iPOD

[eternalnomad]

The wife wants one of those iPOD nano things for Xmas and I must admit I am not that "up" on MP3 players.

We already have a large CD collection - will we be able to convert the CD's into a format the iPOD will play (mp3 I assume) or will we have to pay again to download tracks we already "own" just to get them onto the iPOD ?

Do any of you actually own an iPOD nano ? I noticed the press were claiming the screens were too easy to damage - are they really that flimsy ?

Thanks

[mcquiggd]

I bought one very recently as a gift, and loaded it with 12 CDs of music - I just ripped the CDs to MP3s (or you can use Windows Media Player to rip to WMA format - the iPod works with several formats). The interface is easy to use, the iTunes software a big dodgy (didnt import Winamp playlists although it claims to do so). You literally just plug it into your USB port and it starts the installation of iTunes, and checks for updated versions, and off you go. Copying data is at USB2 speeds and it took no time at all to put a CD on there.

It was actually very well made - there is a review on the internet where they tested one to destruction - it even worked when they drove over it in a car. As the Nano isnt a hard disk based player the internals are pretty robust.

If you are worried about the screen just get a case for it - ive seen both soft and aluminium-type cases.

[planetit]

Bought one for the wife recently. Haven’t had any problems with the screen so far. It’s dead easy to get your CDs onto iTunes and onto the iPOD, just a bit time consuming.

[The Lone Gunman]

There was a recall on the first batch released.
The problem is well sorted by now.

You will find it easy enough to rip CDs with any number of tools to MP3 format.

The only thing I see wrong with the nano (and others) is the capacity, but it depends on the extent of your collection.

As stated above, it is a solid state mechanism which makes it robust compared to some of the hard drive based machines.

[eternalnomad]

thanks for the advise everyone

[OwlHoot]

thanks for the advise everyone

I use Smart CD Ripper Pro to get tracks from CD onto my PC as mp3 files.

The only thing I don't like about iPODs is that they don't seem to support "structured" storage of tracks - When you point iTunes at a set of folders that contain, say, several CDs, it just treewalks the folders and builds up one flat list, and as the names of my mp3 files ripped from CD start with the track number "01 - blah", "02 - blurg", etc, the tracks from all CDs end up being interleaved i.e. with all 01s first etc. Bloody annoying, and makes the whole thing practically unusable!

[cojak]

Just bought one - it's brill.

Install iTunes and then just shove the CD's in -press a button and you're away.

I've got a jelly-like cover to protect it in the handbag.

PS. Use Smart-playlist to avoid the problems Owlhoot mentioned.

[snaw]

I use Smart CD Ripper Pro to get tracks from CD onto my PC as mp3 files.

The only thing I don't like about iPODs is that they don't seem to support "structured" storage of tracks - When you point iTunes at a set of folders that contain, say, several CDs, it just treewalks the folders and builds up one flat list, and as the names of my mp3 files ripped from CD start with the track number "01 - blah", "02 - blurg", etc, the tracks from all CDs end up being interleaved i.e. with all 01s first etc. Bloody annoying, and makes the whole thing practically unusable!

If the tracks have the correct tags on them then this isn't a problem (Which usually only happens with the dodgy downloaded stuff, itunes ripped comes up fine). On your ipod you browse via artist/album/genre etc and go from there - not an issue.

[Bagpuss]

Thought Apple had a problem with the batteries fing up in under a year?

[The Lone Gunman]

Thought Apple had a problem with the batteries fing up in under a year?

Not sure if that is still true, but if it is then stay away.
They had a battery problem with the original iPods which had non replaceable batteries in them, but they will surely have resolved that.