IPOD? Alternative?

[Merlin]

I presently own a Wolverine MVP 80GB. I use it to store photos, my compressed CDs and important files from my computers. However, the HD is giving me problem, so I would like to replace it, and I would like to hear about some alternatives.

Positives: It is immediately recognized by PCs as an external drive, so easy to transfer files. It allows many different music formats including my favorite AAC (OGG is actually better, but consumes too much memory for a portable), and raw photos. It is able to record with very decent quality. Excellent screen and sound. Removable battery. Despite the problems, very rugged.

Negatives: Too thick and heavy (about twice the thickness of the IPOD 80GB), and batteries last only a few hours (~6).

So ideally I would like a unit that captures all the positives. I don't need it to watch videos. The primary concerns are that it have around 80GB, it play AAC, accept different photo formats, very good sound and screen, decent battery (+14 Hours), and able to accept files for backup. Also, decent size (about IPOD 80GB is fine) and reliable is important.

Nice Extras: removable battery, easy communication with PCs, be able to record (all of which I think the IPOD can't do). These are nice, but not necessary.

Any thoughts?

[Taco John]

www.zune.net (http://www.zune.net)

[Orange_Beard]

www.zune.net (http://www.zune.net)

If you buy this, you will be back in about 3 months with a "Zune? Alternative" thread.

[Rock Chalk]

Creative has the best MP3 player Ive seen. Not sure what its called though.

No DRM which is why iPod/Zune willnever get my money.

[wolf754life]

I have a creative 4 gb for music, its fantastic, hell its even bombastic, and just so you know i'm not being sarcastic..........you dig?

[Merlin]

Creative has the best MP3 player Ive seen. Not sure what its called though.

No DRM which is why iPod/Zune willnever get my money.
Does the existence of DRM mean I cannot rip CDs/copies of CDs?

[Merlin]

I have a creative 4 gb for music, its fantastic, hell its even bombastic, and just so you know i'm not being sarcastic..........you dig?
Yeah, but I'm looking for something that can store ~80GB

[heydensmom]

I like my Ipod :-) For me very user friendly

[kmartin575]

www.zune.net (http://www.zune.net)

I have a Zune and I love it.

[jonny1]

I just got the Creative Labs Zen Vision 30GB, and seems to be really good.

[scorpio]

Had a Zune for about 5 days before I returned it. Nice enough player, but the video format restrictions (only Windows Media 9 and Mpeg-4) pissed me off.

I previously had a Zen Vision:M which was the **** before I destroyed it; that sucker will play anything. Awesome little video/MP3 player, same size as a video Ipod but with a nicer screen. Like the Zune it only has a 30GB drive so it probably won't work for your purposes.

[Taco John]

If you buy this, you will be back in about 3 months with a "Zune? Alternative" thread.

I don't personally have one, but this is the first negative comment I've heard about them. If I were buying an MP3 player right now, I'd go with the Zune. I've heard nothing but good things from people who own them.

[Dudeskey]

I have a SanDisk right now... cheap, so far no problems, except setting up playlists is a goddamn joke

[Orange_Beard]

Had a Zune for about 5 days before I returned it. Nice enough player, but the video format restrictions (only Windows Media 9 and Mpeg-4) pissed me off.

I previously had a Zen Vision:M which was the **** before I destroyed it; that sucker will play anything. Awesome little video/MP3 player, same size as a video Ipod but with a nicer screen. Like the Zune it only has a 30GB drive so it probably won't work for your purposes.

You missed this one.

[Odysseus]

Creative has the best MP3 player Ive seen. Not sure what its called though.

No DRM which is why iPod/Zune willnever get my money.

MP3 format is the way to go. I have both a Creative Zen and a Creative Jukebox. Jukebox is huge 60 GB. The Zen is 20 GB. I like the Zen for long trips because the battery can go for 18 -24 hours. The Jukebox has so much music that it replaces XM Radio if you organize it right.

[Jori]

I have a Pioneer Inno (XM radio) which can hold 500 MB of wmas and mp3s. I primarily use it in my car and keep about eight albums on it (I change it frequently depending on my tastes). I also have an Archos AV500 (30 GB); plays wmas, mp3s, divx/xvid video format. I was looking at the Archros 604 Wifi, but I've heard about a 704 model on the horizon. I'm going to be patient for that one.

[ZachKC]

I don't personally have one, but this is the first negative comment I've heard about them. If I were buying an MP3 player right now, I'd go with the Zune. I've heard nothing but good things from people who own them.

Wow, really? I had high hopes for it but all the feedback I have heard from it is literally terrible.

[Merlin]

MP3 format is the way to go.
Is there a reason you prefer it to AAC?

[Merlin]

What are the ramifications of DRM? Does it prevent me from moving music files from the player to other PCs? Does it not allow me to rip certain types of CD's? Is the issue one of downloading from the Int.?

[Willynowei]

Dude I wouldnt even go for a MP3 player man, i listen to those on my cellphone. But if you really want something with a meaty HD, i highly recommend PVP players. Its a great alternative option to Mp3s.

You can record, watch videos with them and of course the pics and music. IMO very cool and they are usually like 200GB, from ARCOS. take a look at those on online.

Downside is they are big.

[Finger Roll]

I just got the Creative Labs Zen Vision 30GB, and seems to be really good.

I have the same thing. Creative Zen Version M. 30GB space and great picture for movies

[scorpio]

What are the ramifications of DRM? Does it prevent me from moving music files from the player to other PCs? Does it not allow me to rip certain types of CD's? Is the issue one of downloading from the Int.?

