#265976 - 25/09/2005 03:44
Best mp3 compact mp3 player
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addict
Registered: 23/01/2002
Posts: 506
Loc: The Great Pacific NorthWest
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It's been a while since I have been here. Still have the 2 rio's and love them. I'm in the market for a portable mp3 \ jpg \ video player. I recently bought an Ipod but am not really happy with it. The lack of folder options is a bit of an issue for me. What do you guys think is the best portable unit out there these days. I'm looking for something that you can wear on your belt and will hold 20 - 60 gigs. I couldn't think of a better place to ask this than here. Any suggestions?
Charles
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#265977 - 26/09/2005 05:28
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Neutrino]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
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Quote:
The lack of folder options is a bit of an issue for me.
As far as I know, there is no commercial portable MP3 player that supports hierarchical folders officially. The Rio Karma accidently did, as they never removed that code from the car base that was used, but JEmplode had to be used to gain access to it.
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#265978 - 26/09/2005 12:25
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: drakino]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12341
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Quote:
Quote:
The lack of folder options is a bit of an issue for me.
As far as I know, there is no commercial portable MP3 player that supports hierarchical folders officially. The Rio Karma accidently did, as they never removed that code from the car base that was used, but JEmplode had to be used to gain access to it.
Well, every single Archos device uses a folder structure by default, which is probably the biggest reason I like their products. Much like you, Charles, I think the iPod is a very nice device, but I hate the lack of control over how my music organized. (I also can't stand the necessity of iTunes. all Archos devices are mass storage devices)
Archos recently appears to have added a mode that lets you listen to music by genre/artist/whatever, but the main method is still folders. I simply find it easier to listen to music that way.
IMO, the main problem you're going to run into is that there aren't any MP3 players that are good for jogging and 20GB or more. Certainly none that also play video. The closest I think you're going to get is the Archos GMini402. My girlfriend recently got the GMini400 at my suggestion, and loves it. She can watch TV shows on the metro, or play it on a TV when she's at home. It's also a pretty decent size and the screen is very watchable. I've heard of people running with these devices, although it's at your own risk since there's a hard drive in there.
Anyway, I strongly recommend the device. I'd get one myself, but I prefer the larger screens of their AV series of players.
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Matt
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#265979 - 26/09/2005 12:28
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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Quote:
I also can't stand the necessity of iTunes
Just for the sake of argument, you can use iTunes as we use emplode by dragging MP3s directly to the iPod once its mounted. You can have absolutely nothing in the iTunes database and still use it to load your iPod.
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Bitt Faulk
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#265980 - 26/09/2005 12:35
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: wfaulk]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 30/10/2000
Posts: 4931
Loc: New Jersey, USA
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Quote:
Quote:
I also can't stand the necessity of iTunes
Just for the sake of argument, you can use iTunes as we use emplode by dragging MP3s directly to the iPod once its mounted. You can have absolutely nothing in the iTunes database and still use it to load your iPod.
Ephpod is also still alive it seems.
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-Rob Riccardelli
80GB 16MB MK2 090000736
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#265981 - 26/09/2005 12:52
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: wfaulk]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12341
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Quote:
Quote:
I also can't stand the necessity of iTunes
Just for the sake of argument, you can use iTunes as we use emplode by dragging MP3s directly to the iPod once its mounted. You can have absolutely nothing in the iTunes database and still use it to load your iPod.
This is true, but I said I didn't like the basic fact that you need software installed on the PC to load data onto the device. If I have a choice, I will always buy a portable media device that will act as a mass storage device.
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Matt
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#265982 - 26/09/2005 19:18
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Dignan]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
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Quote:
Well, every single Archos device uses a folder structure by default,
I'm suprised not more people here have made a big deal about this, because at least for me, it is a big deal. A quick search revealed most (possibly all) of their products don't do gapless, but that is much less an issue for me then having hierarchical folders.
Guess I'll have to look more into their products when my Karma dies or needs to be replaced.
