Luddite needs advice: ipods/MP3 players

As one whose last portable music source was back in the age of diskmans, I need someone to explain, in really basic terms, the difference between ipods and MP3 players, and which one would be best for compiling music from my own CD collection...and the next question will be, of course, how to do that downloading from our own CDs...

Help! Keep the words simple please

Hmmm. The difference between iPods and mp3s is the way they store the music I think. I know the other brands store more music in less space than the iPod. I've only got one in the last year (and only because my car CD stacker died and the repairman laughed at the idea of fixing it and said just get an iPod)

I must say I love iPod. (nano) though if I was buying again I would probably go for the Touch for internet connectivity as well. You download iTunes onto your computer and then spend long periods of time feeding your CDs into the computer (once done it is there though and you can also back it up to a DVD if you want) then you can synch all your CDs onto your iPod (or just put some of the ones you want on if you prefer) you can also put photos on there, download podcasts from the web and listen to them later, including things like radio programmes, phrase a day foreign languages and similar.

Ipods and MP3 players... Nothing, the Ipod is an MP3 player... It's like the old math nestled sets. Not all MP3 players are Ipods, but all Ipods are MP3 Players.

Ipods are one of the high end ones tho, they're a little simplified computer with a big memory, which can do more than just play music. While most MP3 players are music storage and playback devices only. Other MP3 Players are almost as good as Ipods, but Apple with their Ipods have patented a bunch of the handy most-user-friendly features.

The mp3 file format has become the default for portable audio devices including iPods, mobile phones and GPS units. It works great for general use applications such as background or driving music where sound quality is not so important, but due to the data compression system it uses the play quality is much reduced compared to CD (.wav) format, which in turn is inferior to SACD and top end analog (LPs).

For example our sizeable CD collection has been ripped to a hard drive and is stored as 128Kb/s bitrate .wma format files which are about 1/10 the file size of original CD (.wav) files. If I require the music in mp3 format I convert the files using a software application to do so with further quality loss.

We did just that during a recent driving holiday in Australia so that the 2GB SD data card that contained the GPSs map file covering Australia (112MB) was topped up with almost 400 assorted music tracks which random played from the GPS through the rental car's stereo which gave us 3 weeks' music on our travels. Ain't technology grand :cool:

Although - if you have an Ipod you must run a MS or Mac OS in order to use Itunes. You can only update your ipod via itunes, all apple software and hardware is proprietary and they go to huge lengths to protect their intellectual property. With a normal MP3 player you can use any pc to transfer you music files onto it via the normal file manager/explorer software. With an Ipod you can ONLY use Itunes software. Also an IPOD is a truly portable hard drive where as other MP3 players are normally solid state technology. This means your IPOD is much more easily broken if you drop it or are rough with it.
Having said all that I LOVE my Iphone and we maintain and old Windows laptop just for Itunes!!

blimeyvicki;292433 wrote: Although - if you have an Ipod you must run a MS or Mac OS in order to use Itunes. You can only update your ipod via itunes, all apple software and hardware is proprietary and they go to huge lengths to protect their intellectual property.

Well if you are going to use obscure operating systems..... I wouldn't touch a mac with a bargepole (so beat me to death LOL) and have run itunes on two different windows computers with no problems whatsoever.

Crikey, I said simple, folks! [}]

So standard MP3 player okay if downloading CDs onto it? And have to do it via the computer? How? Special software needed or does this come with the MP3 player? (I am NOT on a Mac).

I think the non iPod varieties come with a CD for your 'puter that allows you to put your CDs on. (at least one other brand I looked at did that) Otherwise I am guessing it will be downloadable somewhere like iTunes.

As far as I know there is no way round needing a computer. And with my iPod while I can charge up the battery (it charges via a USB port) I can't plug into someone elses computer and download some of their music - or if I did it would wipe what is already there. So you need the same computer to add music to it.

As it happens I need to replace my old and trusty mobile phone (about 6 years old!) and a new one I am looking at that doesn't break the bank is also an MP3 player...the less gadgets, the better!

I think that sounds like a good idea Tigger! You will need a computer, there is no way around it - especially if you want to rip your own CD's onto your MP3 player, you need to do it via a computer. Most modern operating systems (vista etc) come with built in software for ripping cd's onto your hard drive. Check under all programs/media or sound and media (something like that). Once you put it onto your hard drive then you can just transfer it onto your MP3 player/phone via file manager/explorer just like you can with any other file type. The transfer process is just like transferrring files between camera and computer or USB stick drive and computer. Good luck!!

Ahem! I said Luddite...I am still on Windows XP (yay!) []

I think you will be fine with that

Okay, have ripped one song from a CD into the laptop library using MediaPlayer, now attempting to burn it to a CD (something else I've been wanting to do for our car). And no, I'm not getting a warm feeling of satisfaction, I am getting a headache (grump, grump) [}]

You're doing really well!! Congrats, before you know it your whole collection will be on to your laptop!! Gunna be a busy night for you....

Haha we have over 350 CDs here, not to mention vinyls. At the speed this takes, I doubt it very much!! []