MP3 - I still don't fully understand

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Audrey

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Before I even start, I'm sorry! OK? I know there have been numerous posts on MP3 players and iPods and 'docks', and I know that some of you have answered a previous post of mine on the subject, but I still don't fully understand! Could some kind person recommend to me just a couple of choices (I know there are hundreds, but can only deal with a couple please) that might suit my needs? I want to own an MP3 player that I can carry around with me. I want to (a) download music onto it and (b) copy my CDs onto it and (c) copy music from other sources (radio/TV?) onto it.
I also want a 'dock'/ that will act as a speaker or speakers so that I can take the MP3 player, with all the music that I've recorded or downloaded onto it, put it in the dock/speaker thingy and use this to play music in the house (instead of a hi fi system).
I want the MP3 player to hold lots and lots of music. You will know from a previous post that I have hundreds of CDs and am trying to cut down on storage space. I know it will take time to put the CDs onto the MP3 player and I can cope with that.
I want the player and the speaker dock to be of good quality (but doesn't have to be the best there is). I want to be able to move the 'dock' around the house if I want to, or maybe even have one 'dock' in each room??

So, in summary, an MP3 player, a speaker/dock system, want to save the space that is currently taken up by hundreds and hundreds of CDs, want the quality to be at least as good as my CDs , want the whole system to be portable, therefore reasonably small in size.

Any suggestions please? I don't want to purchase something and then find that it doesn't fulfil all my requirements or that I could have done the whole thing more cheaply or more easily. In other words, want to know exactly what I want before I go shopping.

Thank you.
 
Yes, ipod gets the tumbs up for ease of use. If you're in Dublin, pop into the O2 experience store on grafton st. or somewhere similar.

A couple of more points:
- mp3 is a specific format, but is used generically to refer to any digital music player (ala hoover = vacuum cleaner).
- You'll need a PC to copy your CDs onto the player.
- You'll need a PC with internet (ideally broadband) to buy music online.
- You may not need a "dock", if you already have a stereo a €15 cable will do the job.
- in terms of size, 1MB is roughly 1 min, or another way 1,000MB = 1GB = 250 songs or 20 to 25 albums.
- technicall the quality is less than CD, but I can't tell the difference. If you want you can modify the defaults, but then the numbers above change.
- There are other players than the iPod, that are considered technically better, and include radios and the ability to record on to the player.
 
tiger said:
Yes, ipod gets the tumbs up for ease of use. If you're in Dublin, pop into the O2 experience store on grafton st. or somewhere similar.

A couple of more points:
- mp3 is a specific format, but is used generically to refer to any digital music player (ala hoover = vacuum cleaner).
- You'll need a PC to copy your CDs onto the player.
- You'll need a PC with internet (ideally broadband) to buy music online.
- You may not need a "dock", if you already have a stereo a €15 cable will do the job.
- in terms of size, 1MB is roughly 1 min, or another way 1,000MB = 1GB = 250 songs or 20 to 25 albums.
- technicall the quality is less than CD, but I can't tell the difference. If you want you can modify the defaults, but then the numbers above change.
- There are other players than the iPod, that are considered technically better, and include radios and the ability to record on to the player.
Click to expand...
Thanks Tiger. Yes I knew from previous answers (to my previous post) that MP3 is just a generic reference. When you say a €15 cable will do the job (if I already have a stereo, which I do), are you saying that I use that cable in order to connect the MP3 player to my current speaker? Or, if not, what exactly do you mean? Wanted to get rid of the stereo itself (and everything peripheral) so that I just have one small MP3 player and one speaker, both taking up very little space. Have the PC and broadband by the way. Regarding other players, "other than the iPod", any particular recommendation? Answers to my previous post seemed to indicate that iPod was probably not for me. Thanks.
 
Depending on the stereo, one of the cables below should do:
[broken link removed]
[broken link removed]

There's a "portable media player" forum on boards, with some faqs, and the same question asked many times:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=624

Don't have any first hand experience, but the main models seem to be:
- creative zen
- iRiver
- archos
- Rio

It sounds like the speakers will be what makes the difference. Again you can get generic speakers which you can plug any player into. There are ones specifically designed for the ipod, look v.flash, remote control etc. Not sure if the other models have remote control speakers available.
 
In terms of the previous post, (think this is it?), you were asking for a player for a friends young son, so I think the requirements would be different.

