$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Jul 20, 2007 7:33:58 GMT -5
Hey folks. In the market for a new IPODy thing. I have been working off an MP3 player for ages, 1GB, good to hold around 200 songs. I love it, but I want to start stacking my library. And I know this is one of the biggest decisons someone can make. Here's what i am looking for - ability to store 10,000 or more songs. I am not all too concerned about video or photos but I see most of them have. But music is key. Looking to spend at a cap around $300. But here are the most important things... I want to be able to work off of Windows Media Player, as I am comfortable with it, and I have a lot of stuff stored in there already. And I REALLY REALLY want to be able to make "Playlists" which I are easily accessible. I am big on organizing things, and I would want to format playlists like "Thrash, Gothic Metal, Party Stuff, Wrestling Podcasts" - etc, etc. - in fact, playlists and the ability to access them when I feel like it on the player is the most important feature to me. Any recommendations? Right now I am very much considering this...I have also been looking at the IRiver stuff. www.amazon.com/Creative-Zen-Vision-Portable-Player/dp/B000I5PGOM/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-5681461-7073416?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1184934870&sr=1-1
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MSBNYY
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Post by MSBNYY on Jul 20, 2007 7:55:56 GMT -5
It's a good one. I've been using a Creative Nomad for a long time. The one weakness is the head jacks tend to go bad. But that was my particular model. I think it's a good bet that weakness has been corrected by now. The one you are looking at blows mine out of the water.
The only disappointment in it I see is that the battery life is 14 hours. That's what I have. I would have expected them to improve that. In fact, I do remember a model after mine that had a 24 hour battery.
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Jul 20, 2007 8:08:52 GMT -5
Poking around that seems to be the norm regarding battery life, none of the models I have seen yet are around or topping the 20 hour mark. Balls, would this one work the way I am looking in regards to formatting playlists? Also, do you use Windows Media Player for yours?
One thing I noticed people complaining about is that the "random play" feature is not all too random at all, and the same songs pop up time and again. Have you found that to be a problem? I am pretty much sold on this model, but I am just wondering about some stuff.
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Post by BoxSeatsSuck on Jul 20, 2007 8:22:51 GMT -5
scratch that idea... max capacity is only 30gb == 7500 songs
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MSBNYY
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Post by MSBNYY on Jul 20, 2007 8:24:28 GMT -5
I'm not an IPod expert since I've always had Creative. But from what I've heard, Ipods use Itunes, and the only way to play Itunes MP3s is through ITunes or your Ipod. You can't simply separate them. I could be completely wrong there.
But with the Creative, the MP3s are straight MP3s. It's literally like an extra hard drive. There is a program that comes with it that is used to upload MP3s to the player, and can be used to play MP3s, but yes, they work in Windows Media Player.
I have never had a problem with the random feature.
Obviously, price is a benefit to the model you chose. You simply get more bang for the buck with the Creative than with the Ipod. I got a 40GB at the time, and I think it was like $200 cheaper than the 40GB Ipod.
My only complaint was the headjack. It caused me to exchange it a few times which is a huge deal. But again, you're looking at a different model, 3 years later. I can't imagine that problem not being corrected.
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Jul 20, 2007 8:28:43 GMT -5
People have complained about the headjack that came with it. But its simply they dont find them comfy, they fall out of the ears, they are cheap considering what they come with. But I can simply go out and get myself a new set of headphones, as well as an AC charger, cause the other complaint is that it does not come with one anymore, and you need to charge on your computer.
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MSBNYY
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Post by MSBNYY on Jul 20, 2007 8:31:12 GMT -5
The problem wasn't the headphones. It's the jack--the thing that you plug the headphones into. I don't think the quality of the headphones will help.
Charging on the computer is strange. Does it have an auto shutoff when the thing is fully charged?
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Jul 20, 2007 8:37:38 GMT -5
Ah....I see. I did go through pages of reviews and I have not seen that problem coming up, although I saw all kinds of other zany problems some users have had. I think some people are just natural haters. You will also see all kinds of problems being griped about if you check the Apple Ipods. I just got to go with what appears to be the best option, and hope I am not one of the guys who plugs his units in one morning to see, "Unit Not Recognized."
I am not so sure on the auto-shutoff stuff....someone mentioned they simply bought an AC charger for like $6 soon after getting the player, I will be looking to do something like that. I think it fully charges in like 4 hours...when I get home from work the computer is on, I can simply charge it until we go to bed, then shut it down if need be.
Boxseatsuck, what did you have to say? I may end up going with something with less storage if I decide the price is too high or I want to start smaller.
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MSBNYY
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Post by MSBNYY on Jul 20, 2007 8:40:29 GMT -5
Most gadgets have an auto-shutoff feature. This prevents too much juice from frying the battery. Cellphones don't have this feature though.
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Post by BoxSeatsSuck on Jul 20, 2007 8:45:09 GMT -5
i mentioned about the Microsoft Zune... its a 30gb unit... 7500 songs 25000 pictures etc... heres a link Tom. www.zune.net/en-US/
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Jul 20, 2007 9:05:31 GMT -5
Couple of things on the Zune...I read it comes preloaded with some stuff....is that really true? Also, it looks like a big ad to me. All the teases for it talk about the Zune marketplace and being able to buy songs that are sent to you and stuff. This aside, how is the playlist capability? Is it easy to use, format, and go from playlist to playlist?
OH, WAIT - Zune is out - i read you cant use Windows Media Player to manage its content.
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Post by bigtimmy on Jul 20, 2007 9:10:17 GMT -5
Hey Tom, I have a Zune that I am looking to get rid of. I tried it once but it didn't tickle my fancy. Plus I already have a 30gb iPod and an Inno that I am used to so I have enough MP3 players. I have all of the books and stuff for it. I'd be happy to sell it to you for lower than the going retail rate and very much under your cap. It's a great device for what you are looking for. Let me know if you want it. It's been sitting on my desk at home.
