Mp3

[ricicle]

Peeps,
Looking to get an Mp3 player (itunes) for the other half for her birthday.Can anyone recommend a good 'un?

Cheers

 

[Adam_151]

The only MP3 player that will play music bought from the apple Itunes store are Apple's Ipods.

Its all to do with electronic rights management, and different standards and apple stuff only working with other apple stuff etc

Anyway, there will be people who tell you that Ipod has its faults, and I'm sure it does, but I have one and think its a brilliant little thing (and Ipods are quite well supported in being able to get compatable car stereos, disc changer -> ipod interfaces, etc)

Or have I got the wrong end of the stick

 

[Shytalkz]

If you get a program called Tunebite (it's about £15), play iTunes tracks and it converts them to open mp3s. All entirely legally. Just make sure that nothing else that can make a sound on the machine is running at the same time, otherwise it will pick that up as well.

 

[Space cat]

Do you want an MP3 player or do you want an iPod? iTunes files are not MP3 and, as Adam_151 points out, they won't play on an MP3 player (though some players may come with software that can convert them).

What it comes down to is this: would the other half prefer to buy tracks from iTunes (easy but expensive) or make them from existing CD's (needs some computer literacy but they're free)?

Being computer literate, I prefer the second option. I use EAC to extract the CD tracks to hard disk and LAME to convert them to MP3. If you want loads of expert advice on this subject - or any other aspect of audio - have a look around www.hydrogenaudio.org.

PS: If you go down the iTunes route you'll still need to know a bit about computers. In particular you'll need to make backups. There are plenty of horror stories of people who've spent thousands of pounds on iTunes tracks then lost the lot!

 

[leestaunton]

what does the missus want the player for? is it the gym or for general use. can't see past ipods myself.

tunebite is a good bit of kit but would recommend buying the original cds and converting the to mp3s using itunes as it's usually cheaper.

 

[Steve]

would recommend buying the original cds and converting the to mp3s using itunes as it's usually cheaper.

¿Que? Do explain your logic. Last I looked albums in HMV were between £10 and £15, depending on the chart position and content etc. Most albums on iTunes are £7.99, almost half price of HMV.

And you're being environmentally friendly with MP3s - theres hardly any energy involved moving data between itunes servers and your PC, compared to the energy involved in making the CD, case, cover, transporting it, packing it.

 

[leestaunton]

CD's tend to be less than 8gbp if you shop at the correct places ie not HMV. Play in particular have very good deals. For example

http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/4986810/Emergency/Product.html

http://www.play.com/Music/CD/4-/3977582/We-Started-Nothing/Product.html

The benefits of owning originals when they are less that 8 quid are

1) you have an original with all the packaging.

2) You can convert to unprotected MP3s without fiddling about with tunebite.

3) when converting to mp3 to can chose the bitrate of the mp3 and are not stuck with 128kbps songs which is often the case with itunes.

Don't get me wrong I use Itunes quite a bit. However with a little shopping around you can save yourself a lot of money.

As there's no transportation, packaging, CD's and shops involved downloads should be significantly cheaper IMHO. Until that happens the majority of people will continue to download illegeally.

 

[Space cat]

CD's can also be borrowed.

Once you've got over the initial hurdle of learning to use the (free) software, you'll soon find yourself rattling off backup copies of your CD's as well as making MP3's from them. Have you ever lent a CD to a 'friend' who never brought it back. Or maybe you have teenagers who take them to parties from which they return all bashed up - the CD's that is!

Of course you can also use iTunes to convert tracks off your CD's to put on an iPod but I would still go for an MP3 player. It'll be cheaper and the tracks will play on almost anything. Some CD players - and most DVD players - will play MP3 files from a disc.

 

[Shytalkz]

Edited to add: should read the post properly

Did your left mouse key get sticky with the emoticons by any chance?!