[YngwieJMalmsteen]

Sorry to be off topic, but is it really illegal to rip your own DVDs for you to watch? Isn't that like the epitome of fair use?

 

[Taphil]

I don't know why anyone would want to do more than watch music videos from iTMS on the iPod.

You have to rip the DVD, and encode it, then put it on the iPod, then buy a battery pack if you want some sort of commendable battery life for portable use, and then buy a USB power adapter/dock/video cable if you want to plug it into a TV and maybe the remote, and then only to watch what you could have (in higher quality and easier set up, mind you) if you just used the damn DVD itself on any junky DVD player. Now for illegally downloaded movies, you're still limited by all of the above except the first step.

 

[Wodgy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by YngwieJMalmsteen Sorry to be off topic, but is it really illegal to rip your own DVDs for you to watch? Isn't that like the epitome of fair use?

It would be fair use under normal circumstances. You can rip VHS tapes and laserdiscs for your own use all you want. However, DVDs have an on-disc encryption scheme, and the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) makes it an offense to circumvent encryption schemes. See here:
http://www.eff.org/IP/DMCA/?f=uninte...sequences.html

 

[xluben]

I can rip a DVD to a ~4GB image in about 30 minutes, but to convert it over to a ~700MB .avi would probably take 12 hours (and I'm sure that's not even the right size for the new iPod).

 

[Jakets]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigDub suddenly, everyone finds it ok to watch videos on a small screen. i still remembered how most people were dissing iaudio and samsung for including a 'useless video feature' on their players. lol.

To be fair, the ipod does have better/bigger/more FPS screen than the x5 and such. I would buy it over them if video was my concern. However the x5 remains my favorite for its sound quality and better/more options.

 

[Wodgy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xluben I can rip a DVD to a ~4GB image in about 30 minutes, but to convert it over to a ~700MB .avi would probably take 12 hours (and I'm sure that's not even the right size for the new iPod).

It seems strange that resizing a two hour movie would take six times longer than actually playing back the movie. You do have to recompress, but wow! Have other people been seeing similar conversion times?

 

[lal316l]

Is it just me or does this new iPod just scream mediocre? Apple continues to "set the trend" by introducing video to their players. Now everyone is going to judge all audio players compared to this "video" iPod. Everyone will say "does it have video?" and will simply brush off any likely superior audio player based on that fact that it doesn't have video capability. Granted, the new iPod will do video but only do it halfway decent. The whole idea of converting the size of video files to get it to work on a portable video player is just a plain hassle in my opinion. Also the fact that the new iPod only gets 2 hours from video is quite laughter inducing. This whole video thing seems like a step backwards for Apple. I've watched the press event where Steve Jobs says the new Ipod is an audio player first and a video player second. I'm glad he said that because the video feature is flat out mediocre and abit gimmicky. But if we look at the improvements made in the audio department of the new iPod, you'll find there isn't much to say.

Apple has once again neglected the needs of the consumers in things that are truly important in an portable audio player; battery life, hard drive space, gapless, a parametric EQ, more durable body, user replaceable battery. Granted they did "fix" the low impedance rolloff problem but we still can't confirm this. I really wanted to like this new iPod but a gut feeling just tells me that it's not worth it. Apple has dissappointed me once again. For now, I'll have my eye out for the Cowon A2 which seems to be superior to the new Ipod in everyway if price were not an issue. Perhaps if Apple ever decides to release some sort of parametric EQ as a firmware update for their new players I might think of buying such a player with a lower than standard "value." Even though I've said many negative things, the new iPod (if you overlook the video feature) is the best iPod on market at this current time. If anyone asks me about about the new iPod I'll tell them it's the best iPod out, but if they tell me it's good because it can do video, they are so going to get a tongue lashing.

 

[geforcewong]

30GB black ipod + pocketdock line out = good enough for me

 

[Wodgy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lal316l Apple has once again neglected the needs of the consumers in things that are truly important in an portable audio player; battery life, hard drive space, gapless, a parametric EQ, more durable body, user replaceable battery. ... For now, I'll have my eye out for the Cowon A2 which seems to be superior to the new Ipod in everyway if price were not an issue.

