U/W MP3 player - closeout deal from iRiver

[John_B]

I don't like the music download services because of the restrictions they put on the usage of the song you purchased. There are some free ripping software available from download dot com. The two I have used are Free CD Ripper and FairStars CD Ripper. Both work nicely to convert my CDs to mp3, OGG, WMA and back to WAV formats.

iTunes will rip CDs to unprotected .MP3 files, no problem. I do exactly that (at 160kbs) with all my CDs. Its the songs you buy online that are the issue when you want to listen to them on a different device than the vendor wants you to.

John

 

[BabyDuck]

the only underwater tour i've heard of is the possible queen anne's revenge, blackbeard's ship barely off the coast of nc. i don't know if they use these players, but i know that they use some type of mp3 dealie.

 

[Brewone0to]

Ok, I just ordered mine too.
BTW, How large is this thing?
I saw the player size,but not the case size.
Can't wait to get it for a full tilt test befor "MegaDive"

Guess I'll have to schedule a few "Test Dives"
This will at least give me a better excuse than
"But honey, I need to make sure my fill is good".
Can't let the air/gas age in the tank now can we?

 

[justleesa]

It's at home right now but I would guess it is about 9-10" x 2.5"- 3" x 2.5"- 3"

 

[ArcticDiver]

Here's what I have. One set of subdirectories for the .AAC files I've bought off iTunes. A different set of subdirectories for all the .MP3 files I've ripped from my CD collection (mostly also via iTunes, it also does .MP3 files for CD ripping).

Conceivably, it wouldn't be hard to have a third set with .MP3 files that were protected .AAC iTunes files, that were later burned to CDR/CDRW and ripped back to unprotected .MP3 files playable on any player. A lot of work, IMO, when I mostly use either iTunes or my new Nano when I listen to music. Or a few disposable compilation CDs for the car. I might rethink that if I just bought a new iPaq and had a library of iTunes music that I couldn't play on the new player. But not for the paltry 128MB my soon-to-arrive iRiver will hold.

John

Ok I appreciate your, and everyone's help on this. Just to be sure I understand let met summarize what I think you are saying:

-Restating my situatiion: I have about 7G of import music from CDs I own. It is all in iTunes in default AAC format. I want to put that music on a new iPaq and maybe on some other player. I am willing to reimport the CDs since this isn't that much music and I will have some time on my hands.

- You are saying iTunes won't do this. It will convert the music to MP3; but only for burning CDs.

-Even if I reimport the music into iTunes in MP3 format it still won't put the music on any other player than an iPod.

-I can convert the music to MP3 without reimport by using one of the pieces of software posted. But they only convert; not allow export to a player.

If my understanding is correct. Maybe my best option is to reimport using Windows Media and MP3 format. I think that will talk to anything, including an iPod.

Have I got it straight?

 

[John_B]

OK, here's the pieces I can answer.

There are converters that will take non-protected .AAC input files and export to .MP3 files. With iTunes 7, you can convert unprotected .AAC files to .MP3 files right from the library, its only dependent on your iTunes "Importing" preferences (Edit -> Preferences... -> Advanced -> Importing -> Import Using). No CD burning required except to de-protect the protected .AAC files, which isn't a problem for you.

One reason I keep my .MP3 files separately is it allows me to easily import them to other players, in my case that would be my old Rio. I can use the Rio software for this or Real player or even Windows Media Player. The beauty of .MP3 files is they play on any player (iPod, iPaq, Rio, iRiver) or any software (iTunes, Real player, Windows Media Player). I manage it all from iTunes, then rescan periodically from the other programs. The downside, if there is one, is that you have to rip .MP3 files at 160 kbps to get the same sound quality as 128 kbps .AAC files.

John

 

[tlawler]

It's at home right now but I would guess it is about 9-10" x 2.5"- 3" x 2.5"- 3"

Holy cow, that's bigger than my HID canister! For some reason I had thought it would be a bit smaller.

 

[ArcticDiver]

OK, here's the pieces I can answer.

There are converters that will take non-protected .AAC input files and export to .MP3 files. With iTunes 7, you can convert unprotected .AAC files to .MP3 files right from the library, its only dependent on your iTunes "Importing" preferences (Edit -> Preferences... -> Advanced -> Importing -> Import Using). No CD burning required except to de-protect the protected .AAC files, which isn't a problem for you.

One reason I keep my .MP3 files separately is it allows me to easily import them to other players, in my case that would be my old Rio. I can use the Rio software for this or Real player or even Windows Media Player. The beauty of .MP3 files is they play on any player (iPod, iPaq, Rio, iRiver) or any software (iTunes, Real player, Windows Media Player). I manage it all from iTunes, then rescan periodically from the other programs. The downside, if there is one, is that you have to rip .MP3 files at 160 kbps to get the same sound quality as 128 kbps .AAC files.

John

OK, I think I finally have it.
-No matter what the music format iTunes only talks to iPod. No way for iTunes to talk to anything but an iPod.
-iPod can import from other programs; like Windows Media Player, etc It can handle whatever format.
-You keep your MP3 files in iTunes but pass them through other programs enroute to exporting them to your player.

So I can reimport to iTunes, but use MP3 format. Then load my player by moving the music into Windows Media Player from iTunes and then to the Player. The player can be iPod or iPaq or my old Lyra.
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iTunes 7? I loaded it. Had a variety of problems with it. One of which was that it refused to play any music that had been imported from my iPod into my new computer. iTunes 6 will do that. Checked a couple of web sites. Then reverted back to iTunes 6. Impression? Apple is trying to further restrict their hardware and software use. It is the Mac all over again. A killer product that is ruined by trying to close every loop where a person could use it with someone else's products.

 

[justleesa]

Holy cow, that's bigger than my HID canister! For some reason I had thought it would be a bit smaller.

Yeah, I was pretty shocked when the mail person dropped the box off (I ordered 2).

HUGE when you think it's only a little mp3 play about the third of the size of a pack os cigarettes.

The thing is that it not only houses the player. It has an amplifier that needs a 9 volt battery that makes the whole thing work UW. Not to mention the Mickey Mouse headset.:369:

 

[SPSundog]

Oh great! just what I need another toy to spend money on. I just bought three of them!
Koh Tao here I come.