OT - MP3 player advice

[QuikSand]

I know very little about all this stuff, but Mrs. Q is getting into digital audio with her new CPU, and we're looking for a portable music device for exercise. My current thinking is that the smaller, flash-based MP3 players seem like the best fit for us. Top priorities are: reliability, memory size, ease of use.

Anyone have any thoughts? What brand or model... or where to buy?

[mckerney]

A friend of mine has a few of the jukebox mp3 players, if you're going that route then I'd recomend one of these two, depending on your pricerange:

Creative® NOMAD® Jukebox 2 - Digital player (http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10331811&hdwt=30808&loc=101)
Creative Nomad Jukebox III -20 GB-- Digital player / recorder (http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10320260&hdwt=30808&loc=101)


If you're looking for one of the flash players, I'd probably go with one of these, depending on how much memory you're looking for:

Creative Nomad IIc 128MB - Digital player / voice recorder (http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10326163&hdwt=30808&loc=101)
Creative Nomad IIc 64MB - Digital player / voice recorder (http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10316304&hdwt=30808&loc=101)
Rio RIO-S35S 128MB Sport Flash MP3 / WMA Player (http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=90118088&loc=111)
Rio RIO-S50 128MB Flash MP3 / WMA Player (http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=90114708&loc=111)

[mckerney]

Dola:

Originally posted by QuikSand
Anyone have any thoughts? What brand or model... or where to buy?

As far as brand, I wouldn't recomend one specific brand though I'd stay away from the cheaper/not as well known brands. You'll probably be able to find the best product with Rio, Creative, and their may be another brand or two that's big in the MP3 player market right now, though I haven't been paying close attention to what's been out there recently so someone else would have to tell you if there is another big brand out there. I also wouldn't recommend going with something like this (http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10335441&loc=101)

As far as where to buy, find what you want to buy, and then buy from where ever you can get the best deal on it. It doesn't matter where you'd buy it, as long as it's what you want and it's at a good price, be it internet, electronics store, or elsewhere. For example, although I probably wouldn't recommend going to Walmart to shop for XM units for your car, a friend of mine was about to find a good price on a couple of good units they had there that were on clearance, which he was then able to sell for more than twice what he'd pay. It's generally not the best place to go looking for XM radio units, though it happened to be the best for this specific one. If you're looking for a place where you can buy a service plan/warrenty, however, you'd want to stick to places like Best Buy of Circuit City (or whatever similar retail stores you have in your area).

[daedalus]

You were getting into the PDA thing awhile back, don't know if Mrs Q did as well but if y'all went the WindowsCE route, you might be able to just use that. I'm not very familiar with it, though.

[QuikSand]

The Rio models are the two that I've been looking at - for starters, at least.

The jukebox thing sounds interesting, but I really don't have a need for such a thing, right now at least. (We'll see how sucked in Mrs. Q gets)

[Easy Mac]

these are all legit mp3's, right?

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by daedalus
You were getting into the PDA thing awhile back, don't know if Mrs Q did as well but if y'all went the WindowsCE route, you might be able to just use that. I'm not very familiar with it, though.

I have a fairly dated Palm Vx, which I don't think has any such capabilities. Right now, I'm primarily looking for a wristband item to carry while biking - I think the flash player is the best way to go for that.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
these are all legit mp3's, right?

Yes. We plan to make assortments of material from CDs that we own.

[Easy Mac]

Is that legal?

I know you have the right to back up your material, but aren't compilation "disks" technically manipulating the law by allowing you to manipulate the mdia in ways the artist/artists didn'tt inted ( for example, I don't think that Styx made an album for the purpose of having a 50 cent song following Sail Away).

Aren't you creating something new from copyrighted material?

[mrskippy]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
Is that legal?

I know you have the right to back up your material, but aren't compilation "disks" technically manipulating the law by allowing you to manipulate the mdia in ways the artist/artists didn'tt inted ( for example, I don't think that Styx made an album for the purpose of having a 50 cent song following Sail Away).

Aren't you creating something new from copyrighted material?

I don't believe the record companies make too big an issue of this. It's a "fair use" that, so long as you're the user.

