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10-07-2003, 02:47 PM
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#1 |
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Member (6 bit)
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 45
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Best portable mp3 players...
Hey guys I was looking at a selection of mp3 players at different places and I really just have no clue which ones are the best. Tell me, which mp3 players are the most reliable, and effcient. I am looking to buy one that is under $150. Help get a clue as to which brand of mp3 I want...if it helps any, I am have a PC so I guess those apple mp3 players are out of the question...
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10-07-2003, 04:02 PM
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#2 |
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Computing Professor
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Premium Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 11,718
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Check the specs on those Apple players, they come in PC versions as well.
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10-07-2003, 04:13 PM
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#3 |
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Member (12 bit)
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Racine, WI
Posts: 2,094
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The apple iPod will be out of your price range. ~$300 for a 10GB (3rd Gen) version, which is their base model. You can get a Refurb 10GB iPod (2nd Gen) for $169 from apple.com, though.
The Creative MuVo have the best sound output quality for the solid-state memory mp3 players. The Samsung Yepp is a great player, also. Avoid Archos and Rio, as most people who buy those end up hating them within a few weeks after getting them. The output is mediocre, the menu system is terrible, and if you need support its basically non-existent. If you are willing to save some, consider getting a Creative Nomad Zen NX 20GB for ~$250 or an iPod for ~$300. The prices should drop a little with the holidays coming up. I have a Nomad Zen NX 30GB version, and its great. It has better sound quality than an iPod. The only reason I would go with an iPod is because it is smaller. The NX doesn't really fit in my pocket very well, but since I use it mostly in my car or at my desk, size didn't really matter. |
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10-07-2003, 05:13 PM
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#4 |
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Member (11 bit)
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,729
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The iPod or Nomad Jukebox Zen NX would be best, but for your price range why no look at a Sony Net MD player/recorder.
__________________
Better to use a Mac and be THOUGHT a fool, than to use Windows and REMOVE ALL DOUBT |
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10-08-2003, 09:31 AM
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#5 | |
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Member (6 bit)
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 45
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Quote:
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10-08-2003, 09:34 AM
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#6 |
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Member (6 bit)
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 45
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Just found my answer...looks like a great buy...I think the Sony Net MD looks like the best buy...do you guys think the Ipod Refurb would be better?
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10-08-2003, 09:36 AM
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#7 |
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Member (6 bit)
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 45
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Hey guys...how much space is on the Sony Net MD...I couldn't find this parameter at Best Buy.com
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10-08-2003, 10:42 AM
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#8 |
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Forum Administrator
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Premium Member
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Joplin MO
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A minor housekeeping comment - please use the Edit function in your post if you need to add info instead of making 3 separate posts over the span of a few minutes. You have a 12 hour window to edit your post. Thanks!
- Moderator - |
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10-08-2003, 10:49 AM
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#9 |
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Member (6 bit)
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 45
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Thanx...will do next time.
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10-08-2003, 04:07 PM
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#10 |
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Member (12 bit)
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Racine, WI
Posts: 2,094
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The net md is a mini-disc player, so you have to transfer your files to a mini-disc. I think the mini-disck hold ~700mb.
Personally, I think the iPod would be a much better buy. A lot of people from a different forum I use have been getting them, and they absolutely love them. That, and you get 10GB of space for around $70 more. |
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10-08-2003, 05:22 PM
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#11 |
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Member (11 bit)
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,729
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I love my iPod but I use it with a Mac. I have used it with musicmatch on the PC but it's a bit convoluted. iTunes is supposed to be released for windows by the end of this year, so hopefully it will be a bit easier.
The Net MD uses Atrac III format. It converts any mp3/wma into this format and transfers it to disc at up to 32x speed via USB. Each disc will hold 5 hours of music in LP4 mode, which is a pretty poor quality, or 2-3 hours in LP2 mode, which is a much better choice. The software that comes with the Net MD is extremly limited, using a check in/check out style of copy protection to stop file sharing, and the Net MD forum has a lot of real nightmare stories related to installation, a lot of the time requiring a format and re-install of the OS. Having said that, I never had a single issue with mine. If you are willing to spend the money, get the iPod and hope for itunes for windows soon, If not, give the MD a try. PS: Mine is a 10gig 2nd generation iPod which has ample space for me for music, although I really would like a 40gig model for music and backup file storage. |
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10-08-2003, 09:56 PM
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#12 |
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Member (10 bit)
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Alaska
Posts: 903
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I love my iPod as well. Haven't used it on my PC yet, but probably will get adventurous and format it for my Windows Comp... Just don't like any of the music app's for Windows.. not after iTunes at least
 But I got the 10GB iPod and love it.
