audio players....

[lug at the-leveys.us (Don Levey)]

discuss-bounces at blu.org wrote:
> On Tue, Jan 31, 2006 at 07:17:18AM -0500, Stephen Adler wrote:
>> Guys,
>>
>> I know this is a linux mailing list, but...., most linux users are
>> savy technophites... so I was wondering what people would suggest as
>> a good audio player. I'm a fan of audio books and I ran across one
>> web site which does not support iPods.
>
> Someone doesn't provide their data in an mp3 format? Doesn't sound
> like the kind of place I'd like to support, personally.
>

Aren't there patents/other non-free encumbrances with the mp3 format?  If
so, then perhaps the website owner doesn't want to have to pay that sort of
tax, or is making a stand for OGG/FLAC, or whatever.

>> So, if I were to get an audio player, and
>> not constrain myself to the iPod monopoly... what auido player would
>> you guys recomend? I bet there's one out there which runs linux...
>
> There sure is: The iPod. http://ipodlinux.org/
>
> Part of the reason there may not be many responses to this is due to
> the fact that you've started out by excluding the most popular player
> on the market.

If the only discussion will be to go to the mass-market leader, it's not
much of a discussion, is it?
Additionally, the ipodlinux site you cite does not support the newer iPod
devices - ones much more likely to be purchased is a user is getting a new
one.  From reading their FAQ, there may be some playback problems (skips,
etc), and I can't find any information on DRM so while I'd like to assume
that the Linux portion will ignore the DRM crap I can't be 100% sure.

Personally, while I'd love a 60GB player, what may be more realistic for me
is a flash-based one.  There used to be platers which accepted and used USB
keys as their storage, which would be my ideal. Just have different keys for
different styles, no rushing back to the PC each time I want to change
playlists, or pop in kid-safe songs...

 -Don