Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
[495 byte] By [coreywhompus] at [2007-11-10 4:55:03] 
Hey, I'm getting an mp3 player, and I was definately gonna get an ipod, until I found out our college is getting Napster for free next semester (well, not entirely free, but it's complicated). With this knowledge, and the knowledge that an ipod can't play the protected WMAs from Napster, I've decided not to go with the Zen Touch instead, because the ipod will be useless with all this free music. I'm just checking here to make sure there isn't some other option.
# 1 Re: Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
i have put "free" music on my ipodRyan19 at 2007-11-15 13:45:38 >
# 2 Re: Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
Yeah, but this is properly tagged, high quality LEGAL music, and I just can't pass that up.coreywhompus at 2007-11-15 13:46:39 >
# 3 Re: Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
The only option, that I know of, would be to burn CDs, then re-import them into iTunes. But there would be a sacrifice in audio quality.jwc110869 at 2007-11-15 13:47:48 >
# 4 Re: Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
Originally posted by coreywhompus Hey, I'm getting an mp3 player, and I was definately gonna get an ipod, until I found out our college is getting Napster for free next semester (well, not entirely free, but it's complicated). With this knowledge, and the knowledge that an ipod can't play the protected WMAs from Napster, I've decided not to go with the Zen Touch instead, because the ipod will be useless with all this free music. I'm just checking here to make sure there isn't some other option.
1. Its actually not free, all you do is you get to listen to it on your computer. Want to put it on that Zen touch? that will be 99 cents.
2. WMA is a horrid horrid horrid codec. I would rather no music than to listen to a 128 kbps WMA.
enjoilax at 2007-11-15 13:48:43 >
# 5 Re: Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
Alright, if that's the only option, I can't take that kind of audio quality sacrifice. It's too bad that Apple hordes over their player the way they do.coreywhompus at 2007-11-15 13:49:42 >
# 6 Re: Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
Originally posted by coreywhompus Alright, if that's the only option, I can't take that kind of audio quality sacrifice. It's too bad that Apple hordes over their player the way they do.
Oh really? Then why doesn't any other player on the market use the far superior AAC codec?
Its all about money.
Napster = The suck.
Its honestly not even worth the free year. Maybe to check out songs to buy from a CD. But honestly. Its lame as hell. The sound quality is so, horrifyingly excruciating to my ears. I just can't stand it.
enjoilax at 2007-11-15 13:50:52 >
# 7 Re: Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
Because AAC costs money to license, namely a lot more than it costs to license WMA. Also, WMA has built in protection whereas AAC's is tacked on after, adding further licensing costs.Napster = the free
coreywhompus at 2007-11-15 13:51:46 >
# 8 Re: Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
i uses bearshare to download music its awsomeRyan19 at 2007-11-15 13:52:50 >
# 9 Re: Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
Also, it's 80 cents a song if you download 2 or more at a time, and it's 10 dollars for a whole album. And I get to download unlimited amounts of music to try out and sample. Anyway, I'm not gonna use iTunes if I've already got Napster available.coreywhompus at 2007-11-15 13:53:47 >
# 10 Re: Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
There's also the Rio Carbon - that should be able to play Napster music. If you want to play WMAs, the iPod isn't a very good choice.The other question is whether 5GB will be enough.
bdb at 2007-11-15 13:54:49 >
# 11 Re: Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
Originally posted by coreywhompus Also, it's 80 cents a song if you download 2 or more at a time, and it's 10 dollars for a whole album. And I get to download unlimited amounts of music to try out and sample. Anyway, I'm not gonna use iTunes if I've already got Napster available.
Wow just wow.
1. I only listen to mp3s me or my friends encode. all EAC\LAME VBR mp3. If you want to checkout the specs go to ubernet.org or bestmp3guide.com
I have some free iTMS songs... but that was before i got a nice set of cans and well i can't listen to anything under 192 kbps mp3 anymore.
2. Also, it's 80 cents a song if you download 2 or more at a time, and it's 10 dollars for a whole album. And I get to download unlimited amounts of music to try out and sample. Anyway, I'm not gonna use iTunes if I've already got Napster available.
So its not free? Free to sample, but not free to own.
Also, WMA has built in protection whereas AAC's is tacked on after, adding further licensing costs.
Napster = the free
Oh really? I don't think you know what you're talking about because you can remove the WMA drm quite easily, while the Fairplay DRM managles the music to a literally unlistenable extent if you try and remove it.
Napster = The free, but it still really sucks, and it still won't let you take your music with you unless you pay for it.
Plus it uses a ####ty codec and a DRM.
No thanks i would rather ransack the library's CD collection before i get another DRM'ed music file.
enjoilax at 2007-11-15 13:55:47 >
# 12 Re: Some advice for an mp3 player customer.
A list of all compatable portables with Napster (http://www.napster.com/compatible_devices/)Quoted from Napster:
"Note: Napster tracks must be purchased before they can be transferred to a portable device"
Does your school have a special arangement to circumvent this rule?
jwc110869 at 2007-11-15 13:56:56 >
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