Topic: why should I get an ipod over a...

[Gordon]

nomad zen etc??  just wondering.  If I do it (buy a mp3 player) I'm leaning towards another mp3 payer and not an ipod.

[scb]

can you start by saying why you're leaning towards another player?

[Shawn]

three words: ease of use. The IPOD is a hell of a lot easier to use than the Creative players.

[bgalizio]

Do you have your CD collection archived in FLAC? Some iAudio player will play FLAC files and are in the same price range as the iPod. I can't speak from experience, since I've never used one, but others on the board have.

I'll echo the statement that iPods are easy to use.

[Brian Skalinder]

IMO, there's no reason to get an iPod over X, Y, or Z.  All this talk - and not just on this thread - about how easy iPod's are to use.  Maybe I just lucked out, by Jen's JB3 and my iAudio M3 are super-easy to use for playback.  If you want to use iTunes, get the iPod.  If you really, really like the iPod, get the iPod.  Otherwise, there are other options just as good, IMO.  For example, iAudio's M3, M5 and maybe the X5 and the new 6 (haven't used the latter two).  I know others like the Rio Karma (or some such, too), though I've seen a few reports of QA issues.

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

There are a lot more toys and other goodies for iPod.

My car stereo can control an iPod. It's gonna be really nice to have 30 gigs of music in your car. I'm hoping the rumored WiFi iPod comes out in the near future so I can just keep it in there and send MP3's to it via WiFi! I don't have an iPod yet. I'm just hoping I can hold off until the rumored WiFi iPod comes out.

Also, you can count on iPods to be around for a while. I bought a Rio Karma and no it's no longer being made or supported. It plays FLACs which is nice, but otherwise it's been a piece of sh*t.

I say get the iPod. I've heard nothing but good things about it.

MIKE B

[Brian Skalinder]

My car stereo can control an iPod. It's gonna be really nice to have 30 gigs of music in your car.

Now -that's- cool.  I've seen some of the aftermarket iPod/car solutions, and they're slick.  A somewhat limited vehicle base when I looked into them, but that's probably grown.  Sure, I could just hook the iPod up to the mini-stereo input, but controlling through the car stereo is not only slick but also less distracting then driving while futzing with the portable player.

I'm hoping the rumored WiFi iPod comes out in the near future so I can just keep it in there and send MP3's to it via WiFi!

Eh.  Slow transfers.  And it's really not much of a hassle for me to hook up a cable when I want to refresh my portable music.  But, if you dig it - cool!

[redbook]

Why not an Iriver H1XX model?
It is very similar to Ipod and cheaper, just install the rockbox firmware and you will have advanced features (FLAC support...).
And you will be able to use it for taping (right now only analog... it does have a optical input but it's not fully supported yet)

[Ed.]

I just bought an ipod video a couple of weeks ago.  My reasons for going ipod....

-they were all roughly the same price.
-i'd be using all of them for the same thing - listening to music.
-everyone owns an ipod so theres tons of support for them and misc 3rd party programs to use for transferring mp3s, no need to use itunes.
-it looks slick as hell.
-tons of 3rd party accessories along with ipod brand accessories.
-its easy as hell to use.

[Brian Skalinder]

Alright, I'm looking to get a portable music player (PMP) at some point, since in all likelihood I'm passing my M3 along to Jen.  So lemme ask a few questions...

-everyone owns an ipod so theres tons of support for them and misc 3rd party programs to use for transferring mp3s, no need to use itunes.

Isn't transferring music to the player simply a file transfer?  Is there really a need for 3rd party s/w to do so?  Or are you using 3rd party apps to manage your music collection, too?  And couldn't one simply use those 3rd party tools (for whatever purpose you're using them) with other PMPs, or are they specific to the iPod?

-tons of 3rd party accessories along with ipod brand accessories.

What sort of accessories?  I'm struggling to think of anything I might need that wouldn't normally come with my PMP (belt/carrying case, my own headphones, charger, interface to PC).  I definitely dig the ability to hook up the iPod to the car stereo, but my vehicles aren't supported.

[OFOTD]

IPOD vote here as well.

