help, I-Pod

[webmaster]

i don't think they are overpriced-find a digital music player with the same capacity of your standard ipod (20gb) and tell me what the price is-you can buy a 20gb ipod for 194.99 off amazon.

You can buy several different 20GB players from Amazon for a lot less than the price of an Ipod. Prices start at less than £150.

For example:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002TSU2O/ref=br_lf_li_1_2/202-8247960-7023009

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007YZDPQ/ref=br_lf_li_1_2/202-8247960-7023009

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0001I4XE0/ref=br_lf_li_1_2/202-8247960-7023009

Plus from reviews of the other music players in the market its well known that the software that they use is a bag of wank.

I have two of the older Creative MP3 players, and the software isn't great. But there is third party software that is much better, and fairly cheap. And you can get add ons for Windows Media player, so you don't need to use the software that comes with it at all.

 

[drummindefender]

the ipod still has a better design, making it alot easier to use and the software is easy to install and use-plus you could use itunes to download music if you are using a legal download service

 

[webmaster]

the ipod still has a better design, making it alot easier to use and the software is easy to install and use-plus you could use itunes to download music if you are using a legal download service

I think the design thing is the ONLY thing in the ipod's favour. I think it looks better than the alternatives.

For the downloading service, there's only one service that will let you download unlimited tracks for a flat monthly fee, which is Napster. And that's because of the way wma files can be encoded so they can expire if you end your subscription. This can only be done with wma files, so you can't use an ipod to play them. If you like to listen to lots of different stuff this would work out a lot cheaper than paying for each track individually, which you have to do with itunes.

As for the ipod software being easy to install, isn't all software easy to install these days?

 

[homer]

Never get all this trouble with my Sanyo Walkman

Just put your cassette in, and off you go

 

[webmaster]

Never get all this trouble with my Sanyo Walkman

Just put your cassette in, and off you go

What's a cassette?

 

[Joe_Fox]

This place near Swindon webbo, horrid.

On the topic of media, I prefer CD's. Music through fibre optics isn't as good IMO.

 

[drummindefender]

I think the design thing is the ONLY thing in the ipod's favour. I think it looks better than the alternatives.

For the downloading service, there's only one service that will let you download unlimited tracks for a flat monthly fee, which is Napster. And that's because of the way wma files can be encoded so they can expire if you end your subscription. This can only be done with wma files, so you can't use an ipod to play them. If you like to listen to lots of different stuff this would work out a lot cheaper than paying for each track individually, which you have to do with itunes.

As for the ipod software being easy to install, isn't all software easy to install these days?

But surely webbo your paying a monthly fee meaning if you don't download lots of songs your gettin ripped off? also wmas aren't the best files for sound quality so why bother with them?-aac's are good sound quality and compressed too (and they play on the iPod!). plus when i mentioned the design i also meant that the clickwheel on the ipod makes it very quick and simple to use, and scroll through songs.

 

[webmaster]

I think the design thing is the ONLY thing in the ipod's favour. I think it looks better than the alternatives.

For the downloading service, there's only one service that will let you download unlimited tracks for a flat monthly fee, which is Napster. And that's because of the way wma files can be encoded so they can expire if you end your subscription. This can only be done with wma files, so you can't use an ipod to play them. If you like to listen to lots of different stuff this would work out a lot cheaper than paying for each track individually, which you have to do with itunes.

As for the ipod software being easy to install, isn't all software easy to install these days?

But surely webbo your paying a monthly fee meaning if you don't download lots of songs your gettin ripped off? also wmas aren't the best files for sound quality so why bother with them?-aac's are good sound quality and compressed too (and they play on the iPod!). plus when i mentioned the design i also meant that the clickwheel on the ipod makes it very quick and simple to use, and scroll through songs.

The monthly fee isn't a huge amount, it's well worth it if you listen to a lot of music - which presumably someone buying an mp3 player will do. I'm not saying everyone should subscribe to it, just that if you buy an ipod you won't have the option of taking the files with you.
Wma files are just as good quality as mp3s, you can even encode wma files in a lossless format that's exactly the same as on a CD. Wma files are smaller than mp3 files of the same quality, so you can fit more onto the player.

I'm not saying people shouldn't buy the ipod, if it's what they want. I'm just pointing out the drawbacks. It has its limitations and it's not as good as some of the cheaper options.
I'm sure there are people who don't mind paying the extra just to get the ipod name, but I prefer to buy stuff based on how good it is, and whether it's value for money, rather than what the name on the label says.

