i-pod....mp3

[Mini Me]

As i know nothing about these,i know i want one or other,pro's ,con's :question::question::question::question:
I have mini disc at the moment, but it doesn't hold enough :disapprove:.But i don't realy know the difference(awaits BD)......:eek:

help !!!!

[Gismo]

An iPod can play MP3 music, but not trying to confuse you, it can also play other forms of compressed music files.
Basically, MP3's are audio tracks compressed and configured such that PC's (and Mac's ;)) recognise them and play them as an audio file, or music track. Even most home DVD players can play MP3's, so, if like me you have a sound system you can play them in your house even from the iPod
An iPod, can store many of these MP3 tracks, it all depends on how big the hard drive is inside them, they range from approx 4 gig to 60 gig
To make the MP3 audio files you have to "rip" them from an original CD and then transfer them to your iPod.

There are other players out there, like iRiver, Creative etc, but by far the best is iPod. But the others are getting better all the time.

Your mini disk is very similar to an audio cassette in that you record music to it and each one can only hold approx 70 mins of music.
Compare that to up to 10,000 tracks at roughly 4 mins a track and you'll see how much better an iPod is

Does that help, or do you need it more technical 8) waits for Gaj and macblob

[N12 JLK]

Get a free i pod!
I have mine ordered. basically, you go into the link below and sign up for an offer (I used the free DVD trial). If you then get 5 people to sign up you then get a free i pod.:D:D:D

I know, I thought it was too good to be true until a couple of my pals got a free i pod and I thought, you dancer I'm going for this. Completed the other day and my i pod is on it's way. ;)

http://ipods.freepay.com/?r=19234808

[The Dogfather]

If you get an IPOD be aware that it you'll only be able to download music from itunes (the apple music store) music from HMV, Virgin etc won't work on an ipod.

[Heather]

If you have an iPod, iTunes and your own CD collection that's all you will need;) You can have a fiddle with mine (oor err Mrs.'s) the next time I am through to see if you like the interface. Its idiot proof!! (no implication inferred!)

[macblob]

Ipod is the way to go as far as mp3 players are concerned IMHO.

Lovely simple interface, good quality build, generally nice bit of kit.

use mine daily since getting my alpine HU and ipod interface :D

[duncan]

Forget the Ipod, and just go for the Boost head unit, which can play over 150 MP3 and WMA tracks.

[euan]

OK, third time to write this....

I've had mine for 18 months now and couldn't live without it. Adore the thing.

I very rarely use CD's now, I listen to it on the train to work, I listen at work (my office can be very dull) and as soon as I can find a way of hiding it in the secret compartment in my 3 series, it'll be in there too.

What BDM says it true, you can only use iTunes for downloads. However, the music library on iTunes is very good, and I don't see that as a reason not to get an ipod. It doesn't have everything, but has more than enough for me!

One thing I would say is to make sure you buy a one with a big enough capacity. I got a 20GB and I've nearly filled it and have started to think about upgrading it, although I may just delete some of the rubbish on it :cool:

Be prepared for the LONG time it takes to get all your CD's onto the PC, and also make sure your PC has enough disk space for all your CD's (something a few of my friends overlooked).

[MartinSullivan]

I believe it is possible to get software to remove the Digital Rights Management info from the WMA file that you download from HMV, this would then allow you to convert the WMA to a file format supported by the IPOD ;)

[euan]

quote:Originally posted by MartinSullivan

I believe it is possible to get software to remove the Digital Rights Management info from the WMA file that you download from HMV, this would then allow you to convert the WMA to a file format supported by the IPOD ;)


To be honest, it's possible to do most things with the right software ;)

[Duncan Stewart]

How do you find the MP3 quality? My car stereo plays MP3s but I've stuck with CDs as the quality seems much better.

[euan]

I found it fine with the MINI, but it depends what compression and rate the MP3 was ripped at. I have all mine at the highest possible quality.

[Wul]

<coughscreativezentouch40GBcough>

100 pounds cheaper than the comparible ipod and plays wma´s too also no problems syncing with pc´s unlike the ipod!;)

[euan]

quote:Originally posted by Wul

<coughscreativezentouch40GBcough>

100 pounds cheaper than the comparible ipod and plays wma´s too also no problems syncing with pc´s unlike the ipod!;)


In defence of the Ipod from the unlightened who bought the wrong MP3 player, I've never once had a problem syncing with PC's ;)

The comparable ipod is the 60GB photo one, complete with colour screen - does the craetive have that? Nope. But what it does have is good size drive and a cheap price - I looked at it but decided I just wanted an ipod.

[GAJ]

I would be surprised if you will be buying all that much music from any of the download sites anyway. Even if you are, the ITMS is the world's largest so will take some beating. Most of the music on my iPod is ripped from CD and the majority of the rest is 'being assessed' after bing downloaded via one or other dodgy peer to peer file sharing systems. But remember kids, home taping is killing music!!

There is no comparable iPod to the zen anymore. The only iPods available now are colour - 20GB for £209 or 60GB for £299.

I am well biased though, I've had one since they were launched, I listen to it every single day and can't imagine life without it!

[I Want A Works]

I persoanlly have a little 512Mb MP3 player (althought I am thinking of upgrading to about 1Gb) that cost about £40, and a FM modulator that plugs into the headphoen out of the MP3 player, and broadcasts the signal on a FM frequency that you set, so I can listen to it through the car stereo. Can be a bit crackly at times, but on the whole very good.

As for music, if I were the type of person that ripped cd's (cough cough);) I'd rip them using windows media player to 96kbps WMA format. Same sound quality as 128kbps MP3's but only 75% the size, so you can get about an extra 1/3 the songs on it!:cool:

But in the Golf I have a radio that plays MP3 and WMA CD's, so I just burn a few to a CD-RW and erase them when done

[sleepyrascal]

I have one of Bonnie Scotland's cast offs (20G 3rd GEN ipod) and while it is the wolfhounds wobblers, I bought an ipod shuffle and it really is good. About one 4th the size of the regular ipod and about 400 times lighter, stores about 250 tunes (depending which model you go for) , plugs directly into your laptop/pc like a USB stick so no wires to faffle about with. It's also great sound quality and you can store other things on it such as pictures or documents etc etc. COOL!

http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2005/0112/mw02_6.jpg

[MartinSullivan]

Sleepy, what happened, have you been away that long your hands have changed colour

[sleepyrascal]

quote:Originally posted by MartinSullivan

Sleepy, what happened, have you been away that long your hands have changed colour


Yeh, I decided to change race. Either that or the picture is just some random thing i found on google. :D