Reasons not to get an iPod:
- no radio
- uses own proprietary format, difficult if moving from another brand player, or may be difficult to change in future.
- slightly more expensive?
- battery life on earlier models, I think this is no longer a problem.
 
tiger said:
In terms of the previous post, (think this is it?), you were asking for a player for a friends young son, so I think the requirements would be different.

Reasons not to get an iPod:
- no radio
Click to expand...

I have a tiny radio attachement on my earphones.
 
rather than paying hundreds for a dock for every room i bought a jack from a hardware store for about €3 - plug one end into my mp3 player, one end into the stereo, chose aux as your setting - there you go, your very own dock for €3.

it scares me (and probably delights the good people at apple) that people are willing to shell out for docks when you can play your mp3 player through standard stereo (provided they have an aux setting)
 
ilovecheese said:
rather than paying hundreds for a dock for every room i bought a jack from a hardware store for about €3 - plug one end into my mp3 player, one end into the stereo, chose aux as your setting - there you go, your very own dock for €3.

it scares me (and probably delights the good people at apple) that people are willing to shell out for docks when you can play your mp3 player through standard stereo (provided they have an aux setting)
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, while hi-fis have auxiliary inputs (RCA or whatever), smaller CD player / radio boxes tend not to have unless there are quite recent.

While I tend to agree that the iPod or Sony-specific accessories are overpriced, there is nonetheless a convenience factor in a dockable speaker so you can plug the iPod or Sony directly into the Apple / Sony accessory (same for other brands) and not have to plug in the MP3 player itself.

Also, many of the MP3 speakers come with some sort of detail expansion algorithm to try to fill in the gaps lost on conversion. Of course, you are better off using a high bitrate when ripping songs, as such algorithms are not perfect.
 
my wife got a 'creative' recently and loves it...and last week got the 'dock' with speakers that u mention..she loves it and is delighted with it. she puts loads of cds onto it. not downloaded any music onto it yet but as there is a radio as well there be no need. its easy to operate and can be attached to the pc to play cds etc through that. its ace!
 
Have just been reading this and had much the same queries as Audrey...
but I do have one more dumb sounding question.

I have lots of CD's also, I don't want to copy all the full CD's onto the ipod/mp3 (or whatever I buy) I just want certain songs of each one. Songs I like...I know an ipod will do this, but will an MP3 player?

I was leaning more toward an ipod but I seen a really nifty mp3 player on ebay which has lots of extras...

what to do? but if I can find out the above I can make my mind up.

Thanks,
 
ci1 said:
I have lots of CD's also, I don't want to copy all the full CD's onto the ipod/mp3 (or whatever I buy) I just want certain songs of each one. Songs I like...I know an ipod will do this, but will an MP3 player?
Click to expand...


In a word, yes.
 
Its also possible to use a compressed format such as apple lossless which will have the exact same sound quality as cds. It does'nt compress as much as mp3s but still reduces the file to about half the size
 
iPod is the market leader for some very good reasons, but in my opinion the best of these reasons is the software. iTunes, (free download from apple.ie, try it on your PC or Mac before you shell out on the iPod if you want to get some idea of the user experience) is far and away the best music database system available.

Apart from that, iPod is just plain cooler than everything else out there!
 
Just my opinion: I totally disagree with comments made about Apple Ipod. It may be market leader but it has many buts with it....

I have the ipod shuffle and I don't like this idea of managment software especially if you have two computers and move music from one to another. Its <edit: nonsense> in my opinion. This is standard with Ipod. The USB connection for charging has a mind of its own, sometimes it will charge others not. Now I have the flash memory one so maybe the Hard drive based ones are better.

My bro has Cowan Iaudio player (XL Version) great battery life in comparision to Ipod, ipod ear pieces are pure ****. The design of Ipod is very good but a bit girlie looking but horses for courses.

[Edited by DrMoriarty to remove profanity — please respect the posting guidelines.]
 
Instead of getting a docking station for the MP3 player why not get portable wireless speakers like these [broken link removed] . Then you could store all your music on your PC and play it anywhere in the house (or the radio from broadbrand) and you could buy a smaller MP3 player to carry around with when your out and about. My brother has these speakers and thinks they're great.

Gnash
 
If you have a stereo and an ipod you should just buy the Griffin i-trip. Its class, you dont need to plug ipod into stereo. it connects to the bottom of the ipod and transmits the music through a selected radio station channel on the stereo. the sound quality is excellent and you can use it in the car aswell. I bought one on ebay for 25 euro.
 
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