EDIT: Tom, if you don't want this I will open it up to everyone here. If you wanna get this on the cheap let me know.
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Post by 4dogg on Jul 20, 2007 9:15:10 GMT -5
LOL @ "tickle my fancy"
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Jul 20, 2007 9:15:20 GMT -5
I appreciate the offer, but I am leaning against the Zune altogether. Probably for the same reasons it didnt tickle your fancy. The Creative Zen definatly has the upper hand right now, as my wife has one of their MP3 players and its been flawless, and I already have background on how to handle the software and other things. It also has the extra space I am looking for that the Zune is short on, and compatable with Windows Media Player, which I am a big mark for. And what I get will be brand-spankin' fresh and new!@
I will keep you posted, however, on how this shakes down. If nothing else, you'll probably find another buyer for that Zune out of all this conversation. (I get first crack though....give me a couple of days to decide!!!!!!)
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Post by bigtimmy on Jul 20, 2007 9:21:40 GMT -5
No problem Tom.
Make it noted, Tom has called first dibs.
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Post by grover on Jul 20, 2007 9:30:07 GMT -5
Yeah, I can't see you going wrong with Creative since you want to stick with the Windows Media Player format.
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Jul 20, 2007 9:42:44 GMT -5
I am almost 100% sold on it. I have dug pretty deep into the over 100 reviews on AMAZON, and with the exception of the "I plugged it in and it never worked and this is a piece of crap" review that "2 out of 23 people found this review helpful" sorts, its very positive. I will probably sign off on it tonight.
Grover, you know anyone with the Creative?
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Post by grover on Jul 20, 2007 9:48:24 GMT -5
One of my buddies has it, says he likes it. He has an older one though, and has had it for quite sometime.
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Post by kingdzbws on Jul 20, 2007 10:15:56 GMT -5
I was away from my computer till now, but I got 2 cents to chip in.
I have had the Creative Nomad Zen Xtra (3yrs old) 30 gig, and have ZERO major problems. Headphone jack has never failed me. USB2 (they all have 'em now) makes for fast synching.
Now up until last month I used Musicmatch jukebox (which has since been bought and replaced with a very similar Yahoo jukebox) on my PC. and I can synch with that, which I prefer to Creative's software. But I keep the Creative software around so I can download the latest firmware updates.
With this Nomad (and many other MP3 players do these days) you can download any type of file onto it. So if I am working on a big Photoshop or Illustrator, or Premier file I can move it from my home computer to my Nomad to the office PC with ease. I like that.
I have also been known to.....how shall I say.......share music from SoulSeek or such places....And you can move MP3's back and forth from PC to portable to PC or Mac etc. without restrictions unlike Itunes format, and WMA's with copy guards.
THE ONLY problems I have had is literally when the weather is sub-zero and I am out and about, sometimes the thing freezes up (no pun intended) and you have to hit a hidden reset pin-hole button to restart, AND if you leave alone for a long time and the battery dies, the library will have to re-build itsel, but that just takes a few minutes.
Auto shutoff can be set for different times of inactivity, back light can be switched off to save a bit more power, and the random play seem random enough for me, and you can randomize by genre, mood, tempo etc as long as you set those parameters for each song.
All and All. No Complaints. Thumbs up.
Maybe that was 4 cents..........
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Jul 20, 2007 10:19:39 GMT -5
Thanks, man, you drove the hammer home, I think. Most of what you said I had read about already, like the pin re-set on the negative side, and the lesser restrictions on the positive side.
And the randomize parameters work for me....when I do get this I will probably need to touch base with you to get feedback on the easiest/best way for me to move my stuff in there, download, all that stuff, cause I am used to working off of an MP3 player too small to bother downloading all my CD faves into the computer, or set up the playlists I want.
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Post by kingdzbws on Jul 20, 2007 10:23:11 GMT -5
I'm here for ya.
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Jul 21, 2007 14:14:49 GMT -5
Well, its official - I have ordered the Creative Zen. Feedback helped, the Amazon reviews topped the others in terms of my needs, and my wife has experience with the brand. I will keep you all posted. I have now started the ardously slow process of burning the majority of my music into the computer.
Thanks again for looking out, bigtimmy, get to work on selling that Zune.
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Post by baldvinny on Jul 21, 2007 21:14:34 GMT -5
i had a zen too....i loved it, but i beat the hell outta it and it didnt last. only reason i went to the ipod was cause i got a mac laptop and it was just easier (in order to get stuff off my nomad hard drive and into itunes was a pain in the ass!)
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Post by Jackass on Jul 22, 2007 21:07:55 GMT -5
BigTimmy, if it is still available, drop me a line at dia102@gmail.com about that Zune...
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Post by bigtimmy on Jul 23, 2007 10:48:38 GMT -5
check your email.
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Jul 24, 2007 7:51:52 GMT -5
Speaking of checking email, Marc the ump - please email me at tomtomtom666@yahoo.com - got some general (and simple) questions for ya.
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Post by Ms. Jericho on Jul 24, 2007 10:35:49 GMT -5
Ahem!
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$heriff Tom
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Post by $heriff Tom on Jul 24, 2007 10:42:28 GMT -5
Actually, my wife did. Cause she's the best. : )
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Post by Ms. Jericho on Jul 24, 2007 10:45:16 GMT -5
;D
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Post by yanksgooner on Jul 26, 2007 9:06:13 GMT -5
Brownstone is also an advocate of Creative mp3 players, I believe.
Enjoy that new purchase...
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