 

[drummindefender]

the ipod is value for money-it supports all file formats including apple lossless, except wma which can be converted if neccesary. It has by far a superior design making it easier to use, and the software for it is also better then any of the software that comes with the other players. i'm not saying that the others are bad players but the ipod is the best one out there.
end of. 8)

 

[bocadillo]

... that's because of the way wma files can be encoded so they can expire if you end your subscription.

What does this mean? Do you have to continue paying your subscription, otherwise the tracks you have already downloaded just disappear?

 

[webmaster]

the ipod is value for money-it supports all file formats including apple lossless, except wma which can be converted if neccesary. It has by far a superior design making it easier to use, and the software for it is also better then any of the software that comes with the other players. i'm not saying that the others are bad players but the ipod is the best one out there.
end of. 8)

Encrypted wma files CAN NOT be converted. That's a fact. Unencrypted ones can, but that rules out the Napster unlimited download service.

You may think it's value for money, but it's more expensive than other better players.

The design may be superior in some respects, but it's not 'by far' superior.

If you don't bleieve me, look at the user reviews on Amazon for the Zen (at £150), and the ipod (£195), you'll see the people who have experienced both generally favour the Zen.

 

[MKFox]

:roll:
What a palaver!
If I want to listen to some music I put a 33 rpm on me turntable. The hiss and crackle are atmosphere enhancers...

 

[webmaster]

... that's because of the way wma files can be encoded so they can expire if you end your subscription.

What does this mean? Do you have to continue paying your subscription, otherwise the tracks you have already downloaded just disappear?

They stop working after a month unless you're currently subscribed.

I pay £10 a month for the version that just lets you play stuff on your PC (it's possible to get round this restriction, but it's time consuming to do).
It's OK at the moment, they still have a long way to go before they have a comprehensive catalogue, particularly obscure old stuff, but it's great for listening to stuff before deciding whether to buy it, particularly stuff you won't hear anywhere else. I probably save £10 a month on CDs I might have bought, but decided not to after downloading them from Napster. Then again I also end up buying things after downloading something to find out what it's like, so I might actually spend more than I have in the past.

 

[bocadillo]

... that's because of the way wma files can be encoded so they can expire if you end your subscription.

What does this mean? Do you have to continue paying your subscription, otherwise the tracks you have already downloaded just disappear?

They stop working after a month unless you're currently subscribed.

So this is stuff that you have paid for, downloaded and put onto your player. If you stop subscribing *poof* it's gone!!! So they've got you by the short-and-curlies if you want to continue to listen to something for the rest of your life?!?

My old 78's didn't work like that!!

 

[webmaster]

... that's because of the way wma files can be encoded so they can expire if you end your subscription.

What does this mean? Do you have to continue paying your subscription, otherwise the tracks you have already downloaded just disappear?

They stop working after a month unless you're currently subscribed.

So this is stuff that you have paid for, downloaded and put onto your player. If you stop subscribing *poof* it's gone!!! So they've got you by the short-and-curlies if you want to continue to listen to something for the rest of your life?!?

My old 78's didn't work like that!!

But you're not paying for the tracks, you're paying for unlimited access to a giant jukebox. If you stop paying, you no longer have access.

You shouldn't be comparing it to buying records, it's more like renting a video/dvd. Do people complain that once they've taken a DVD back to the shop they can't watch it any more?

 

[bocadillo]

Do people complain that once they've taken a DVD back to the shop they can't watch it any more?

Point taken.

I think!


Can you pay more for stuff that you want to keep permanently - or doesn't it work like that?

And my local video shop sells off old tapes and DVDs cheap. Can I buy old tracks cheap that people don't want to rent out any more?

 

[webmaster]

Can you pay more for stuff that you want to keep permanently

Yes.

And my local video shop sells off old tapes and DVDs cheap. Can I buy old tracks cheap that people don't want to rent out any more?

At the moment it's a fixed price per track/album - but I expect they will start to price things more realistically. Sometimes it's a lot cheaper to buy the CD from Amazon than it is to download it.

 

[pds]

thanks for all your views, all been very helpful and i still i have no idea whether to buy 1 or not.
:-(

 

[Yorkshire Vixen]

:roll:
What a palaver!
If I want to listen to some music I put a 33 rpm on me turntable. The hiss and crackle are atmosphere enhancers...

you are making yourself sound old mk

 

[Durham Fox]

thanks for all your views, all been very helpful and i still i have no idea whether to buy 1 or not.
:-(

Buy one mate, you won't be disappointed.