35 replies to this topic

[NiteWalker]

One of the main reasons I am starting this thread is because I want to know if almost everyone here has iPods. The other reason is that I want to see which non-iPod players are popular. I really hate it when people call my MP3 player an "iPod". I personally don't see why they are so great and I want different opinions to that.

I have an iRiver Clix 1st gen. It is great for me because I don't need that much space for my music and videos. The D-Click system is also a nice change to the usual buttons or click-wheel. I like the custom EQ setting possibility and it has great sound. What music player do you have?

[CaptainSlug]

I tend to prefer the semi-disposable SD or compactflash card players that can be had for $10 direct from China. It's sad, but they're more stable and durable than any of the other brands available from brick-and-mortar stores that I've tried (particularly RCA which sucks horribly). Particularly the MYMUSIX PD-205, which I've purchased many of to give to friends and relatives as gifts.
I like being able to use a card reader to load music instead of a proprietary or flimsy cable or worse yet a required software bundle.
I also have never been in a situation where I needed my entire library of music with me.
Due to past experience I am also never going to purchase an MP3 player that includes a non-standard battery. Being able to switch out batteries mid-trip is just too nice to not have.

As for playing video I'm really happy with using the HP/Compaq Ipaq 3600-3800 series. They're easy to repair, get awesome battery life when playing video (7-9 hours), have a nice screen size, and are also fairly cheap to buy used ($90 usually).

Edited by CaptainSlug, 12 May 2007 - 02:28 PM.

[Uncle Hammer]

I have a sansa 200 series. They're pretty cool. A bit bigger then a nano but they have the ability to hold photos, and play videos. Not to mention you can get an 8g for about 180. They also have a slot for a mirco sd card and it can record sound. I love this thing, I hear they're gonna release them with Wifi soon.

[hierarchy]

Well I have a 1 gb I-pod nano. I like the I-pod because it works with I-tunes. I have a macontosh computer (the best computer company) and it has I-life. And I-life has I-tunes and other stuff. Itunes is so easy to use and all you have to do is plug in the Ipod to the computer and it downloads all the stuff you want and fast. Also if you have I-photo you can easaly download all th photos to your I-pod. Also you can get upgrades to your I-pod from I-tunes for no charge. Over all the I-pod is the best kind of MP-3 player there is out there.

[Chessler]

I'm using my PSP to listen to a bunch of mp3's. I never needed anything else since then, I just don't see a reason in buying another mp3 player when I already have one.

[Rambo]

I'd first like to link to my Archos 504 - Apple 60GB iPod comparison.



Archos is a great company. They offer an insanely wide range of products in the mp3 player/pmp field.



They currently offer:

4 GB music/photo player w/ 1.5" screen - 13hr battery - Not sure on synch - 3 color choices

20 GB music/photo player w/ 1.8" screen - 20hr battery - must use WMP 11 to synch

30 GB music/video/photo player w/ 3.5" screen - 8hr music battery 2.5hr video battery - Synch via WMP 11 or Windows Explorer - built in camera availability

80 or 160 GB music/video/photo player w/ 4.3" screen - 17hr music battery 5.5hr video battery(battery is propritery, but it is removable/extras costing only 20 bucks, double life costing 30 bucks) - Synch via WMP 11 or Windows Explorer

30 GB music/video/photo player w/ 4.3" TOUCHscreen - 16hr music battery 5hr video battery(replaceable as well - not sure on cost) - Synch via WMP 11 or Windows Explorer - built in "kickstand" for handsfree video playback - WiFi availability

40 GB music/video/photo player w/ 7" screen - 25hr music battery 5.5hr video battery(removable) - WMP 11, Windows Explorer - WiFi



All models have built in speakers - which aren't great, but they're better than nothing.



The ONLY qualm I have is the problem of shutoff due to static. They are almost entirely metal(not heavy though) and if you touch them without grounding yourself first, they can shut off. If you wear silk basketball shorts, they can shut off when you slide them into your pocket too.



I'm not going to quote prices, since Amazon has them cheaper than the manufacturer, and I'm not going to check everywhere on prices, but they are a bit expensive. I spent 500 on my 160 GB model, but that came with the DVR station that allows you to have HD playback on your TV as well as record TV shows.



I would recommend any Archos over any iPod anyday.

[watkins]

First and formost, iPods are NOT the best players on the market, merely the most convenient and accesible.

That being said, I, like most of my friends, am on my second iPod because the first crapped out on me. I love having my entire library with me because I frequently change my mind about what to listen to.

[SirTofu]

Rio Karma- 180$, 20 gigs, 5 band eq, can make playlists on the go, really neat playback features...all circa 2001.

[n-strike]

MobiBLU Cube DAH-1300. Smallest MP3 in the world. Doesn't exist in the website anymore.

[sourskttles772]

I use my psp and phone.

[tacticaladvantagex5]

I use a 2nd gen 8GB Ipod Nano, and my PSP.

[Gengar003]

I use a palm Tungsten X (they call it a "T|X", but the "T" stands for Tungsten) with SD memory cards to store the music.

[Prometheus]

I have an older iRiver T30, 512Mb. I don't really need much more for audio, but for university I'll just use my palm, as I have a 1Gb SD card, and I can go bigger if need be.

[sourskttles772]

Cranky I used to have a tungsten t3... But I sold it... It was pretty nice tho.

[LastManAlive]

30 gig Zune. I have transfered at least 300 songs so far with other Zune owners. I have a few songs that are not on CD or anything, just recorded from Jamaica. Pretty nice peice of machinery.

