Ok,
So, the kids want IPODs for Christmas.
Me, I can't see the big deal. MP3 players a dime a dozen out there.
What's the scoop, or the hype?
Am I just a Curmudgeon?
Are the IPODS linked to Itunes in that plain ol MP3s can't be just transfered.
Thanks!
Ipod for the unlearned
Moderator: Akira
Ipod for the unlearned
North Carolina Sunday Hunting: http://www.ncdeer.net
Can't you feel our souls ignite
Shedding ever changing colours,
in the darkness of the fading night,
Like the river joins the ocean,
as the germ in a seed grows
We have finally been freed to get back home.
Can't you feel our souls ignite
Shedding ever changing colours,
in the darkness of the fading night,
Like the river joins the ocean,
as the germ in a seed grows
We have finally been freed to get back home.
Re: Ipod for the unlearned
Good questions all.
I converted all my CD's into Apple M4A audio files; they're like MP3's, but it's the Apple version and sounds slightly better. If I had to do it again, I would have stuck with MP3's at the sacrifice of quality, since I can't play M4A's in Windows Media Center. All of the files that I create are DRM free, and can be used on any computer/MP3 player. (Provided that it can read M4A files. My Samsung cellphone can read the files, no problem.) It took a while to rip all my CD's, and I copied them to a network shared hard drive. iTunes then copied all that music to my local computer. Which was kind of a waste. There might be a setting to adjust that, and keep it from duplicating the same files... DRM-Free music, as now offered by Walmart and Amazon, also work on the iPod. You just have to have an ounce of technical know-how to import the music files into your iTunes play lists.
Playlists are the thing that make music available on your iPod. I thought just having the music in iTunes was enough. But it's not. You sync the Playlist with you iPod. If your Playlist is to large, no sync happens. You'll see an error message that the list is 6.1 gigs, and you only have 5.3 gigs available on the iPod. The trick here is to buy a huge iPod. F'ing Apple!
For me, the killer app to sell the iPod was when I learned about Podcasting. So, not just listening to music, I can listen to Tech Radio Shows stored in the Podcast network. Some Podcasts offer video content which can be viewed on the higher-end iPods. Some recent movies that I've purchased included a bonus DVD with an iPod-ready video. I have the iPod Touch, which aside from the tiny storage capacity, is a nice iPod to have. My wife has the iPod Classic 80 Gb. Her's plays video, music, podcasts - same thing as mine, but lacks the web browser and other web-related features.
iTunes is the easiest method of managing your iPod(s). You can have multiple iPod's per household, but iPod's become glued by iTunes to a specific computer when you sync. In fact, you cannot even listen to your iPod without gluing it to a computer. (Warning: iTunes requires Windows XP or higher!) iTunes accounts can be shared by a group of 5 or less computers. So in my house, my wife and I each have an iPod. She uses her laptop to manage her iPod. And I use my Desktop PC to manage mine. We both share her iTunes Store account for purchasing music. What she downloads I get, and vise-versa. A few words of warning: Apple iTunes Store still sells some DRM restricted music. The trend is moving away from these restrictions, but the majority of their crap is still restricted. When I authorize my Work PC to use our iTunes store account, I still cannot sync my iPod with my work computer, this because of that gluing factor. If necessary, there are work-a-rounds, and 3rd party software available to skip some of these limitations.
My daughter (12 yrs) is starting to want an iPod. Turns out, the kids are allowed to listen to them while running for PE. And that's the big draw for her. I don't think that's enough to justify the price since, IMHO, it's pretty hefty when compared to other devices out there. But when it comes to MP3 players, iPod's are the "PC" of the market. You either have an iPod and can use all the accessories, or you have something weird and have to work around the issues.
I converted all my CD's into Apple M4A audio files; they're like MP3's, but it's the Apple version and sounds slightly better. If I had to do it again, I would have stuck with MP3's at the sacrifice of quality, since I can't play M4A's in Windows Media Center. All of the files that I create are DRM free, and can be used on any computer/MP3 player. (Provided that it can read M4A files. My Samsung cellphone can read the files, no problem.) It took a while to rip all my CD's, and I copied them to a network shared hard drive. iTunes then copied all that music to my local computer. Which was kind of a waste. There might be a setting to adjust that, and keep it from duplicating the same files... DRM-Free music, as now offered by Walmart and Amazon, also work on the iPod. You just have to have an ounce of technical know-how to import the music files into your iTunes play lists.
