Which high capacity MP3 player?

quote:

Originally posted by Shayman:
My problem is that I don't want an iPod due to format flexibility problems and the resident evil that is iTunes. However, I can't find much in the way of high Gb capacity alternatives. It seems only Apple are in the market these days for anything over 16Gb.

Not sure what you mean by iTunes being evil - it's always done pretty well by me. My 160GB iPod classic (I think they don't do one quite that big any more) is superb and I've never had any complaints. With regard to formats, I suppose WMA is going to be a problem, but then I'm on a mac so it's a problem anyway (and to be honest, I wouldn't want to use a proprietary MS format if I could possibly avoid it). More annoying that ogg isn't supported. Still, there's a reason the iPod is the market leader - they're great bits of kit.

regards, Tam

I only use iTunes to rip CDs and maintain and playback the resultant database. I playback with iTunes over an AE and SuperNait. I don't find it evil. Having said that, I don't use it to download/buy music, which is arguably where the DRM evil and compression/quality evil really lies.

Some would argue that the iTunes ripping and playback (even lossless with error correction) is sonically deficient, but the quality is fine by me.

I use a 160GB iPod and Senny HD25-1s when travelling. I can take my whole uncompressed collection with me. I like this.

Summary: No major issues with iTunes or Apple (All hail St Steve - Steve is our true messiah - live life by the teachings of the Jobsian Chronicles for Appletonian redemption)

Jonathan,

Creative probably offer the only serious alternatives to iPod where higher capacity is concerned, I'm not quite sure why, but Creative and Apple seem to be the only two who make large-hard-drive based players (at a sensible price)

Regards,


Dom

Shayman and others,

My Creative Zen 40gb was also dropped (onto a hard tiled floor) but I was lucky in that I managed to "Ctrl-alt-delete" it via the reset slot after a long period of it just appearing to be clicking/whirring and continually booting up. I would wholeheartedly recommend the Zen but capacity is the issue. I have nearly 8000 tracks on mine and as you know the deletion process is slow on the Zen for individual tracks.

If I moved to Ipod, how would I transfer all the tracks and titles etc? Is it as simple as naming both as external storage devices and then doing a complete all-files transfer? Also, I notice that the new Ipods need Win XP which I have at work but not at home, Do any of them run on Win 2000 anymore?

If it really is complicated, I think I will have to go down the deletion route - but at least that will make me more selective!

Have a good day,

Ron

I think some of the latest Creative players have an SDHC slot, which means at least 16 extra gigs for not much cash.

Tony

Thanks Tony,

I will check these out as I am sure the transfer routine will be easier within the same branding.

Ron

Jonathan,

Am I right in saying you want a player which is NOT a hard drive? If so, the biggest solid state device I know of is the iPod Touch at 32GB. If not, then you could look at Archos. Their older 605 went up to 160GB and works a treat. The new '5' has up to 250GB. Neither are particularly cheap (£300 or so for the top 5) and you have to buy extra 'plugins' and accessories for certain bits of functionality so do your homework before buying.

My dad got a 605 for his 80th birthday so hecoould have stuff to play when on extended holiday (once a year). When I played with it I thought the thing was very nice indeed.