MP3 Player

[soulata]

regarding iRiver, it's a bit bigger (at least my friend's one), but needs no sw to act as a usb2 hdd.

I'll have to rethink the sleek...

[flippya2000]

soulata: The Creative Zen requires some software to be installed for file management (which would put me off).

flippya2000: The same seems to be true for the iRiver (at least it's been like that the last time I looked at some of their models specs).

Personally, I want maximum compatibility, which means I can just connect the player to *any* computer (usually Macs running OSX and PCs running XP) and it'll show up as a mobile drive. Drag some MP3s (or other files) onto it, done.

..Yeah, thatz one thing I h8 abt iRiver is that they do force you to install software - The Archos Gemini looks like a good option for you then, but no recharging via usb tho

[eugene]

anyone know which one has the best outputs? is there one with RCAs or 1/4 inch instead of a 1/8th stereo?

[aMUSEd]

soulata: The Creative Zen requires some software to be installed for file management (which would put me off).

flippya2000: The same seems to be true for the iRiver (at least it's been like that the last time I looked at some of their models specs).

Personally, I want maximum compatibility, which means I can just connect the player to *any* computer (usually Macs running OSX and PCs running XP) and it'll show up as a mobile drive. Drag some MP3s (or other files) onto it, done.

..Yeah, thatz one thing I h8 abt iRiver is that they do force you to install software - The Archos Gemini looks like a good option for you then, but no recharging via usb tho

I think the Cowon I linked to above is the best option - it does it all by the looks of it.

[stale bread]

shit i just got an 30gig ipod but that black video Cowon looks the business, such features, i've been wanting a player that could record shit off the radio for a long time, and i like that you can view text while listening to music,, for a samplist/ mc like myself it seems like a good unit for rehearsing/going over lyrics while on the go.

any challengers out there to this one??? and how much is the cost of that one in u.s. dollars, not to mention does anybody know where i could get this in the u.s.?

[stale bread]

is the 60gig Cowon larger or smaller than the 60gig ipod?

[The Chase]

My priority (after the obvios basics) would be the headphone amp. Many MP3 players have little tricks for sound quality, but nothing beats a solid amp to drive the signal.

I've owned 2 ipods and a creative jukebox (remember the old one that was BIGGER than a discman). The jukebox was my favorite by far because it was the only portable audio unit ive ever owned that didnt sound like a portable audio unit, despite haveing 4 hours of battery life, but it took simple AA batteries so I just got a bunch of rechargables.

[stale bread]

so it looks like the ipod is even heavier than the Cowon, i don't know about hz and khz though somebody tell me which sounds the best acccording to this chart.


Name Apple iPod 60GB (Video) iAudio X5 60GB
Price £299.00 £309.00
Backlit Display Yes Yes
Memory Capacity 60GB 60GB
Width 6.1 cm 6.1cm
Height 10.4cm 10.4cm
Depth 1.4 cm 1.4cm
Battery Life 20 hours (music), 4 hours (slideshow), 3 hours (video) Up to 14 hours playback
Weight 157g 145g
Frequency Response 20Hz to 20,000Hz 20Hz - 20KHz
Impedance 32 ohms -
Memory Expansion Slot No No
USB Version USB 2.0 USB 2.0
ID3 Tag Yes Yes
Languages Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portugue Multi language support
LCD Display Size 6.35 cm (2.5-inch) (diagonal) colour LCD with LED backlight, 320 x 240 pixel resolution, .156-mm dot pitch 260,000 Colors TFT-LCD, Resolution 160x128
MP3 Bitrate Playback 16Kbps - 320Kbps MPEG 1 / 2/2.5 Layer 3, ~320kbps

[Muzik 4 Machines]

m-audio_micro-track2496
balanced_line_ins;)
up_to_8_gig_SD_cards

[ghost666]

The Creative Zen Vision:M is what I'm going for next.

http://www.creative.com/products/mp3/zenvisionm/

Not sure if you can drag'n'drop via explorer or whether you need to install extra soft, but the specs rule.

[stale bread]

i can't even get to the specs on creatives site, could you post them, all i get is a flash demo with not alot of info

[stale bread]

according to cnet the zen features an fm tuner but it doesn't say anything about having the capability to record it! for me that's a wasted feature

[foosnark]

They do.
Compare some of them on the site and you'll see "Removable Disk Drive Support" being answered with "Yes" and "Management Software Required" answered with "No".

Be sure and read up on them for details though. I have a Rio Carbon 5GB which I love, and chose it partially on the basis of not requiring management software -- but the downside of not requiring the software is somewhat weaker organization than, say, an iPod. Plus, boot time for the player is EXTREMELY slow if you're in the habit of transferring without the management software (it's only moderately slow otherwise).

I wind up using the management software all the time, and I don't mind at all -- it's also a decent MP3 tag editor. I like it much more than iTunes.

Rio's out of the MP3 player market now anyway, but the point is, doublecheck these things rather than just using a quick features list

[idobs]

Actually, you don't need to install Creative's software to use the Zen Sleek (their sync is buggy). I use Windows Media Player for sync (since I really think it does a great job), and Winamp for my actual music-management.

soulata: The Creative Zen requires some software to be installed for file management (which would put me off).

flippya2000: The same seems to be true for the iRiver (at least it's been like that the last time I looked at some of their models specs).