Playlists are the thing that make music available on your iPod. I thought just having the music in iTunes was enough. But it's not. You sync the Playlist with you iPod. If your Playlist is to large, no sync happens. You'll see an error message that the list is 6.1 gigs, and you only have 5.3 gigs available on the iPod. The trick here is to buy a huge iPod. F'ing Apple!
For me, the killer app to sell the iPod was when I learned about Podcasting. So, not just listening to music, I can listen to Tech Radio Shows stored in the Podcast network. Some Podcasts offer video content which can be viewed on the higher-end iPods. Some recent movies that I've purchased included a bonus DVD with an iPod-ready video. I have the iPod Touch, which aside from the tiny storage capacity, is a nice iPod to have. My wife has the iPod Classic 80 Gb. Her's plays video, music, podcasts - same thing as mine, but lacks the web browser and other web-related features.
iTunes is the easiest method of managing your iPod(s). You can have multiple iPod's per household, but iPod's become glued by iTunes to a specific computer when you sync. In fact, you cannot even listen to your iPod without gluing it to a computer. (Warning: iTunes requires Windows XP or higher!) iTunes accounts can be shared by a group of 5 or less computers. So in my house, my wife and I each have an iPod. She uses her laptop to manage her iPod. And I use my Desktop PC to manage mine. We both share her iTunes Store account for purchasing music. What she downloads I get, and vise-versa. A few words of warning: Apple iTunes Store still sells some DRM restricted music. The trend is moving away from these restrictions, but the majority of their crap is still restricted. When I authorize my Work PC to use our iTunes store account, I still cannot sync my iPod with my work computer, this because of that gluing factor. If necessary, there are work-a-rounds, and 3rd party software available to skip some of these limitations.
My daughter (12 yrs) is starting to want an iPod. Turns out, the kids are allowed to listen to them while running for PE. And that's the big draw for her. I don't think that's enough to justify the price since, IMHO, it's pretty hefty when compared to other devices out there. But when it comes to MP3 players, iPod's are the "PC" of the market. You either have an iPod and can use all the accessories, or you have something weird and have to work around the issues.
Neophyte[CotC]
Member since 1996
Member since 1996
Re: Ipod for the unlearned
It's a culture thing. Both of my kids have ipods, and love them.warf wrote:Ok,
So, the kids want IPODs for Christmas.
Me, I can't see the big deal. MP3 players a dime a dozen out there.
What's the scoop, or the hype?
Am I just a Curmudgeon?
Are the IPODS linked to Itunes in that plain ol MP3s can't be just transfered.
Thanks!
Perhaps we should give General Motors to Steve Jobs for a year.
In that time he should be able to design an iCar that will outsell
every other make and model.
Re: Ipod for the unlearned
I finally broke down about 6 months ago and bought an iPod classic 160GB, which I have packed to the last KB. All after fighting the whole iPod trend for the whole time they've been out.
Which, now that I think about it, is the 160gb not the largest iPod that Apple doesn't even make anymore?
Anyway, I think the iPod is cool, I enjoy the fact that I can find more custom accessories for it than I ever could any other player.
I now have iPod docks wherever I go, including my vehicles which I can control via the steering wheel. Sweet!
However... I absolutely HATE iTunes. Sure, it has some good features that are cool. The new Genius playlist is pretty handy when you have a huge library like mine. However, iTunes can't really handle a huge library like mine.
It still irritates me to no tomorrow that every time I drag something into my music folder on my drive, I then have to go into iTunes to add that folder to my library.
So... I'm a new owner, but I must say that I am kinda balanced on my opinion.
When this one dies (which I'm sure it will at some point!) I still am not sold on whether or not I'll buy another iPod.
And as for the touch like Neo has. Sure, they're groovy. And it is very cool that you can surf the web, check stocks, etc etc on it. But bang for the buck, I still have a very hard time parting with that much money for such a small amount of storage.
Which, now that I think about it, is the 160gb not the largest iPod that Apple doesn't even make anymore?
Anyway, I think the iPod is cool, I enjoy the fact that I can find more custom accessories for it than I ever could any other player.
I now have iPod docks wherever I go, including my vehicles which I can control via the steering wheel. Sweet!