[mckerney]

It's legal. It's the fair use of someone to make copies of material they purchased for their own private use. Just as it's legal to rip your CDs into MP3's to listen to on your computer.

[daedalus]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
Is that legal?

I know you have the right to back up your material, but aren't compilation "disks" technically manipulating the law by allowing you to manipulate the mdia in ways the artist/artists didn'tt inted ( for example, I don't think that Styx made an album for the purpose of having a 50 cent song following Sail Away).

Aren't you creating something new from copyrighted material?I don't know the legal mumbo jumbo (we'll have to wait for the lawyering crew to wake up for that, I suppose) but I can't see how it can not be kosher. I mean, I'm sure if you ask the RIAA (is that the correct alphabet soup group?), they can tell you how illegal it is six ways to Sunday. But I just can't see how it could be or, perhaps, should be.

[mckerney]

Originally posted by daedalus
I don't know the legal mumbo jumbo (we'll have to wait for the lawyering crew to wake up for that, I suppose) but I can't see how it can not be kosher. I mean, I'm sure if you ask the RIAA (is that the correct alphabet soup group?), they can tell you how illegal it is six ways to Sunday. But I just can't see how it could be or, perhaps, should be.

True, they may try and tell you it's illegal, and that honest, hard working artists loose million a year because of it, but this is the same organization that believes they should get paid whenever you buy/sell a used CD.

[ice4277]

It's legal to do this if you own it.

[baystatebuckeye]

QS,

I have had a Nike Rio PSA player for almost 2 yrs. I love it. It has 64mb memory and can take a 64 mb MMC card. A year ago, Nike and Rio parted way and Nike hooked up with Phillips. The new Nike Phillips players are almost identical in looks to the earlier Nike Rio players. They are both have arm bands and to me are the best for using while exercising. I have tried the Nike Phillips but from a quick look at the specs the Nike Phillips now can handle 128mb. I don't think it takes any SD/MMC cards.

Rio's new player has 128mb built in and will handle MMC and/or SD cards.

The place to buy -- Best Buy. In my experience, they always have the best prices.

[Hurst2112]

Legal schmeegal....


Bottom line, if you own it, and aren't making a profit from the item by selling a copy, you can do what you wish with it.

This was an issue waaayyy back when 8 track and cassette tape recorders came out.

There is always the "moral" question of "should I be producing another copy of the material? Well, you aren't really. MP3 are not clones of the origional...far from it.

[Easy Mac]

so, what you're saying is, its legal to share mp3's on Kazaa, just not legal to download them? Then shouldn't they be going after the downloaders and not the sharers?

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by Easy Mac
so, what you're saying is, its legal to share mp3's on Kazaa, just not legal to download them? Then shouldn't they be going after the downloaders and not the sharers?

No.

What I and others are saying is that if you purchase intellectual property, you are entitled to its "fair use." That includes creating a backup or reproduction for your own use, and is not limited to reproducing the material in its original context.

This has nothing at all to do with sharing, trading, stealing, or downloading copyrighted materials that you did not legally acquire the right to.

[Fritz]

Quiky

if you are on a budget here is what I would do:

Just take your old boom box (free) and bungee cord it to your bike, or put it in a daypack.

If the batteries start to add up I would suggest buying an AC power beam server and remote reciever. (http://www.wirelesspowersupply.com) Most of them can get a 110 current to beam about a 1/2 mile, so you will have to stay in your neighborhood. A third party company makes a booster you can set on the curb that will push the signal out another mile or so. Heck, Mrs. Q could bring a mixer with her and make you brownies while she is out. Not sure if you are allowed to do that though. The cooking people are pretty wound up about "home" appliances being used outside the home.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!

[Ksyrup]

Now THAT shit's funny!

[Buccaneer]

Originally posted by QuikSand
No.

What I and others are saying is that if you purchase intellectual property, you are entitled to its "fair use." That includes creating a backup or reproduction for your own use, and is not limited to reproducing the material in its original context.

This has nothing at all to do with sharing, trading, stealing, or downloading copyrighted materials that you did not legally acquire the right to.

That is the most concise and accurate statement that can be made about this whole mess. It is too bad that some think "sharing, trading, stealing, or downloading" constitute "fair use".