Personally, I want maximum compatibility, which means I can just connect the player to *any* computer (usually Macs running OSX and PCs running XP) and it'll show up as a mobile drive. Drag some MP3s (or other files) onto it, done.

[ghost666]

i can't even get to the specs on creatives site, could you post them, all i get is a flash demo with not alot of info

This is cut & pasted from the site...

FEATURES

Loads of entertainment without the load

Smaller and better than ever before. The ZEN VISION:M does more than play your videos, photos and music. It displays them in their true glory on a vibrant, large full-color screen. Perfect for road trips long or short, carry your entertainment in the palmof your hand. Available in a light 30GB model, take your pick from 5 dazzling colors - blue, green, pink, black and white.

120 hours of movies1


Big screen blockbusters, yesterday's picnic with your best friends, and even your favorite TV shows4. They now fit in your pocket and are perfect for sharing. ZEN VISION:M supports many video formats, such as DivX™ 4 & 55, XviD5, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG4-SP, WMV9 and Motion-JPEG, which simply means more choice and less restrictions on the types of video formats you can use.

Tens of thousands of photos


View precious memories - tens of thousands of them - in 262,144 vivid colors at 320 x 240 resolution. Featuring a True Resolution image display, you can now view any photo you import without loss in quality or having to resize it. Take a closer look at your photos with the Zoom function, or scroll through your entire photo collection easily with the touchpad.

An amazing 15,000 songs2


Perfect for taking with you on the road or around the house. Your music will sound as good as it looks, thanks to Creative's world-renowned audio clarity, custom equalizer and 8 preset EQ settings.

Movie and Photo Slideshows


Connect the ZEN VISION:M to a projector or TV with the video cable, and delight friends with big screen movie magic.

2.5" high-definition LCD screen




Watch movies and photos in their full glory on the large 2.5" LCD screen, even under bright lighting. Displaying up to 262,144 vibrant colors, get crisp, clear detail in every image in high-definition 320 x 240 resolution.

Vertical Touch Pad

Ergonomically designed, the innovative touch pad control enables quick, comfortable access to menus and settings.

Rechargeable Li-Ion battery


Enjoy up to 14 hours of music3, or 4 hours of movies with the rechargeable Li-Ion battery. Perfect for watching an entire movie non-stop anywhere you are.

FM radio & recorder




If 15,000 songs aren't enough, listen to more with the integrated FM radio. 32 station presets let you switch stations whenever you want.

Personal Organizer


Store and view all the information that's important to you - daily tasks, contact lists and even a calendar. ZEN VISION:M syncs easily with Microsoft Outlook, and lets you edit your information with Creative Media Explorer.

Voice recorder


Meetings, lectures, even voice memos to yourself - record them all with the integrated voice recorder, which stores hundreds of hours worth of recordings.

Full access to online music stores


Select from more than a million songs from a myriad of online music stores - Napster To Go, Yahoo! Music Unlimited, Rhapsody To Go, and so much more. With PlaysForSure support, you will always be able to play any digital music you purchase.

Fits your life perfectly


Select from an extensive line of accessories that make ZEN VISION:M the perfect companion. Pamper and protect your player with the chic leather case and LCD screen protector. Or choose from the wired remote, docking station, and car adaptor kit designed to make life easier.

1 Based on 500Kbps MPEG4-SP format.
2 Based on 4 minutes per song at 64kbps WMA.
3 Audio at 128kbps MP3, in locked mode.
4 For converting TV programs recorded using Microsoft® Windows® XP Media Center Edition, it is recommended that you have Cyberlink PowerDVD™ or Intervideo® WinDVD® version 6 and above installed in your computer.
5 DivX and XviD encoded files are playable if they are encoded as standard MPEG-4 Simple (SP) or Advanced Simple Profile (ASP) without GMC support. This product is not certified by DivX Inc. May not play all DivX 4 and 5 files.

Specifications
Capacity: 30GB hard drive
Size: 104 x 62 x 18.6mm
Weight: 163g
LCD: 2.5" LCD @ 320 x 240 Color Display
262,144 colours
Songs: 15,000 WMAs/ 1,000hrs (at 64kbps)
7,500 MP3/ 500hrs (at 128kbps)
Video:

120 hrs (MPEG4 videos) 1
Photos: Tens of thousands of Photos
Audio Battery Life: Up to 14 hrs playtime (MP3, 128kbps, 4mins/ song)
Up to 8 hrs playtime (WMA, 64kbps, 4mins/ song)
Up to 14 hrs FM playtime
Video Battery Life: Up to 4 hrs video playtime
Supported Audio formats: MP3, WMA (inc MS PD DRM), WAV
Support Video formats: DivX™ 4 & 55, XviD5, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG4-SP, WMV9, Motion-JPEG
Supported Photo formats: JPEG, BMP6, GIF6, TIFF6
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: up to 97dB
FM & FM recording: 32 preset stations
EQ settings: 8 presets & custom 5 band EQ setting
USB: 2.0
Organiser: Calendar, Contact, Task list
Power Charging: Charges via Power Adapter (2.5hrs only) or PC thru USB (6hrs)
TV Out: Yes
Photo with Music: Yes
Voice Recording: Yes
Removable Disk Storage: Yes
Album Art: Slideshow, Thumbnail, Zoom, Pan
Connectivity: Docking connector (USB2.0 with Sync Adapter)
Stereo headphone out with Wired Remote Support
Composite AV Out (NTSC and PAL)
Built-in Microphone


You can definitely record FM.