I have several of them and my wife has one as well.  They are easy to operate.  The controls are solid and become very instinctive really quick (a big plus).  The support from Apple on these is head and shoulders above ANY other mp3 manufacturer.  WiFi will be great.  Imagine never having to take it out of your car.  Watch some TV while your car Ipod is being updated.  Oh and they just feel solid unlike most of the iRiver and Creative players.  Those all feel like cheap, think plastic to me. 

iTunes is not my favorite but it works well.  Personally I use SharePod which makes it super, super easy to transfer tunes back and forth. 

Now about the FLAC <> MP3 debate.  Where or when are you ever going to listen to a portable music player with most likely inexpensive headphones for your critical listening? Really?   I set up a bunch of FLAC to batch process with dbpoweramp, leave it and go. 

There is a reason why its the top seller in the US and probably the world. 

[Brian Skalinder]

Hmmmm...maybe I should buy a new car so I can actually take advantage of the iPod hooking up to the stereo system...   

WiFi will be great.  Imagine never having to take it out of your car.

Eh.  Then I'd have to buy a 2nd one for use on the train, plane, bike, etc.

Oh and they just feel solid unlike most of the iRiver and Creative players.  Those all feel like cheap, think plastic to me.

The iPod definitely scores big points on manufacturing fit and finish.  Though the iAudio gear is just as good, IMO, most of the other options also feel cheap to me.

iTunes is not my favorite but it works well.  Personally I use SharePod which makes it super, super easy to transfer tunes back and forth.

Same questions as I had for Ed:

• Isn't transferring music to the player simply a file transfer (i.e. something I can do via Windows Explorer or other equivalent app in Mac/Linux)?
• Is there really a need for 3rd party s/w to do so?
• Or are you using 3rd party apps to manage your music collection, too?
• And couldn't one simply use those 3rd party tools (for whatever purpose you're using them) with other PMPs, or are they specific to the iPod?  (sounds like SharePod is specific to the iPod)

Now about the FLAC <> MP3 debate.  Where or when are you ever going to listen to a portable music player with most likely inexpensive headphones for your critical listening? Really?   I set up a bunch of FLAC to batch process with dbpoweramp, leave it and go.

Great point.  And dBPowerAmp is a fantastic tool.

There is a reason why its the top seller in the US and probably the world.

And the movie Independence Day was a HUGELY popular, but not because it was actually any good. 

I think perhaps my requirements and usage just aren't a good map to the iPod, since a lot of the things people rave about I couldn't care less about.  This is going to require a bit more research than I initially expected...

[bgalizio]

It seems like I'm in the same boat Brian. One other thing for consideration is that I believe the iPod does not have gapless playback. Can anyone chime in here?

[MattD]

• Isn't transferring music to the player simply a file transfer (i.e. something I can do via Windows Explorer or other equivalent app in Mac/Linux)?
• Is there really a need for 3rd party s/w to do so?
• Or are you using 3rd party apps to manage your music collection, too?
• And couldn't one simply use those 3rd party tools (for whatever purpose you're using them) with other PMPs, or are they specific to the iPod?  (sounds like SharePod is specific to the iPod)

Brian, he may be referring to transfering songs both on and off the iPod. As far as I know, you have to use 3rd party software for this.

Now about the FLAC <> MP3 debate.  Where or when are you ever going to listen to a portable music player with most likely inexpensive headphones for your critical listening? Really?   I set up a bunch of FLAC to batch process with dbpoweramp, leave it and go.

Great point.  And dBPowerAmp is a fantastic tool.

What I would love is a portable player that also has a digital out so I could use it as part of my home system too. Then I'd want FLAC. The only reason it'd be any good for me now is convenience, but you're right, batch conversion isn't that hard.

[scb]

Same questions as I had for Ed:

• Isn't transferring music to the player simply a file transfer (i.e. something I can do via Windows Explorer or other equivalent app in Mac/Linux)?

no.  the ipod doesn't just look in a directory to see what files are there.  it has library files in XML that describe everything on the ipod, so it can be sorted by album, playlist, genre, etc. 

copying a file into one of the music directories won't do anything.  the ipod won't see the song unless the file is added to its library