MP3 PLAYER Advice

[Handa]

MP3 players. Don't like the prices. Don't like the IPOD.

I don't want to buy an ipod because:
a) costs too much
b) i never have that many songs, and i dont think i will ever have that many songs
c) too expensive for me!

I was looking at the MuVo Nomad TX... it's 108 bux on <a href=../autolink/redirectpage.php?linkid=27 target=_blank>NCIX.com</a> (http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...reative%20Labs)
I don't know much about mp3 players, except that I need either a 1GB/512MB/256MB... I'm looking to buy one in the not-so-near future, and I just thought I'd inform myself on a few issues.

So, enlighten me with your knowledge techies!

[manixc]

Muvo is a good choice. I have a Muvo TX FM 256Mb and I like it. Iriver and Rio are also known for good mp3 player, but afaik the Muvo line is the cheapest (other than the no-brand ones).

128MB gives you about 2hrs of music (depending on the quaility of the mp3)
256MB ~ 4hrs
512MB ~8hrs
1GB ~12hrs

[bluetroll]

ipod 40GB

[artsreview]

ipod 40GB

Considering the prices have now gone down, I recommend the Frontier Labs Nex IIe. It uses CF, so you can expand infinitely.

http://www.mp3playerstore.com/buy_it_now__/NEX_IIe.htm

[felixdd]

this is so ghetto:


Oh and bluetroll...the man said he didn't want the ipod. In fact half of his message was devoted to why he didn't want it.

Handa: in what setting will you be using the device? Exercising? Library? Commuting?

[ctam]

Considering the prices have now gone down, I recommend the Frontier Labs Nex IIe. It uses CF, so you can expand infinitely.

http://www.mp3playerstore.com/buy_it_now__/NEX_IIe.htm

This is the mp3 player i have right now and i LOVE IT. It cost me 80 bucks for use and i got a 256 card (80 bucks about) a year ago.

The major reason why i select this mp3 player over other ones are the following:
- expandable, i got a 1 GB CF card now, no worry about space
- can use it to transfer files (ipod can do it too but uneed firewire. Nex IIe uses USB)
- takes double AA battery

The only thing ihave against this player is taht it sucks up a lot of battery when playing. They can make the menu easier to use. It looks ghetto but it gets the job done.

[bmaz]

.....ipod can do it too but uneed firewire....

Who says?

[RenegadeX]

IMHO the 128MB & 256MB standalone MP3 players are overpriced marketing hype. As their purpose is *only* to play music, 25-75 songs is quite limited. On the far end of the spectrum, iPods are phenomenal - 40GB storage seems popular-- what's that, 8000 songs?!!

Only thing is with a $400(+) device, and even "only" 20GB of songs -- that is one heck of a VALUABLE ITEM to be carrying around with you. At (legal downloads) $1/song, 20GB is approx ~4100 songs = $4500 value that you might carry around with you (hope you've got them all backed up somewhere!). NICE TARGET FOR A MUGGING, no?!! What if you lose it, break it, or even if it crashed & everything got inadvertantly wiped?? NOT GOOD.

Ok, here's my (now 2-years old) solution:
I bought a (new) Casio BE-300 PDA and a 256MB CF card for $200
(can now buy the PDA for $40CDN (used) on <a href=../autolink/redirectpage.php?linkid=78 target=_blank>eBay</a>).

Though the Casio PDA's never really took off the way some of the others did, the user community was great & lots of user development made it one of the best PDA's for its time (pre-WiFi).

So for my $200 2 years ago, what did I get (inc. downloads)?:
- colour PDA with cradle/charger + usb connector; stereo headphone jack;
(16MB internal storage for O/S.. so complete CF storage left free for apps/files)
- drag n' drop from Desktop-PC to PDA storage; or auto/manual synch in cradle/or cable.
- MP3/Audio player with various WinAMP-clone players; can play MP3, WMA, OGG, WMV; full WinAMP-style playlist functions; equalizer, effects (reverb, loudness, etc). My CF card can store up to 256MB of music, same as some $100-150 players, and CF-cards of 1GB work w no problem.
- Video player - WindowsMediaPlayer clone - plays AVI, MPEG, DIVX
- Personal Organizer - PIM software for Address Book, Tasks, Calendar, Notes, Email (via synch)
- Word Processing inc Word .doc/.rtf, .txt compatability
- Spreadsheet - Excel-clone
- Map -- via PocketStreets 2002/2003; free/shared downloadable maps
- GameBoy Colour - via emulator -- plays nearly every Gameboy game (ROMs) flawlessly.
- NES emulator (perfect); Genesis emulator (slow)
- reference (I keep full copy of Highway Traffic Act + various other sections of the Federal/Provincial Offences in Acrobat PDF format)
- eBook reader
- plus hundreds of other free/shareware utility, programs & games

The only features it is missing (other than a newer, more powerful processor!) is WiFi and a voice-recorder. But for $200 at the time those features weren't available and it was a great deal. By current PDA standards, the thing is slow, but then again I am also happy currently typing this on a PII-233 desktop system (ie: it does everything I need it to do, and well - as I understand its limitations).

