mp3 player

[greekrefugee]

I've been wanting to get an mp3 player for a while, but my inherited frugality wouldn't let me get one until my minidiscman died. It finally did. Yay (there was much rejoicing).

SO.

I've only just started doing research. The iPod seems expensive. I truly don't give a fuck about the whole Apple aesthetic, both fan-boy and hater perspective alike. I care about:
-Price/quality ratio
-Size (both of the actual unit and storage capcity). It HAS to be small enough that I can easily take it running/whatever else active.
-Software. The first few versions of the Sony software for my minidiscman had some horrible attempt at DRM that only made their painfully bad interface even worse. I don't want something that will revitalize my whole life through my music experience, that will try and organize my shit for me, or anything like that. Ideally I'd like some kind of raw write feature that had my mp3 player as a sort of external hard drive, and I could just drag and drop music onto it.

Thoughts, and personal experiences?

Go.

[Raeus and Ashra]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Olympus-m-robe-MR-1 ... dZViewItem

For under 40 dollars you could get a nice little mp3 player that looks very nice. All black with red lighting. Got one in Japan a ways back, it always felt like I was using a Virtual Boy. You had to install a software package but it was drag and drop. That's the cheap option.

But the Zunes look nice, not sure about their software though.

http://www.zune.net/en-US/?WT.srch=1

[Mirkendargen]

If you care about using accessories (desk speakers, car adapters, etc.) get an iPod. If you just want something to plug headphones into and listen to music, don't. You can find something for way less that will do everything you need (and probably play WMA's on the side).

Whatever you use, iPod or other, use MediaMonkey to manage it. Hit me up for a reg key if you want it.

Or it sounds like what you want is exactly like what most MP3 players already do. They act just like a flash drive when you plug them into your computer. iPods also do...sort of. They bury their music in strange directories and rename the files though, so manual copying isn't really an option, you have to use SOME sort of program. Luckily, there are way better options that won't try to install heeps of bullshit on your computer like iTunes does. MediaMonkey is my pick, but there are smaller even lighter weight options as well.

[Aus]

If you care about using accessories (desk speakers, car adapters, etc.) get an iPod. If you just want something to plug headphones into and listen to music, don't. You can find something for way less that will do everything you need (and probably play WMA's on the side).

Whatever you use, iPod or other, use MediaMonkey to manage it. Hit me up for a reg key if you want it.

Or it sounds like what you want is exactly like what most MP3 players already do. They act just like a flash drive when you plug them into your computer. iPods also do...sort of. They bury their music in strange directories and rename the files though, so manual copying isn't really an option, you have to use SOME sort of program. Luckily, there are way better options that won't try to install heeps of bullshit on your computer like iTunes does. MediaMonkey is my pick, but there are smaller even lighter weight options as well.

(I'd like a reg key if you have extras lying around!)

[greekrefugee]

If you care about using accessories (desk speakers, car adapters, etc.) get an iPod. If you just want something to plug headphones into and listen to music, don't. You can find something for way less that will do everything you need (and probably play WMA's on the side).

Cool, good info. I was going on the assumption that all of these would just have standard 1/8" jacks, and I could hook them up to any stereo/my car stereo's aux with just a standard male-male cable. Is this not the case?

Ah yes, and I forgot the format issue. So I take it iPods don't play WMAs. What about OGG and mp4?

[Aus]

I believe iTunes can convert wmas to something it can play, and I also think it can either play or convert oggs and mp4s, but Im not positive on the 2nd two.

[Ferox]

Cool, good info. I was going on the assumption that all of these would just have standard 1/8" jacks, and I could hook them up to any stereo/my car stereo's aux with just a standard male-male cable. Is this not the case?

A stereo with an aux in of some sort (be it red and white rca inputs, or the 3.5mm "headphone" style jack) will be able to accept basically any standard mp3 player using the appropriate cable (like you described.) They will all just use the 3.5mm headphone jack output.

[Aus]

Yeah, I have my iPod hooked directly to my stereo (So that I didn't have to have vent + music through my headset) and I just went to radioshack and got a converter to change the cable from default speaker wire to a headphone jack. You can get a tape adapter for like, a CD player or something for your car, that's what I use.

[Mirkendargen]

I'll PM out MediaMonkey codes to peeps that want them. It will also convert for you too, but if you're moving a lot of music frequently that can be a bit of a hassle depending on your computer speed.

And for accessories I was talking about the more specific ones that use the iPod jack, like car stereo connectors that read the files off the iPod and control it, not just your basic audio-out type stuff.

[denellum]

if your looking for a zune, i have the 30gig one that im actually about to put on ebay for quite cheap. Pm me in game if you think you might want it. Names kyru.

[Scopar]

Buy an iPod, it makes you look cool and also makes your penis appears larger.

[greekrefugee]

Also,

What about DRM. Can I hook my iPod up to a buddy's comp and upload mp3s to him (assuming I install mediamonkey or whatever)?

[Mirkendargen]

The only DRM iPods can handle is iTunes. If you buy songs off iTunes, they will stay DRM'ed on the iPod. If you just throw music on it with no DRM, you can get it off again.

As far as I know, that's the way most MP3 players go. If it's DRM'ed, it stays that way. If it's not, it doesn't gain DRM by being copied to the player.

[Aus]

Buy an iPod, it makes you look cool and also makes your penis appears larger.

Don't be jealous they didn't sell iPods in your war torn, third-world country.

[Bleedo]

What about bluetooth? I picked up a really nice stereo (both ears) bluetooth headset for my phone a while back and it supports two devices seamlessly, problem is... i don't have an mp3 player that plays to bluetooth, do any of the new ipod/zunes/whatevers support bluetooth these days?

Wires suck :-)

-brandon