Your comparison with the Cowon A2 is a little odd. You seem to place most emphasis on music playing, yet the Cowon A2 has four hours less battery life than the 60GB iPod for playing music. The A2 does not have a parametric EQ; it's just got a cheesy 5 band graphic EQ. No user-replaceable battery without opening the unit up (same as iPod). It's also more than an inch longer, three quarters of an inch wider, and thicker. It looks like a nice video player (the battery life is good for playing movies), but in my view it has too many compromises for playing music, even if you get gapless.

 

[Taphil]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wodgy It seems strange that resizing a two hour movie would take six times longer than actually playing back the movie. You do have to recompress, but wow! Have other people been seeing similar conversion times?

It's common knowledge in DVD ripping and encoding. I haven't done it in a long time, but I think it takes a day on an average PC or Mac to encode.

 

[DigDub]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wodgy It seems strange that resizing a two hour movie would take six times longer than actually playing back the movie. You do have to recompress, but wow! Have other people been seeing similar conversion times?

ermmm...12 hours for a 2 pass encoding would sound about right.

 

[lal316l]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wodgy Your comparison with the Cowon A2 is a little odd. You seem to place most emphasis on music playing, yet the Cowon A2 has four hours less battery life than the 60GB iPod for playing music. The A2 does not have a parametric EQ; it's just got a cheesy 5 band graphic EQ. No user-replaceable battery without opening the unit up (same as iPod). It's also more than an inch longer, three quarters of an inch wider, and thicker. It looks like a nice video player (the battery life is good for playing movies), but in my view it has too many compromises for playing music, even if you get gapless.

A 5 band EQ with several effects can get far better results in audio fidelity than what current iPods can offer. At least we can adjust rather be restricted by Ipod's infamous user presets. I feel the A2 is a far better "do-it-all" player than what the new iPod tries to be. Battery life seems to be more balanced on the A2 (16 hours - Audio, 10 hours - Video) as compared to iPod at max (20 hours - Audio, 3 hours - Video). I dont know but 17 hours switching from one use to another is a HUGE gap. The bigger size allows for the a bigger screen (a must if you're going to be watching movies). The A2 also doesn't force you resize all your videos before you can watch them on your player, simple drag and drop. Even if you don't take into account the extra features the A2 has over the iPod it seems anything the iPod can do, the A2 can do better.

It's not like I hate the iPod, I just wish it could be better than it is. Apple barely even tried to address the issues that concern the audio portion of their iPods but instead went ahead and added video, which does not help the situation at all. I'm just upset Apple didn't bother to make their audio player even better but instead opt-ed for gimmicky additions to satisfy the mass audience.

 

[wanderman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakets http://iriverter.sourceforge.net/ Excellent one touch rip for dvds, and converts almost all video to x5 size. If anyones interested someone should send him some request to make one for the iPod.

IRIVERter... MR community app... Iriver the pioneer anyhoo enough of my fanboyism...lol. All you have to do is adjust the resolution and determing the correct codec.... He made plugins for a reason.

This dap is not really a neglect of the consumers needs but the best they could come up with the appease the larger non audiophile community. It is kinda retarted to compare and audio player that has video added to a pvp. Apple can move products and hype like no one else, and because it is such a well know product it will obviously be used a ruler. You can't fault apple for doing it better

 

[lal316l]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanderman You can't fault apple for doing it better

The only thing Apple has is their huge amounts of $ for their marketing and putting their products in the spotlight. What we get in reality is a fairly decent player that just works, doesn't work to how we'd like it to, but just works. I wouldn't say Apple does anything better than anybody. If anything, they do worse.

 

[wanderman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lal316l The only thing Apple has is their huge amounts of $ for their marketing and putting their products in the spotlight. What we get in reality is a fairly decent player that just works, doesn't work to how we'd like it to, but just works. I wouldn't say Apple does anything better than anybody. If anything, they do worse.

I a sensing a bit of jealousy. But your telling me that puting alot of money towards marketing and puting the product in spotlight is not doing it better. The general public buys what they see and does little looking by them selves. They see the ipod. I have never seen a cowon commercial during primetime. Is there something wrong with promoting your product?