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10-09-2003, 10:39 AM
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#13 |
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Member (6 bit)
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 45
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Are there any good mp3 players I could get that are around 150$ or less...that you can just upload music to through a usb connection and play the music via the mp3 player rather than the disk like the net md does? Also...if I get the Net md...you are saying that it has a disk inside of it that you download the mp3 files to? If I fill this disk up, can I overwrite it? Also what are these nightmares you are talking baout when using the net md...like how did it wipe out someones OS...(sounds crazy)...lastly, does it allow for me to upload files that have been received from a file sharing source or does it reject them or something?
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10-09-2003, 11:48 AM
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#14 |
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Member (12 bit)
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Racine, WI
Posts: 2,094
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The Creative Labs MuVo NX sounds ideal for you. It just plugs into the USB port on your computer, and you can drag and drop files to it, and delete files from it.
The iPod will do the same, but its slightly more expensive. (refurbed) |
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10-09-2003, 12:25 PM
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#15 |
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Stop winking at me!!!
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: CT
Posts: 1,482
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Just to add to the excellent list of advice you are getting. There are two things I focus on when dealing with mp3's:
Size and how it's stored. I do not ever go lower than 128mb; as far as the larget: skies the limit. How it's stored, as long as it's on some type of flash storage device I am okay with it. I do not care for these mp3 players that require either or: CD HDD For me, using an mp3 player the whole focus is doing without moving devices. By doing that, you never need to worry about keeping it stable. With an MP3 I can listen to music on a very bumpy ride while cutting the grass. Also, with your low price limit I say go with the Creative labs. Sony's are really good but are really pricy too. Also to add, my opinion only: going with the Sony MD is a bad idea. For it's a moving part (yes it hardly ever skips if at all), it's a disk which requires permanent store on those disks. To me it would be more cost effective to be able to add and remove from a flash memory device than to burn it permanently to a disk. But hey, to each is own. Last edited by Iman74; 10-09-2003 at 12:28 PM. |
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10-09-2003, 02:54 PM
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#16 | |
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Member (6 bit)
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Posts: 45
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Quote:
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10-09-2003, 08:25 PM
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#17 |
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Member (11 bit)
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,729
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The Net MD Disks can be re-written (they say up to 1,000,000 times) and they only cost about $1 each if you buy them in 10 or 20 packs. Pretty good price considering each will hold up to 5 hours of music.
Yes you can copy all your MP3's to the Device, but if you use the sony software it will only allow you to "check out" the song 3 times, after that you will have to "check in" a copy of the song to be able to "check it out" again. Yes, it's as stupid as it sounds. I think you can use real one player to avoid this scheme (which isn't an awful idea, it's just implemented poorly), or you can transfer direct from CD to MD and bypass it entirely (thats what I do). I see you may have decided on the Creative player, is that the Muvo or the Nomad Zen you are going to get?. |
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10-10-2003, 08:16 AM
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#18 |
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Stop winking at me!!!
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: CT
Posts: 1,482
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I am intrigued. Check this out.
I am a big user of the thumbdrive, but I was thinking: if I get this and use it for MP3's and file transfers the only concern I would have is, when it comes to file transfers, do I need to load drivers for it to be recognized? You do not need to load drivers for the thumbdrives which is why I love them so, I would get this too if it works the same. |
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10-10-2003, 07:16 PM
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#19 |
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Member (11 bit)
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,729
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2k, me and XP and Mac OS X have drivers built in that recognise the muvo, For other OS's you will need to use the installer on the CD.
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10-11-2003, 02:29 PM
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#20 |
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The Procrastinator
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 1,653
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Last edited by i3OSS; 10-11-2003 at 02:35 PM. |
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