday, November 20, 2003 - 02:29 pm     Hmmm...that's when you (cough, cough) get together with friends and swap CDs...at least I've been told that's the easiest way to get inexpensive MP3s, not that I would ever do it, no sir, not me... (I used to use Morpheus, which was and probably still is free, but when people started getting arrested it scared me away) |
Yankee_In_Ca | Thursday, November 20, 2003 - 02:46 pm     Tabby -- We have had that same RCA MP3 player for a month and a half and I love it. I used to have a Creative Nomad Jukebox (the first high-capacity MP3 player), but the RCA is faster, lighter and has an easier interface. I like it much better. I've also heard great things about the iPod, but I can tell you from experience that the RCA player is great. Also, most of my MP3 are "ripped" (see messages above) from CDs. I don't really download anything from the internet, paid or not. And not that I'm admitting to anything, but Cathie's suggestion above about friends is ... (cough, cough) ... a very good one. One I "might" have taken myself... (or maybe not. I'm not saying ) Yankee P.S. -- Sometimes you can download songs legally for free from websites, including the artists' websites, and even some sites like Amazon.com have a "free download" section. But those are few and far between. |
Crossfire | Thursday, November 20, 2003 - 03:01 pm     If you're in Canada, copying from friends is not only a great idea, it is perfectly legal. |
Bastable | Thursday, November 20, 2003 - 04:18 pm     I love my iPod. And what they don't tell you about it is that you can use it as a disk! If it's big enough, you can back up your entire hard drive on it, and then if your computer crashes, you can boot up from it and restore everything! That's pretty cool. Plus, it's incredibly easy to use. |
Cas0496 | Thursday, November 20, 2003 - 10:09 pm     You say you think you want to get one... I would start with something small (as in low price) and see if it will fit in with your lifestyle. There is some work involved with MP3 players as far as downloading the music you want or ripping your favorite CD's and then you have to upload all of your choices. Personally, I got the RCA Kazoo which comes with a standard 64 megabytes of memory. There is an expansion slot if you need more memory and is relatively inexpensive. 64 megs will give you appx. 15 to 20 songs. I only paid $29.00 for it from Ebay and I absolutely love it! It's about the size of a matchbook and all function buttons are easily operable. I could go on and on but I would definitely start with a cheaper model before you end up spending $300+ on something you may end up not using. Just my  |
Wendo | Friday, November 21, 2003 - 10:23 pm     I, too, have an iPod (40GB) and I LOVE IT. It was one of the best purchases I ever made. Yes, it is more expensive than other similar models out there, however, it is literally the best MP3 player on the market. No other model comes close to the software and user interface of the iPod. For me, I waited a bit and saved for the iPod. I'm glad I did. And, as someone else noted, an iPod can also be used as a backup disk. I keep a full version of my system software on it in case of a crash. Very handy. Also, as Sanfran stated, iPods ARE compatible with both Mac and Windows PCs. In fact, iTunes and the iTunes Music Store are now compatible as well. |
Bonzacat | Saturday, November 22, 2003 - 04:03 pm     Add another vote for the iPod! In addition to the great uses mentioned by Bastable, SanFran and Wendo, it is also now capable of storing voice messages and digital images (with some add-ons), and current software will synch or import calendar and contacts. It can almost be used as a PDA. As a music player it's a beautiful thing. And the iTunes Music Store has added so much new music in the past 30 days, I almost always find what I'm looking for these days. Also, if you are one with a large home CD collection, the cataloging and CD burning options in iTunes just can't be beat. |
Bastable | Saturday, November 22, 2003 - 05:33 pm     I wouldn't skimp on an mp3 player. If it doesn't work, it'll drive you nuts. The market is full of also-rans, but the fact is the iPod is the one that led the mp3 revolution. Get something reliable and flexible and you can't go wrong--the iPod is the market leader for a reason--it's good. It's not a copycat product. I use mine every single day. Worth the extra money. |
Tishala | Saturday, November 22, 2003 - 06:57 pm     OK, I have to admit part of me wanted to hear an outpouring of iPOD love...but I have a question for you devotees: what is the deal with its battery? I hear that it continues to weaken over its life until it eventually retains its charge for only an hour or so (this is over about 2 years) and it is not replaceable. True? Should I really worry what's going to be happening two ears from now anyhow? This IS technology we are talking about here... |
