audio players....

[greg.rundlett at gmail.com (Greg Rundlett)]

On 1/31/06, David Hummel <dhml at comcast.net> wrote:
> On Tue, Jan 31, 2006 at 11:13:22AM -0500, Gordon Marx wrote:
> >
> > On 31/01/06, David Hummel <dhml at comcast.net> wrote:
> > > http://olduvai.blu.org/pipermail/discuss/2006-January/024549.html
> >
> > The thread is singularly unhelpful, as only one person has chimed in
> > with actual personal experience. I find it hard to believe that only
> > one person on the entire BLU list has a portable music player. Digging
> > up this topic for further discussion seems completely reasonable.
>
> Yes, and pointing to an existing thread is a good place to start.  The
> archives should be indexed and searchable for exactly this reason.
>
> I've been using a 1GB flash-based Creative MuVo TX FM:
>
> http://us.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=215&product=9771
>
> It's a standard USB mass storage device, which makes it easy to transfer
> files to/from a Linux box.  The player module plugs directly into a USB
> port, avoiding the need for a cable.  The carrier module uses AAA
> batteries.  MP3 is the only useful supported file format for Linux
> folks though.
>
> Beware, I'm not sure all of the MuVo models are UMS devices.  I've heard
> the newer Zen models aren't either.
>
> I'm interested in the iAudio U3 and M5 models that support Ogg and FLAC,
> so I'd like to hear from people who actually have one of these.

I use, 'er I mean I bought, an iAudio 5 (2GB flash usb device) because
it supports .ogg and many of my audio files are ogg.  I havn't had too
much time to play with it over the last few months but there were
three or four main reasons for buying it:

1) ogg support - most players do not have these (free) decoding
algorithms.  I've been ripping ogg for as long as I can remember
because I prefer a patent-unencumbered, royalty-free file format.
2) FM radio tuner with recording capability -- sorry to say that only
a few stations come in really clearly driving down 495 from
Newburyport to Haverhill.  It does not get very good FM reception.  I
drive an hour each way to work, and thought that I could listen to the
radio, and record my favorite songs.  No dice.
3) Podcasts.  Downloading podcasts (mp3) from the net and storing them
is simple.  The unit came with both a direct connect mini-usb
connector so that it hangs off the computer like a usb thumb drive,
and also a mini-usb cable so that you can connect to ports that are
'out of the way'.  Mounting, dropping files, deleting is as easy as
your OS makes it.
4) Convert my car stereo into an ogg/mp3 player -- I bought a car FM
transmitter for $40 (plugs into the cigarette lighter, and takes input
from the audio out aka headphone jack of the player) so that I could
broadcast my audio to the FM receiver in the car and listen to all my
songs and podcasts.  Unfortunately, the power connector to the
cigarette lighter can sometimes disconnect, or the sound is not
powered enough.  Generally the quality is not what I'd expect, even
though the signal seems OK.
5) Use at the gym -- only after you put on a pair of headphones do you
realize how noisy the gym is.  There is way too much competing noise
-- including their music.  With the plastic case that it comes with,
I'm less concerned that it will get damaged by perspiration, but it's
not as good as a neoprene arm-band.

The unit is the size of a large pack of gum, comes with the two
mini-usb connectors, a clear vinyl plastic protective case, and crappy
earbuds.

I'm satisfied overall, but the two complaints that I have are that it
doesn't go up LOUD, and the earbuds are crap.  The earbuds do not stay
in the ear.  I think I need to buy some decent noise-cancelling
headphones.

> -David
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