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#265983 - 26/09/2005 19:42
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Neutrino]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 06/04/2005
Posts: 2026
Loc: Seattle transplant
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Well, my post isn't going to help you much, as I can't address your needs for 20-60GB, video, or even pictures... That said, here's a link to the successor to the compact mp3 player that I settled on a little over a year ago: http://store.yahoo.com/frontierstore/nex4gbhitoem.htmlI bought my Nex1a for the following reasons: *AA batteries- I can charge my own cheap batteries. *CF memory- size available is dependent on what you put in! *it came shipped (then) with a 1GB microdrive for less than the cost of said microdrive. *acts like a memory stick. The NexBlack (linked) will come with the 4GB Hitachi microdrive for about what I paid a while ago... typical tech story. Reading about the NexBlack makes me want to upgrade... but I so rarely use my mp3 player it's just not worth it. Airplane flights is about it, otherwise, the white noise of the everyday is my chosen companion when I'm out and about.  Anyway, folders are not a problem, though, so that's about the only 'on-topic' comment I can make!
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10101311 (20GB- backup empeg)
10101466 (2x60GB, Eutronix/GreenLights Blue) (Stolen!)
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#265984 - 27/09/2005 12:10
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Dignan]
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addict
Registered: 23/01/2002
Posts: 506
Loc: The Great Pacific NorthWest
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Thanks for the replies. The Archos stuff looks pretty interesting. Does anyone know how the fast forward works on the 402? This is another point of contention for me with the Ipod. I recently bought an audio book from itunes. It comes in three files, each about 2 hours long. If you happen to be 7/8ths of the way through a file and you accidentily lose your place it is very difficult to FF through to the place that you left off. It is a very slow process. Again, Archos makes several devices that are pretty cool. Unfortunetly there is no place locally where I can see one. I think I'll pick up a 402 anyway.
Thank You!
Charles
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#265985 - 27/09/2005 12:21
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Neutrino]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 25/12/2000
Posts: 16706
Loc: Raleigh, NC US
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I was thinking there was a way you could use the iPod wheel to "scroll" through the song. I know you're thinking I'm getting it confused with the empeg's Seek Tool, but I'm pretty sure I'm not.
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Bitt Faulk
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#265986 - 27/09/2005 12:24
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: wfaulk]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 30/10/2000
Posts: 4931
Loc: New Jersey, USA
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Yeah, on my 1st-gen iPod I could do that. I think I had to push the middle button, then the wheel would control track position instead of volume.
_________________________
-Rob Riccardelli
80GB 16MB MK2 090000736
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#265987 - 27/09/2005 16:23
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: wfaulk]
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addict
Registered: 23/01/2002
Posts: 506
Loc: The Great Pacific NorthWest
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 Opps, You guys, of course, are right. I guess I should learn the Ipod a little better. Scrolling does work with the center button. I thought it was just for adding to the "On the Go" playlist when something was playing. My bad.  Thank You! Charles
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#265988 - 27/09/2005 19:33
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Neutrino]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 25/08/2000
Posts: 2413
Loc: NH USA
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Don't feel bad. I just won a Nano, and had to look in the damn handbook for how to shut it off. Personally I think that's pretty crappy UI design.
-Zeke
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WWFSMD?
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#265989 - 27/09/2005 19:37
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Ezekiel]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 17/01/2002
Posts: 3996
Loc: Manchester UK
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Cheers,
Andy M
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#265990 - 27/09/2005 20:54
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Ezekiel]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
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Quote:
Don't feel bad. I just won a Nano, and had to look in the damn handbook for how to shut it off.
If it was new in box, the plastic wrapper around the Nano had all the basic instructions, including how to power it off. Don't feel too bad, I missed that as well until after playing with the Nano for about 10 minutes.
And yes, it seems staring at the Nano will cause scratches. Mine looks like it was abused heavily after three weeks now, and it's not seeing all that much use. I'm going to wait another week or two for an official response, otherwise mine is going back for an exchange, and a protector next time. It is a shame it is so fragile.
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#265991 - 28/09/2005 01:25
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: andym]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 25/08/2000
Posts: 2413
Loc: NH USA
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Thanks for the link. I won't be putting it back in the pocket. The screen was scratched from the plastic headbuds in one day in my pocket (good thing I moved the change to the other pocket).