Come to think of it, you could buy a used Dell Axim X3i for $180-$200 + a SD memory card for $50 -- and have ALL of the above.

[artsreview]

I mainly use my PDA for playing music too. On reflection, it's not a bad idea. The downside is, most PDAs aren't so rough-and-tough, nor small and light. For jogging, I'd use a dedicated player.

[manixc]

The Muvo TX 256mb for about $100 is not a bad deal, considering most other 256mb player cost close to $200.

As for using PDA to play music, only if there's an actual need for other uses. Otherwise, PDAs are bigger than mp3 players.
Also, cell phones have started to have more multimedia capabilities, not to mention basic PDA functions as well. they might be more expensive but if you are in need for a cell phones and mp3 players, you can kill two birds withh one stone.

[squall458]

IMHO the 128MB & 256MB standalone MP3 players are overpriced marketing hype. As their purpose is *only* to play music, 25-75 songs is quite limited. On the far end of the spectrum, iPods are phenomenal - 40GB storage seems popular-- what's that, 8000 songs?!!

Only thing is with a $400(+) device, and even "only" 20GB of songs -- that is one heck of a VALUABLE ITEM to be carrying around with you. At (legal downloads) $1/song, 20GB is approx ~4100 songs = $4500 value that you might carry around with you (hope you've got them all backed up somewhere!). NICE TARGET FOR A MUGGING, no?!! What if you lose it, break it, or even if it crashed & everything got inadvertantly wiped?? NOT GOOD.

Ok, here's my (now 2-years old) solution:
I bought a (new) Casio BE-300 PDA and a 256MB CF card for $200
(can now buy the PDA for $40CDN (used) on <a href=../autolink/redirectpage.php?linkid=78 target=_blank>eBay</a>).

Though the Casio PDA's never really took off the way some of the others did, the user community was great & lots of user development made it one of the best PDA's for its time (pre-WiFi).

So for my $200 2 years ago, what did I get (inc. downloads)?:
- colour PDA with cradle/charger + usb connector; stereo headphone jack;
(16MB internal storage for O/S.. so complete CF storage left free for apps/files)
- drag n' drop from Desktop-PC to PDA storage; or auto/manual synch in cradle/or cable.
- MP3/Audio player with various WinAMP-clone players; can play MP3, WMA, OGG, WMV; full WinAMP-style playlist functions; equalizer, effects (reverb, loudness, etc). My CF card can store up to 256MB of music, same as some $100-150 players, and CF-cards of 1GB work w no problem.
- Video player - WindowsMediaPlayer clone - plays AVI, MPEG, DIVX
- Personal Organizer - PIM software for Address Book, Tasks, Calendar, Notes, Email (via synch)
- Word Processing inc Word .doc/.rtf, .txt compatability
- Spreadsheet - Excel-clone
- Map -- via PocketStreets 2002/2003; free/shared downloadable maps
- GameBoy Colour - via emulator -- plays nearly every Gameboy game (ROMs) flawlessly.
- NES emulator (perfect); Genesis emulator (slow)
- reference (I keep full copy of Highway Traffic Act + various other sections of the Federal/Provincial Offences in Acrobat PDF format)
- eBook reader
- plus hundreds of other free/shareware utility, programs & games

The only features it is missing (other than a newer, more powerful processor!) is WiFi and a voice-recorder. But for $200 at the time those features weren't available and it was a great deal. By current PDA standards, the thing is slow, but then again I am also happy currently typing this on a PII-233 desktop system (ie: it does everything I need it to do, and well - as I understand its limitations).

Come to think of it, you could buy a used Dell Axim X3i for $180-$200 + a SD memory card for $50 -- and have ALL of the above.

I have the exact pda too! I love it so much. I wish that it became popular but that doesnt matter cuz the user community is so awesome. they port all the programs that we might need and want anyways. and u can get a cheapo wireless CF card and be wireless on the go! i use it to access email at school. and for an mp3 player it rocks. not only that, with a wireless card u can access ur home network and stream ur entire collection of mp3!!! or access files on another pc so that u dont run out of memory. the possibilities are endless

[phi]

i got an be-300
willing to sell it with a 256meg cf card for 150