However... I absolutely HATE iTunes. Sure, it has some good features that are cool. The new Genius playlist is pretty handy when you have a huge library like mine. However, iTunes can't really handle a huge library like mine.
It still irritates me to no tomorrow that every time I drag something into my music folder on my drive, I then have to go into iTunes to add that folder to my library.
So... I'm a new owner, but I must say that I am kinda balanced on my opinion.
When this one dies (which I'm sure it will at some point!) I still am not sold on whether or not I'll buy another iPod.
And as for the touch like Neo has. Sure, they're groovy. And it is very cool that you can surf the web, check stocks, etc etc on it. But bang for the buck, I still have a very hard time parting with that much money for such a small amount of storage.
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Baron[CotC]
- Caesar
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Re: Ipod for the unlearned
The best feature of Itunes/Ipods that I've encountered is that the ipod keeps track of when and how often you play songs and uploads that information back to itunes whenever you sync.
Which for me means I can create a dynamic playlist that selects 1GB of my least recently played music. It puts that music on my ipod, when I listen to it and sync back up, the ipod tells Itunes that I've listened to it and its no longer on that playlist. Bingo I've got different music every time I sync without ever manually selecting a damn thing.
No other player/software combo can do that to my knowledge.
Which for me means I can create a dynamic playlist that selects 1GB of my least recently played music. It puts that music on my ipod, when I listen to it and sync back up, the ipod tells Itunes that I've listened to it and its no longer on that playlist. Bingo I've got different music every time I sync without ever manually selecting a damn thing.
No other player/software combo can do that to my knowledge.
Re: Ipod for the unlearned
I've tinkered with Media Monkey which seems to have a lot of features that iTunes doesn't, along with real time library scanning so I don't have to add my music twice like I mentioned above. It library is also much faster when you have as much as I do.
However, when I was using it, I noticed that it still doesn't work quite as well with the iPod as iTunes does.
Worth checking out though if you find some free time.
However, when I was using it, I noticed that it still doesn't work quite as well with the iPod as iTunes does.
Worth checking out though if you find some free time.
Re: Ipod for the unlearned
OK guys, thanks!
North Carolina Sunday Hunting: http://www.ncdeer.net
Can't you feel our souls ignite
Shedding ever changing colours,
in the darkness of the fading night,
Like the river joins the ocean,
as the germ in a seed grows
We have finally been freed to get back home.
Can't you feel our souls ignite
Shedding ever changing colours,
in the darkness of the fading night,
Like the river joins the ocean,
as the germ in a seed grows
We have finally been freed to get back home.
-
D.A.R.K.[CotC]
- Legatus - Legion 2
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- Location: Michigan
Re: Ipod for the unlearned
Itunes is the devil! It infects your computer and destroys it from the inside! Wish I didn't have to use it...
dark [CotC]
"Try not. Do, or do not, there is no try"
"Try not. Do, or do not, there is no try"
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NightReaver[CotC]
- Posts: 951
- Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2003 3:02 pm
- Location: Southern California
- Contact:
Re: Ipod for the unlearned
Neophyte wrote:Good questions all.
I converted all my CD's into Apple M4A audio files; they're like MP3's, but it's the Apple version and sounds slightly better. If I had to do it again, I would have stuck with MP3's at the sacrifice of quality, since I can't play M4A's in Windows Media Center. Select All music then go to "Advanced" Menu and select "Create MP3 Version" - it will take a while to re-convert all you music (2 days), but you might find that useful.
I copied them to a network shared hard drive. iTunes then copied all that music to my local computer. Which was kind of a waste. Go into Edit > Preferences > Advance tab then change where your library points (you can then open the File menu > Library > Consolidate Library) that will move all files to the selected destination... Also under the advanced tab you have the option to check a box to allow all music to be copied to the itunes library folder when added to itunes (I would suggest checking the box that says "Let itunes mange my library - or something along those lines.
My daughter (12 yrs) is starting to want an iPod. Turns out, the kids are allowed to listen to them while running for PE. And that's the big draw for her. I don't think that's enough to justify the price since, IMHO, it's pretty hefty when compared to other devices out there.Get an ipod shuffle $79 at BBY and they hold about 240 songs at 128 Kbps
P.S. call me / email / PM before and after you have converted all you music to MP3 - Settings need to be set before (Select Kbps to save at 160 is standard) and afterwards I will show you how to easily remove all of the Apple Audio File Versions (Safely)