Just got my IPOD mini today!

[jemsite]

thanks... i hear you. on portable headphones i'd say it's psychological differences but it's tough to legitimately A/B. You'd have to have two of everything, volume levelers and a switchbox... which i don't have access to.

Since i don't have a portable mp3 player to hookup to my stereo & B&W 805s, i'm limited to listening on a mini stereo at this point. I can't discern it from the CD at 192... probably not even at 128 MP3s but on the B&Ws it would be different. I guess i could rip then burn to DVD and listen there on my stereo... not that i expect to listen to MP3s there anyways?

I felt 256 would gobbling up too much disc space (320 would be out) and would consider then going to WMP format instead for quality (ruling out ipod). Figuring a compact 5-6gb mp3 player the larger bitrates really limit you if you don't want to sync often.

That said, if someone can talk me into it, i'd consider ripping more important albums at 256 or higher? ...glen

[moro]

Originally Posted by jemsite

i know there are a few topics on this... what bitrate do most people rip to MP3 at factoring good sound but reasonable size.

When I started ripping CDs, I did a test where I started at 128kbps and went up until I couldn't hear the difference between the MP3 and the CD versions. I settled on 192kbps. At that point, I sometimes think I hear a difference but I don't know if it's my imagination. I tried 256kbps but my ears aren't good enough to tell them apart from 192kbps.

I use Sony MDRV6 headphones, fwiw.

[sam_at2001]

I personally can't tell the difference between 192 and anything over that...I always rip at 192 as I can distinguish pretty easily between, say, 128 and 192.

[Allen Garrow]

Hey if any of you want to trade your Ipod for a Bad horsie pedal let me know

~A

[Azrael]

No way! :P

[Allen Garrow]

Awwe come on,,, you know that thing will be out dated in a year. This bad horsie of mine has been around for years. And will be around for many to come....

Ipods are sweet,,hey does that come with software that will allow you create Mp3 from Cd's?

~A

[rgr]

I usually rip to 192 to use on my http://product.samsung.com/cgi-bin/n...P-MT6Z%252fXAA. Very cool player, also has FM.

I use Windoze Media Player to Rip, it's as good as anything else out there for PCs.

Roger

[jemsite]

thanks.... that's a nice, little player.

is anyone ripping to WMA format? or out of incompatability fear are we all sticking to MP3

they need to get 1-3 gb (or sd card) cell phones MP3 enabled ASAP. that is the ultimate all-in-one convergance device for the next decade (cell phone, mp3/wma player, jpg/wmv viewer, color screen ...glen

[darren wilson]

Originally Posted by jemsite

they need to get 1-3 gb (or sd card) cell phones MP3 enabled ASAP. that is the ultimate all-in-one convergance device for the next decade (cell phone, mp3/wma player, jpg/wmv viewer, color screen ...glen

Battery and processor technologies are going to determine whether or not devices like that are going to be practical in the real world. Viewing video and decoding compressed audio take a lot of processor. Backlit colour screens, Bluetooth and "always on" email access over a packet radio or broadband wireless connection all suck even more juice. I'm sure we'll get there eventually, but the question remains, 'Who would want to listen to music, watch video, take photographs, access the internet, etc. on a tiny, handheld device with a minuscule screen?' (Other than the Japanese, of course.)

BTW, i started encoding my music in 192kbit AAC (.m4a) format, and it's awesome. AAC sounds much better than MP3 at comparable bitrates/file sizes.

[rgr]

They were putting out those Samsung players when I was shopping for one to take on a business trip. It's much easier to carry on a plane than a Discman and CDs, it also has a auto-off sleep function, so I an getting addicted to it. The kicker, in addition to 1G, is 42 hour battery life off of 1AA, I didn't have to replace the batteries on the trip.

I haven't tried WMA, the file size is about the same as mp3 for similar bitrates. The player is supposed to be compatable, I guess I just have mp3 as the default and never bothered to try wma.

Roger

[jemsite]

wma is supposed to be better quality, like AAC vs mp3 at the same bitrate... but i'm with you Roger... hate to get locked out by ripping to the wrong media. the extra decoding of WMA/AAC also lowers batter life.

Darren, i think it's more about how much one person is willing to carry at once.

This goes back to conversation here why palm/pocketpcs failed... for example a cell phone is the defacto #1 priority. Everyone has them... vendors are giving them away so now they need to you add convenience or features to make you purchase a better phone. But in this case it lets you have everything without having to geek it up and have 2-3 devices in thier pockets/pocketbooks.

When they add mp3 players to cell phones (like cameras are now), they also create extra business (sell songs) and create user satisfaction (my phone now can play MP3s... i don't need a 1gb ipod w/o a screen now!). Cameras don't create revenue for anyone except sprint/verizon/etc and only if people pay to send them around... LOL.

Battery life for a phone that allows JPG photo viewing is ok... i'm not talking to play dvd movies. I know apple/motorola were trying to do MP3s this and sony/ericson are too. I'm surprised the convergance has not happened quicker.

I mean $499 for a 60gb photo ipod is frivillous for most consumers in comparison to a $299 cell that has 1gb MP3s and can do WMV video on a SD card AND be useful as a phone... glen

[moro]

Originally Posted by Allen Garrow

Ipods are sweet,,hey does that come with software that will allow you create Mp3 from Cd's?

iTunes, which is available for download at apple.com regardless of whether or not you have an iPod. I've mentioned this in another thread, but it's a fantastic player / ripper. I'd use it even if I didn't have an iPod.

[babahi]

Glen, I agree with you on all points.

However, I believe the problem lies in battery life. I recently read a very interesting tech article which illustrated how advancements in battery technology are in no way keeping up with the demands of new devices. They were more or less claiming that present battery life/capacities are the reason why we don't have said all-in-one devices, as the miniaturization of present tech is already here.

[jemsite]

I hear you... hopefully battery technology will continue to improve.

But i think battery life would be OK if they don't overminiaturize the battery at first. The batteries limit you mostly if you want a paper-thin battery. Apple could double battery life if they made a larger case/battery... and that is with the drive spinning. They could also have a dual battery... paper thin 12-hour "cell phone" internal battery that is like a backup and works only for cell if the regular battery dies.

You could also just have one battery and a warning system that stops all but cell use when the batter is only 25% full or whatever the user sets. You need smart programming to disable the backlight after 5 seconds, turn off the lcd after 1 minute, etc. when using the music mode... like a laptop.

Figuring a person cradles the phone every night (AND probably drives in the car to/from work 30-90 min in the usa per day), reasonable usage would not limit you. Sure, it's not for everyone and not a product to obsolete hard-dics mp3 players, etc... but it would make a splash.

I think it is more about dividing up profits personally. What incentive is there now for Verizon to subsidize such a phone that all profits to go recording artists & iTunes. Verizon can offer instead "instant messaging" and "internet" and "sports ticker" and charge minutes. In short the phone carriers wanting you to use billable CELLULAR MINUTES.. glen

[Allen Garrow]

LOL I still have that Bad horsie pedal guys,,,I can throw in "the god eaters" score to sweeten the deal....

~A