My first impressions of the iPod

[Superbaldguy]

I visited Future Shop, today, wanting to audition the iPod Photo but that mdoel was sold out - it's selling like crazy, I guess. I brought my EX71's with me and tried out the "regular" current iPod model.

I wasn't overly thrilled but it's kind of a neat toy, very easy to navigate but semed to me, anyways, to be rather drab and unexciting. Any of my 7 portable MiniDisc units beats it to pieces as far as "cool factor" goes, IMHO. I did like the snappy output compared to MD but the EQ was useless. The sound was fine for a portable audio device, not involving and sterile - typical of what I've read in this forum. My recently-purchased MZ-E720 smokes the iPod in terms of SQ, which is no surprise with its HD digital amp. White iPod + white EX71's is pretty nifty to look at.........

I still want to see the Photo model in person, as I am a serious shooter and could use a quality storage device with a sound as an option.

Does iTunes resize photos to fit, automatically?

I'm a country hick and don't get out too often.

 

[Duncan]

SBG...

Haven't seen you around for a while, hope you're keeping okay?

The EX71s so i've found out recently (having been an advocate of them for a long time) are not so hot with the iPod... although the EX81s... way cool

(do you know what bit-rate the tracks pre-loaded on to the shops ipod were ripped at?)

...That doesn't mean to say that the performance boost you get with the EX81s on the iPod wouldn't be repeated with your MD units... but...

...Well, I know where you're coming from... Having once had a collection of MD units myself... and still having two now - stashed in storage, one portable - one full sized unit

 

[mavis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superbaldguy I still want to see the Photo model in person, as I am a serious shooter and could use a quality storage device with a sound as an option. Does iTunes resize photos to fit, automatically? I'm a country hick and don't get out too often.

Definately more "wow" factor with the Photo, the screen is better in every respect (response, resolution, etc) ... Anyway to answer your question, iTunes will resize your photos automatically. You point it to the folder(s) where your pics are and it does the rest. Very easy. It also gives you the option of keeping the original (full-size) pics on your iPod as well, in case you want to transfer them to another PC, etc.

 

[zaguar]

Try the h320. It has 4 times as many colours and a higher res IIRC. im getting one.

 

[wheeee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by zaguar Try the h320. It has 4 times as many colours and a higher res IIRC. im getting one.

but then he's gonna have to make a USB on the go

try www.misticriver.com 's forums to see it/ask questions

 

[PachmanP]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheeee but then he's gonna have to make a USB on the go

or just get the international version which'll be more expensive but if his camera supports usb on the go it might be worth it.

 

[Jamirus99]

If you're looking into the photo, remember that it's going to be noticeable thicker than a standard screen iPod. I would keep that in mind, if you're worried about thickness.

 

[SDLeMire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jamirus99 If you're looking into the photo, remember that it's going to be noticeable thicker than a standard screen iPod. I would keep that in mind, if you're worried about thickness.

I can hardly tell the difference in thickness between my photo 30gb and my wife's 20gb U2 ipod. 60gb photo on the other hand, is quite noticeably thick.

 

[Superbaldguy]

zaguar,

The H320 was another option as far as a DAP was concerned. So, the screen on the iRiver is that much better? What about auto-resizing?

The Archos Gmini400 has a CF card slot that would be handy for digital shooters. So, I have it down to three choices - iPod photo, Gmini 400, or the H320. Another option, if I simply want music, is to look at one of the new Hi-MD units.

Sony have an MD/cam (MZ-DH10) unit but the pics are kind of tiny on its display.

Duncan, you really should try to get back into MiniDisc.

 

[zaguar]

H3Tool automatically resizes jpeg and bmp images into h320 native res. Can resize, crop or strech. Great little prog.

If your not american, the international h320 has usb OTG, which would be handy if you have a compatible camera. Your as serious shooter as you said. Apparently, devices that do not need drivers work as USB OTG devices. YMMV though.

AFAIK, but YMMV, the H320 has more clinical, hi-fi sound than the ipod photo. I dont have it yet, but i will compare it with 3g ipod and ipod mini.

 

[Superbaldguy]

Yes, I've heard the H320 does sound pretty darn good.

It's hard to find the right combination of sound, functionality, and screen quality for a photo-based DAP.

 

[Duncan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superbaldguy Duncan, you really should try to get back into MiniDisc.

I'm desperately going to try not to derail this thread... so, if everyone but Superbaldguy can just ignore this post of mine..

The reason that I fell out of love with MD is euro-crippling, all of the units from the E10 onward have pathetic volume ability, and that is hardware crippling (to the best of my knowledge) whereas, the ipod.. still crippled, but able to be defeated with firmware hacks... AFAIK, it is the only DAP to be able to do that also...

...unless I were to buy from overseas, it really is iPod only for me from now on, even with innovations like Hi-MD etc etc...

 

[PodMan]

in my experience, driving ER4P and 4S, the iPod bests the E720. I agree the ex71 does not have good synergy with the iPod though. The house sony md sound at default is boosted in the bass region. if you search here in the archives, Eagle_driver posted a RMAA test result on the e10 vs the d-ej2000 and d-ne300 and the bass boost on the e10 was pretty ridiculous. This was also pretty evident when I recently compared the N910 w/ the iRiver H320 on ex71/51 so vs the iPod with its bass rolloff for low impedence phones there was even a greater disparity. if you are used to the sony md sound, you will probably not like the iPod sound.

the H320 might be what you are looking for, it has a more dynamic and lively sound than the iPod. Although the U.S. version doesn't come with usb2go, refer to misticriver.net on how to get around this. the H320 display is very vibrant and colorful although it can't play pictures and sound at the same time. size-wize, it is about 60% thicker than the iPod you were looking at but it is still very portable, feels very solid, and is much smaller and lighter than what the web pictures may suggest.

 

[Superbaldguy]

Hmmm....The iRiver does have a business look to it that most DAP's lack. The CF card slot is not a big deal, but would be handy.

Duncan, I think many of the eurocrippled MD units have been successfully hacked. Come over and check the T-Board to see........

 

[bangraman]

I still have MD's and Hi-MDs... it's just that they don't get any use at all. Not even the brand new ones. Too much hassle given what else is available, and sound quality has been equalled, if not surpassed. There are phones which work well with MD, and there are phones which work well with the iPod. If you're VERY serious about sound, iPod/Karma/etc will hold far more music in lossless format, while the Hi-MD's HD Digital amps (or something else in the chain) seems to have a debilitating effect on the sound the higher bitrates you go to. I was, and still am, quite surprised at how relatively compromised the PCM output seems to be on the Hi-MD's (non crippled models)


I don't know if the iAudio X5 supports OTG... does it? Perhaps you can read up on that. If you're coming from the world of MD's and remotes, it seems to be the machine with the most potential familiarity.