Who reads the itty bitty print on the package anyway? A printed copy of the .pdf is not too much to ask, or at least a printed sheet with the very basics on a WRAPPER (hell even if I'd seen it I'd assume the small type was a EULA, and who reads those?). Whatever. Not really impressed.
In Apple's favor, the package didn't cut my hand like the Karma's did. 
-Zeke
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#265992 - 28/09/2005 02:02
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Neutrino]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12341
Loc: Sterling, VA
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You can indeed FF and RW on Archos devices. On all the ones I've seen, you simply hold down left or right on the D-pad, and it starts seeking.
If you want to check out the GMini, I believe the previous model, the 400, is in your local CompUSA. The form of the device will pretty much be the same, except that the 400 has a CF port on the left-hand side. The 402 sacrificed the CF port for USB host. Having cameras with CF cards, I tend to prefer the CF port.
My girlfriend really wanted to check the device out before buying it too. She was very skeptical before she could actually hold it. Once she did, though, she was sold.
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Matt
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#265993 - 30/09/2005 09:07
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Dignan]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 27/02/2004
Posts: 1919
Loc: London
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Are there any players apart from the Karma that have the bookmarks feature? It's one I use a lot.
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#265994 - 30/09/2005 11:18
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: tahir]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12341
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Quote:
Are there any players apart from the Karma that have the bookmarks feature? It's one I use a lot.
I just searched the manual for the GMini 402. I don't know how the Karma does it, and this may be less than you'd hoped, but here's what it says:
Quote:
If you are listening to a song, or perhaps a long recording, and would like to place a bookmark in it in order to pick up from this point at another time, you can use the Bookmark function. You simply click on the center function button labeled Options, then choose Set Bookmark. This will set a bookmark in the audio file at the current position. You can only set one bookmark per fi le. When you look at the file in your browser, it will have a yellow check mark on its icon indicating that this file has a bookmark set within it. You can have a maximum of 16 files bookmarked. Setting more bookmarks will then start to erase the oldest bookmarks. The next time you play the audio file, you will be presented with three
options:
Resume: Start playing from the bookmarked position.
Ignore: Keep the bookmark but start playing from the very beginning.
Clear: Clear the bookmark from this file and start playing from the very beginning.
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Matt
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#265995 - 30/09/2005 11:58
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Dignan]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 27/02/2004
Posts: 1919
Loc: London
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#265996 - 30/09/2005 13:03
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: tahir]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 27/02/2004
Posts: 1919
Loc: London
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Quote:
Cool, that'll do for me.
Maybe not, doesn't appear to support ogg or mp2 (does it?)
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#265997 - 30/09/2005 13:45
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: tahir]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12341
Loc: Sterling, VA
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Quote:
Quote:
Cool, that'll do for me.
Maybe not, doesn't appear to support ogg or mp2 (does it?)
Sorry, I don't know that one, but a quick scan of the manual, the tech specs page on their website, and the Archos Yahoo group would suggest that none of their products support those things. It would be nice if they supported OGG for those people who use it, but I'm not suprised they don't support MP2. Are you talking about MPEG2 video?
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Matt
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#265998 - 30/09/2005 13:54
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Dignan]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 27/02/2004
Posts: 1919
Loc: London
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Nope. My problem is that I record a lot of DAB radio, this is mp2 audio, i used to convert it to mp3 (lame) but there are sometimes bit rate changes during the recording, lame errors at these so I started encoding to ogg which has been fine.
So I need something that either plays the .mp2 unconverted or something that plays .ogg.
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#265999 - 30/09/2005 14:08
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: tahir]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/03/2000
Posts: 12341
Loc: Sterling, VA
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I see. Sorry the 402 doesn't fit the bill. It's possible they'll add OGG support in the future, but I'd be suprised.
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Matt
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#266000 - 30/09/2005 14:16
Re: Best mp3 compact mp3 player
[Re: Dignan]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 27/02/2004
Posts: 1919
Loc: London
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Thanks for checking it out though.
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