[JarodL1]

What is best for torrent downloading, ripping music, etc. I don't care about playing music since I will use my DAP for that. Any reccomendations for good windows based notebooks? TIA.

 

[craiglester]

Honestly, OSX and windows are about as good as each other for just ripping or downloading. Windows has more (quantity) software available, and OSX is alleged to be more stable. NO EAC for OSX I believe, but iTunes can aparrently rip bit perfect.

Depends how much you want to spend. You'll get a basic Windows laptop a lot cheaper than an OSX one.

BTW to discourage any hint of bias, let it be known I run a Windows laptop.

 

[Wodgy]

For ripping, the two best programs (EAC, dbPowerAmp) are available only on Windows, though if you're willing to use Boot Camp on Macs, you can run those programs. cdparanoia / Max is pretty good though on Macs.

For playback, which you say that you're not interested in, Macs are the easiest to get bit-perfect output from (they come that way out of the box) and have convenient integrated remotes, but Vista is not bad. Windows XP is not a good choice unless you want to dick around with ASIO or Kernel Streaming or want to pick exactly the right hardware.

Given your requirements, either would probably be fine, but given ripping is your first priority, Windows machines make sense.

 

[iPodschun]

Go Windows. Ripping programs are better as stated on Windows, as are torrent programs. I'm on an iMac+iBook and use Crossover to run uTorrent, if that's any indication of the state (at least, my opinion of it) of Mac torrent programs.

 

[lowmagnet]

xtorrent is better than anything out there, and the best (standard) torrent client (feature-wise) is Azureus, which is written in Java.

iTunes has good rip accuracy, and OS X has bit-perfect output by design. Since Apple makes the whole widget, you won't have IRQ conflicts on your USB ports either.

OS X is based on a solid UNIX kernel that does a good job at keeping things as close to real-time and concurrent as possible. The only way I've ever gotten iTunes to skip during playback is to run the OS into the ground with both World of Warcraft and Aperture running at the same time.

Someone wrote something that lets you play flac back with iTunes on OS X.

(I own three Macs, use WinXP at work, and can't wait to get home at night)

 

[pheonix991]

Go Doze. Better torrent programs, EAC, foobar, what more could you want? O, stability. Just keep windows clean, and it won't give you any problems.

 

[goldenratiophi]

It's all a matter of preference. I use a Mac and prefer it in almost every way to Windows. I use Transmission (http://transmission.m0k.org/) for my torrent needs and it works just fine. xtorrent (mentioned in an above post) looks really good too. As for rippers, sure, Windows has EAC, but unless your CDs are scratched up bad, OS X iTunes with error correction or cdparanoia/Max should produce identical rips.

You should also make sure your DAP is compatible with whatever OS you choose.

 

[pheonix991]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldenratiophi /img/forum/go_quote.gif You should also make sure your DAP is compatible with whatever OS you choose.

So, if you want a zune, osx is out of the question.

 

[Comfy]

I am a recent Mac convert myself. After a dozen years running Windows, I finally got myself an iMac. Running Boot Camp and XP though. I am still more used to some aspects of Windows, but I have to say that using iTunes with bit perfect output in Mac OS X is much more enjoyable than the days I've spent configuring Foobar, trying to make it work properly.
The same feeling is appliable to the whole experience. Mac just works and looks good, Windows is virtually capable of anything (good or bad), but you have to tweak it, a lot.
Personally, I think Mac is the way to go now that there is Boot Camp. The best of both worlds. (EVE Online on XP, everything else on OS X.)

 

[iPodschun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowmagnet /img/forum/go_quote.gif xtorrent is better than anything out there, and the best (standard) torrent client (feature-wise) is Azureus, which is written in Java.

Quote:

Originally Posted by goldenratiophi /img/forum/go_quote.gif I use Transmission (http://transmission.m0k.org/) for my torrent needs and it works just fine. xtorrent (mentioned in an above post) looks really good too.

Why I use Crossover+uTorrent over these:

1. Transmission: No selective downloads, banned on a lot of trackers because the developer is stupid. Can screw up ratio on sites that do allow it.
2. xtorrent: based on Transmission. Same problems. Oh, and since it's based on Transmission that means you have to pay for a prettier version of a free program
3. Azureus: I don't like one program, particularly one for torrents, taking up more resources than all my other programs combined. Otherwise fine.

I do keep Transmission and Azureus on my computer, but for picky people like me, uTorrent is still the way to go.

 

[PsychoZX]

xACT is a good alternative to EAC for mac users.

 

[Lord Chaos]

I've used both systems extensively. I prefer the Mac. For ripping, Itunes has an advantage over Windows Media player in that it gets CD information from a much better database. I have to make fewer corrections to the tags. Itunes is available for both systems.

 

[error401]

Linux.

I can't stand the OSX UI and Apple's attitude of 'our way or the highway' alongside 'no, what you want is wrong, do it our way'. Their UI widgets are ugly, I find the interface inconvenient to use and bloated, and disagree with most of their software's design choices (ie. iTunes). But that's all personal preference.

Concrete reasons: the hardware is expensive for what you get (though it admittedly is very well designed), the software is expensive in that they charge for minor version upgrades (ack, I hate paying for bugfixes...), and the repertoire of free (native) software is rather small, forcing you to pay Apple their exorbitant fees for iLife and the like.

In recent years I've really grown to dislike Apple. Either OS will probably serve your needs just fine, but the Windows solution is cheaper and more flexible. Linux more so on both counts.

 

[ozz]

actually some pc mag did a comparison on cost and if both this was
on laptops had almost the same thing they were within a 100.00.
i used pc's for years still do just recently changed over to mac i like it
better as one poster mentioned i can run both os and i have not paid
for any bug fixes just quicktime upgrade to pro.

 

[Comfy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by error401 /img/forum/go_quote.gif the repertoire of free (native) software is rather small

I prefer Garage Band over Minesweeper, to be honest.