Foo - Zune 2? Ipod touch? Meh.

I posted this picture in a Zune vs. all thread on a forum I admin. We'll see what comes of it.

http://www.focushacks.com/photo/mdiskftw.jpg

And yes, that IS my portable audio listening device. I'm usually in the office (laptop and computer with tunes on them) or at home (ditto) or rarely, driving (MP3 CD player built into my car) so I have no real need for a portable audio setup. When I'm riding, I don't like to wear headphones, so that's about that.

This thing records digital audio (optical) very well, which is why I actually keep it around.

This thing records digital audio (optical) very well, which is why I actually keep it around.

So will the Iriver h1xx series DAP.

I wish CDs were cartridge style like those minidiscs. I'm the only one who gets CDs scratched while in the case. Sony can't do anything right with their electronics. I think I finally got my Sony CD changer to stop skipping on brand new unblemished CDs.

So will the Iriver h1xx series DAP.
SPDIF? Really? Can I get one free from my brother in law? :P

meh, they should have. CDs are one of the worst media ideas ever.

I have a collection of MP3 players, from one of the first Sony mp3 players which used MagicGate 32 and 64MB memory sticks, to a Nomad II which used SmartMedia cards, to a 6GB Nomad Jukebox, to a generic player "free" from Napster (which is really good, though only 512MB. You can just copy MP3 files on to it like a USB flash drive, and it indexes and plays them, which is how MP3 players should work), to a 30GB Zune (won it as a prize for taking a survey).

Hype or derision aside, the Zune is a pretty decent player. It does require the Zune software, but plays AAC files, MP3 files, and (of course) WMA files.

If I were to buy a new MP3 player, one of the biggest things that I would consider is if it could work as either a drive, or use the MTP protocol for copying files. No special software, and able to work on any OS which can understand USB drives. However, iRiver killed all but their "toy" players, none I saw having over 10 gigs or so of space, and Archos and Creative only have "portable media players", which are too big pretty much, unless one watches movies often. Archos has this great size, 200 series player, but it has been at the same hard drive capacity level since 2004, even though its going on its fourth generation of model.

As for CDs, its not perfect, as 44hz, 16 bit sound is not considered hi def these days, but if a new album format came out, it likely would be so encumbered by copy protection measures (SACD for example), it would not be worth getting because a person couldn't do much with the media. CD sucks, but pretty much all the consumer media formats have worse drawbacks, or far worse quality.

I wouldn't mind a format that allowed for 192 kHz, 128 bit, 5.1 or 7.1 studio quality uncompressed sound files on a 3.5" or 2" cartridge or disk, but I'm pretty sure it won't happen.

I have the original Rio PMP-300, too. But with 32MB built-in and using the now-defunct SmartMedia (can you even buy it anymore? all the local places stopped carrying it!) it's pretty much a brick. It wouldn't even tell you the name of the song playing. It wasn't the first-to-market MP3 player, but IIRC it was one of the first to actually get popular.

Fortunately, most of the new music I like is still released on vinyl. I guess I'm a music retro grouch, even thought I don't have any uber-swanky hi-fi gear.

Unfortunately, what player and audio system supports 128-bit sound? I'm happy with my 24-bit sound, if only I had more 24-bit CDs.

...If I were to buy a new MP3 player, one of the biggest things that I would consider is if it could work as either a drive, or use the MTP protocol for copying files. No special software, and able to work on any OS which can understand USB drives...

My Dell DJ does that. You do have to install a driver which comes with the player, but it really functions like a portable HD. Even copying music and creating playlists is done through the windows explorer or file manager window.

Alas, Dell no longer makes it... And my battery is slowly losing it's playing life. :(

I might spring for an iPod Touch when the Dell DJ finally dies (if it dies?) :)

I wish CDs were cartridge style like those minidiscs. I'm the only one who gets CDs scratched while in the case. Sony can't do anything right with their electronics. I think I finally got my Sony CD changer to stop skipping on brand new unblemished CDs.

I am there too. I despise media. When there were discs I somehow ALWAYS ended up with damaged ones, tapes - warped, cd's and dvd's - scratch...

The only media I have ever liked was cartridge based. Hell I would love to see games come on usb keys, that would freaking rule.

My Dell DJ does that. You do have to install a driver which comes with the player, but it really functions like a portable HD. Even copying music and creating playlists is done through the windows explorer or file manager window.

Alas, Dell no longer makes it... And my battery is slowly losing it's playing life. :(

I might spring for an iPod Touch when the Dell DJ finally dies (if it dies?) :)

Most Creative players are like that (the Dell DJ is OEM-ed by Creative), where you drop a driver in, and you can copy files onto it pretty transparently. The only thing is that it pretty much requires Windows.

Creative players, in general, are known to have the best sound.

Technically the ZVM is driverless because it relies on MTP. Mine is currently giving me a hellish time because a firmware upgrade failed and the player is recognized by windows as existing but not by the firmware update software. Apart from this, which was my screwup for fiddling around with it to make it work on linux, it's a great player. Good for movies too.