Richard Askew

... we've finally got Broadband installed in the village and I've spend most nights this week stealing music from the internet

BUT... je suis une retarde tecnicale


So a few questions if you will:

1) How many tracks on average would a 512mg MP3 play store? Roughly..

2) Can you plug an MP3 player into any common or garden HiFi system to listen to the tracks stored on it or just through PC style speakers?

3) Anything special I need to know when buying?

4) Is an ipod worth it instead?

Cheers in advance

Spoon

1.160ish

2.Some MP3 players can plug directly into your hifi.

3.Take your money with you.

4. Horses for courses.

Richard Askew

1 not enough

2 any idea which ones?

3 Ta!

4 Dont like horses they keep biting me

Spoon

There is this one, off the top of my head which is good value for 1gb.


http://www.packardbell.co.uk/products/node1798.asp

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

That's the one my lad has, a lovely little piece of kit, it holds 320 tunes or thereabouts. Looks like a little piece of jewellery.

Alcazar

Spoon

Does indeed, cracking looking thing.

Richard Askew

That looks quite a trick piece of kit - Alcazar, do you know if your lad plugs it directly into his hifi speakers?

Lum

It's the same rules as for any other piece of kit.
If it only has headphone out, you can do it with a bit of fiddling. If it has a line-out or optical out you can do it properly.

Personally I prefer the MP3 players that take a CD full of MP3s, especially as these days you can get DVD players and car head units that will also accept these. I suppose they are a bit bigger though.

hedgehog

I have had a 128Meg mp3 player for years now, literally since they first came out. Recently I have done the upgrade thing to an iPod.

What I will say is that if you get a smaller one my bet is you then want to upgrade to an iPod so you might be best to cut out the middle man. Also, do you use iTunes as your player on your computer? If not then get it and give it a try to see if you like it. If you do like it then the iPod integrates really nicely and will make life very simple for you.

I picked the iPod just because it is handy as I have been using iTunes on my PC for some time, it takes a few days to get used to but is the best player in my view. There are a lot of other hard disk based units out there, such as Creative and iRiver, but none are just quite as handy for me, though most offer extra features.

Where the smaller solid state players score is if you want it for the gym/running as they are light and handy to hide on your person whereas the iPod is a bit heavier and not as easy to put somewhere out of the way. Also the solid state units tend to be a lot less expensive than a full blown iPod. There is some talk of a 1Gig solid state extremely mini-iPod for early next year.

So, while I'm not sucked into this "cult" of iPod it is certainly handy and you will not spend your time looking to upgrade.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Get an Iriver, better than an Ipod and you wont get mugged cos its doent have white headphones which apparently say 'mug me'

Markus

Rich,
If the MP3 player has a headphone jack and your hi-fi has audio in, then a 3.5mm to Red 7 White RCA cable would allow you to hook it up. That's how I interface my iPod to my Dennon AV Amp.

Think you can guess I would say to get an iPod. Do NOT get a mini, total false economy, sells well as it's even more a fashion accessory than the full size iPod. I've done the math, and the 4GB iPod just is not really worth it, you're better off paying aprox 50 - 100 quid more and getting a full size iPod.

Yes it's a bit poncy, but to me it made sense. I could have an MP3 compatible head unit in the car, and a DVD player that plays MP3 CD's but I'd still be carting CD's around with me. With the pod I have my entire collection on one device, and using an iTrip I can interface it with any FM reciver, so handy for using it in someone else's car, or if the device supports audio/mic in just plug a cable in, and connect it to the headphone jack of the iPod

One downside, iTrip's are illegal in the UK, so you cannot buy one here Pity as they are great little things. Of course, no one said you could not get one shipped here from elsewhere

As for the comments about the "mug me, I've got white headphones and thus have an iPod". Well, you can use any old headphone/earphone you want with it, and to be honest, I'd recommend a set of decent earbug style headphones, rather than using the somewhat naff earphones the iPod ships with.

Simon C

Denison do a link cradle and cable that replaces the cd changer in most cars. I can't remember what their website is. Its mentioned somewhere in the ice section. I plan on getting 1, but at about £140 it aint cheap. I have a 20gb Ipod which holds about 5k songs, and second the change of headphones thing. Why draw attention to yourself.

pslewis

Buy a Philips HDD070 - 2Gb - 1000 songs (WMA) and Radio - small, sexy and NOT an iPod (BIG Bonus!)

Next off get an iRiver

iPods are for those who can't think for themselves and therefore follow the others - be a leader, go your own way!

Pete

Simon C

Not quite true, I bought an Ipod beacuse it fitted what I wanted a player plain and simple with a decent amount of storage. I didn't need a radio or recordable input.

I wouldn't buy anything below a 20gb as they are overpriced IMHO. A 4 gb nomatter what make will set you back £180 + quid when a 20GB Ipod or similar is £220 ish. So for an extra £40 you get an extra 16gb of space.

Some of us out here do think for ourselves and still own Ipods, the same could be said for impreza owners, everyone wants whats good end of story.

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Ah, but when you are 15, it has to LOOK the part too. The iPOD's I've seen are ugly, bigger than a minidsic player, and heavy, compared to the PB one, which hangs round your neck like a pendant.

Alcazar

hedgehog

You can buy them in the UK and I believe that iPod World currently have stock. They are illegal and I also believe that various stores which sell them have been sent "cease and desist" letters. Hence why I bought one now, before they vanish.

http://shop.ipodworld.co.uk/iPodWorl...e/default.asp?

Certainly worth a look for anyone wanting to use the iPod in the car or at a mates or even just on the tranny in the kitchen.

angrynorth

SJ_Skyline

iRiver? iPod?

get Ivor!!

VTEC to Turbo

1/ Wouldn't bother with anything under 20Gb myself

2/ If it has red and white phono outputs then yes - you can pick up a 3.5mm jack converter to plug into the headphone socket.

3/ Bigger storage is best - don't have to worry about removing albums - just keep piling them on!!!

4/ I bought mine from this guy on ebay http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...739423077&rd=1

Decided not to go down the ipod route as I wanted higher storage for my money. For 157.89 pounds this 40Gb MP3 player is brilliant (delivered from the USA - with no import duties)! I do have to say if money was no object I would go for the ipod!!! Smaller, more stylish etc..

Hope this helps.

angrynorth

You really don't need a hi-fi with an iPod and a set of these:

http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObje....0.11.1.0.6.10