Wendo | Saturday, November 22, 2003 - 10:00 pm     Tishala, personally, I haven't run into any issues with my iPod and battery life. However, I'm one of those who plugs all their gadgets in their respective docks when the day is done. LOL! Heh. However, those times that I do use it often, I've gotten pretty close to the advertised time it's supposed to last. Technically, the battery is not replaceable. But, I'm sure there are after market places that will replace the battery. And, by then, the warranty would be out anyway. However, Apple is finally offering Applecare for the iPod. It's $59 dollars and will cover any and all battery issues (along with other stuff too. Full details at Apple's website.) It also extends the warranty to two years. Personally, I plan to get it for mine when the one year warranty is about to end. Usually, you can buy Applecare just before the standard warranty is about to end. Lastly, if it were me, I wouldn't worry about what's going to happen two years from now. Heck, two years ago the iPod just came out and look where we are now. The iPod will continue to evolve as it has since it first arrived on the scene. If you're concerned about spending too much, go for the 10 GB iPod. It's $299, holds approx. 2500 songs, and doesn't dent the pocket book too much. Plus, in two years, when the ultra video iPod with color screen is available, you can buy that! (That last part is just my wish. LOL!) I'll be honest, I'm on my third iPod. I bought the original one when they first came out. Hooked immediately. Bought the 20 GB version that came out a year later because I needed more space. Just upgraded to the 40 GB version because I wanted to take advantage of the accessories now available for the dock port; ie: the flash card reader. Also, I wanted the voice recorder capabilities and the ability to keep a full system backup on it. Also, when I upgraded, I passed along my old iPods; one to my sister and one to her husband. So, all in all, it's worked out great. And, they love the iPod too. My sister absolutely loves iTunes. She said she downloads several songs a week. And, honestly, I do too. Just bought two albums in the last week. It's great. Anyway, hope this further info is able to help. |
Bonzacat | Saturday, November 22, 2003 - 11:56 pm     Tishala, I haven't had any battery problems either. I am still using the original 5 GB iPod and it's a solid little techno-wonder. It is currently holding a library of 673 songs, which uses 2.95 GB of space. So you can imagine the storage opportunity with even the 10 GB iPod. And FWIW, my better half is an Apple dealer and he has not sold any units or heard of any with significant battery problems. He mentioned a few new units had problems "out of the box", and were replaced immediately under full Apple warranty. But no one is wandering back in with complaints. Two years from now you'll be trading in the iPod you buy today for Wendo's color screen version, or the iPod Digital Cell Phone w/ 9 Megapixel Digital Camera (my version). :-) |
Wendo | Sunday, November 23, 2003 - 12:35 pm     Ooooh, I want Bonzacat's dream iPod!!!!! |
Bonzacat | Sunday, November 23, 2003 - 04:28 pm     LOL, Wendo! As long as they can keep it the same size it is now.... don't you think in two years we'll be that far along? ;-) |
Crossfire | Monday, November 24, 2003 - 08:39 am     Interesting about the battery thing, I just came across an article video on the matter. |
Wendo | Monday, November 24, 2003 - 05:34 pm     Interesting video. However, based on my experience, the battery in my first iPod (bought on the day they were released to retail) is still going strong. Also, the video is now inaccurate regarding the repair/replacement of the iPod battery (and possible options.) In the video, it says it's $250. However, Apple now has a program to replace the internal battery for $99 (not cheap mind you, but better than it was.) I imagine that with the new iPod Applecare, there would be no fee though. Further, as I said in a prior post, I'm sure third party retailers will offer iPod battery replacement. And, if your iPod is out of warranty anyway, then I would go the third party route. Let me check... Here's a site that sells a kit for the first generation iPods: http://www.pdasmart.com/ipodpartscenter.htm Another site for both generations: http://www.ipodbattery.com/ Anyway, it does appear that there are other options now available. As time goes on, I anticipate more options will continue to become available. Bonzacat, let's hope we're that far along! LOL! |
Lyn | Tuesday, December 02, 2003 - 09:41 pm     Hubby got me that same RCA MP3 as Tabbyking for my birthday. I've been using son's (same one) for the last few months, next Monday I finally get custody of MINE |
Tishala | Wednesday, December 03, 2003 - 01:34 am     How do you like it Lyn? What do you like and dislike about it, if I may ask... |
Lyn | Friday, December 05, 2003 - 11:43 am     It's easy to use, easy to program the songs, only takes one AAA battery (even rechargables), you can upgrade it...and best of all, it's RCA quality |
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