[nerfboi]

I don't like Zunes really. They look and feel too big for me. I got an Ipop Video 30gb. I haven't use what? Like 1/3 of is yet? But I got a few videos on it.

[WratH]

Zune. No comparison with video size or quality. Battery life leaves something to be desired though.

[six-five-two]

I tend to prefer the semi-disposable SD or compactflash card players that can be had for $10 direct from China. It's sad, but they're more stable and durable than any of the other brands available from brick-and-mortar stores that I've tried (particularly RCA which sucks horribly). Particularly the MYMUSIX PD-205, which I've purchased many of to give to friends and relatives as gifts.
I like being able to use a card reader to load music instead of a proprietary or flimsy cable or worse yet a required software bundle.
I also have never been in a situation where I needed my entire library of music with me.
Due to past experience I am also never going to purchase an MP3 player that includes a non-standard battery. Being able to switch out batteries mid-trip is just too nice to not have.

As for playing video I'm really happy with using the HP/Compaq Ipaq 3600-3800 series. They're easy to repair, get awesome battery life when playing video (7-9 hours), have a nice screen size, and are also fairly cheap to buy used ($90 usually).

You are talking about those older MP3's where you can change SD cards right? I have one aswell and in my opinion, they are way better than the ones with built-in memory. They cost cheaper and SD cards now don't cost as much.

I now use my Nintendo DS for Audio and Video. If anyone is interested in what I am using it is called an M3 Simply.

[Rambo]

Cranky I used to have a tungsten t3... But I sold it... It was pretty nice tho.

You should read names rather than looking at avatars. Gengar003 posted that, not crankymonky.

30 gig Zune. I have transfered at least 300 songs so far with other Zune owners. I have a few songs that are not on CD or anything, just recorded from Jamaica. Pretty nice peice of machinery.

Pretty sure that's illegal

Zune. No comparison with video size or quality. Battery life leaves something to be desired though.

What are you smoking? You are obviously completely ignorant to the market.

What file type does Zune use for videos? Wikipedia reports that you can use WMV, mp4, m4a, m4b, and mov. Now, to the best of my knowledge, iPods allow you to use mp4 and m4a. I see no reason to use wmv, m4b, or mov on a portable, or even your PC for that matter. Now, while wmv is shitty, you may see this as a plus since you don't know there's something called a FILE CONVERTER. This allows you to change from one file format to another.



Regardless, Archos still wins. It allows VOB at full quality DVD resolution. Now, to me, and anyone who knows anything about video, they know that VOB owns the fucking shit out of wmv, m4a, mp4, and mov put together. So, you see sir, you lose.



If you want to argue that the VOB format takes up too much space, the Archos 504 has 160GB of storage, so you still lose. Granted it costs a little more cabbage, but nothing to complain about. You get rid of shitty iTunes, and shitty scroll-wheels too. Now, I realize, that to the average conformist, monkey, you want an iPod or a Zune, because no one else had an Archos.



If you want to be an idiot and use the lesser product, be my guess, no difference to me, but I like to allow people to make an informed decision. If I come off as rude, or deameaning in this post, I must humbly apologize, but I just get so pissed when people don't know what their talking about because Apple has more money and a better PR department. That DOES NOT mean they offer the better products.

[Woodsman]

30 gig I-pod video. Very accessible and easy to use. I also found a way to make it more widley compatible. Great player. reliable. Love apple. Nuff said!

[Rambo]

30 gig I-pod video. Very accessible and easy to use. I also found a way to make it more widley compatible. Great player. reliable. Love apple. Nuff said!

I suppose ignorance is bliss.



Now, if you want to make a statement like, "I also found a way to make it more widley compatible." You should really tell us a bit more, or not say it at all. More widely compatible with what? File types? Are you running iPod Linux? Still, it doesn't compare to an Archos. Granted, I am not up with ALL the software available for iPods, hell, not even for computers, but there is no way you can honestly like iTunes over Windows Explorer to manage your PMP/Mp3 player.



Seriously, read my post, and while I know you didn't say that it was the best on the market, but you almost did. I really hate when people do this, since they haven't used Archoses.

[Thom]

Hey, calm down, RAMBO; everyone else is entitled to their opinions too. I'm sure your Archos is an excellent device, but other people have legitimate reasons for preferring their own, even iPods.

[Rambo]

And I'd like to hear them.



I'm not against differing opinions, what I am against is ignorant differing opinions. I have owned 4 different generations of iPods, so my analysis is not ignorant. I highly doubt most of these posters have not even heard of the Archos family, much less owned or even used one of them, so their opinions are obviously ignorant. Not ignorant in a bad way, since, as I said, they may not know that there is a better product out there, but since I am informing them, if they continue to support their opinion, it is a very ignorant one.



Seriously, I have tried, honestly, 4 gens of iPods, 2 different Zunes, 1 Archos, and a slew of other off-brands, and IMO, Archos, as a company, is the best.

[CaptainSlug]

Stop being argumentative for the sake of being argumentative. This is a thread of opinion, and since opinion is relative and not transitive all you can say is "from my experiences A is better for me than B, because A suits my needs and B does not".

I've been shopping for an trying MP3 players since the first MP3 CD players became available in 2000 and have preferred brands based on my experiences and needs. There is not such thing as a perfect brand for everyone.

Edited by CaptainSlug, 13 May 2007 - 10:19 PM.

[bpso86]

I've got a Creative zen xtra 30gb player from a couple of years ago. Bought for around 160, and haven't had a problem yet. It also has fun little features like being able to slow down/speed up songs while you're playing them, etc. Only bad thing that I've found so far is the scroll button on the side is hard to use, and it's not usb2.0 compliant.