Different DRM has different restrictions. For example, the iTunes music DRM will allow you to download a song to 5 different computers and burn a limited number of CDs from the songs you download. Some Windows Video DRM makes you install spyware before you can watch it. Some CDs that you buy have features that are supposed to prevent ripping (although it almost never works).

Really DRM is just an umbrella term to describe methods that media companies use to treat their customers like criminals.

[OrangeShadow]

I have a zune as well and the video format thing is kind of a pain but all you have to do is download a file converter and your good to go. I have 400 some songs and 30 some videos and still have 27 of 30 gigs left to use.

Plus the screen is a lot larger than that of an Ipod. I love the zune

[clean]

Excerpts from Paul Thurrott's SuperSite for Windows:

Things you can't do with the Zune

While the Zune seems to have all the basics covered, there are a wide number of iPod features that Microsoft has conspicuously not added to the Zune. These omissions make the Zune far less desirable, in my own opinion. And the list of missing features, sadly, is quite long.

Unlike the iPod, the Zune doesn't support Audible-compatible (or any other kind of) audio books, video games, downloadable movies, TV shows, music videos, and other video content, or podcasts. In fact, the only kind of commercial content that Zune supports at all is music, which is all well and good, but with iPods migrating into all-in-one multimedia devices, the Zune seems decidedly old-school.

One of the big rumors that swirled around the Zune this past summer was that Microsoft was going to jumpstart iPod defections by allowing iPod owners to transfer all of their iTunes-purchased content into Zune-compatible versions for free. This service never materialized, and it would have made all the difference in the world. As it is, Zune offers little benefit for those who have never purchased an MP3 player of any kind and absolutely no benefit to those who have heavily invested in Apple's iPod ecosystem.

Final thoughts

The problem with the Zune from a potential user's standpoint is that it provides only the most basic functionality one can get from an iPod while failing to match the multitude of advanced features one enjoys by joining the dominant iPod club. In this way, the Zune/iPod relationship is like the Mac/PC relationship, but reversed: Those who choose the Zune will miss out on all the advantages of the thriving iPod ecosystem, including its many additional features, a choice of devices, a choice of thousands of accessories and add-ons, access to an online store with massive collections of music, movies, TV shows, music videos, podcasts, audio books, and games, and all the other things that make the iPod so wonderful. There are no integrated automobile solutions, no upcoming airline solutions. It's just you and the Zune. Welcome to what social? Excuse me?

http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/zune.asp

[Odysseus]

Is there a reason you prefer it to AAC?

I deal with mostly a non tech savvy crowd so portability is the most important thing to me. On the higher end I find a thin line between leading edge and bleeding edge. Dependability is what matters to me.

EDIT: I prefer OGG as well but again trying to swap OGG with anyone out here is a waste of time.

[Willynowei]

I have the same thing. Creative Zen Version M. 30GB space and great picture for movies

I just bought a Zen Vision W. Can't wait to play around with it, the screen looks great. Should ship within 2 weeks, long wait but I'd rather not pay for shipping ROFL!

[COBronco 69]

Sandisk Sansa e260. It rules. Very simple to use, playlists can be managed through a number of software packages, but I just use Media Player..

[alkemical]

In EMI-ITunes Deal, the Big Loser May Be Microsoft (http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/news/2007/04/emihardware_0403)

When music label EMI announced Monday that it would offer high-quality digital music downloads free of copy protection, Apple CEO Steve Jobs basked in the early public relations glow, thanks to his canny call a month ago for the labels to abandon digital rights management technologies.

But while Apple scored a public relations coup by offering EMI's DRM-free tracks through iTunes, the company has also struck a major blow against Microsoft in a less obvious arena: music encoding standards.

In an early morning press release, EMI announced the immediate availability of its "digital repertoire" in high-quality, DRM-free AAC format. The new tracks will be encoded at 256 Kbps, EMI officials said, instead of the 128 Kbps that most iTunes tracks use.

"By providing DRM-free downloads, we aim to address the lack of interoperability which is frustrating for many music fans," said EMI Group CEO Eric Nicoli in the press release.

Apple's iTunes Store is the first to receive the new premium downloads, which will be priced at $1.30. Apple will continue to offer DRM-shackled tunes from EMI at the lower rate of 128 Kbps for the usual price of $1. EMI stressed that DRM would remain on music bought under monthly flat-fee-based services such as Rhapsody, Napster and Yahoo Music Unlimited.

A large part of the news has to do with consumers' excitement over the "unprotected" part of the equation, since DRM restrictions are often seen as onerous, unfair and contrary to the fair-use provisions of U.S. copyright law. In fact, many observers, including Wired News, have predicted that 2007 would be the year that music labels begin offering higher-quality, DRM-free music. This week's announcement will surely cheer the champions of music sold without copy restrictions.

Still, the removal of DRM is just one piece of the puzzle; of equal significance to the online music industry is EMI's choice of AAC encoding.

Many onlookers had assumed that the company would go with the widely supported MP3 format. The decision to use AAC represents a crack in the wall that has separated services and devices that use Microsoft's WMA from those that use AAC.

All digital audio players support MP3, but users who want a more efficient audio compression than MP3 and/or the ability to buy music online have had to choose between AAC and WMA.

While AAC is an industry standard, Apple has been its primary champion. (AAC is part of the MPEG suite of standards, which includes MP3, and is based on patents owned by AT&T, Fraunhofer, Dolby Laboratories and Sony, and is licensed by a Dolby subsidiary).

Apple's iPod has long supported the AAC format, which is used by the ITunes Store. Apple normally adds a layer of DRM copy protection, called FairPlay, to the music files sold there.

(cont'd on site)