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[PhatPhreddy]

I realize this is OT but figured you guys would have some info for me... If you know of any MP3 hardware review sites thats also good...

I need a small solid state player for use jogging / outside the home / etc... Though kinda tempted by IPODS or the new Toshiba HD based player...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/32469.html

I simply dont need that much storage (as I always travel with a laptop) and so simply want the smallest coolest best sounding cheap player...

256 MB at least (prefer 512 but probably wont pay for it)... Good sound quality... I would also strongly desire one that shows up as a windows drive to eliminate SW plug in issues...

I like the look of the iRiver (and its only one letter adjacent to JRiver ) offerings...

I wonder that the MP3 offerings made from USB flash drives probably compromise sound quality and features... They seem to have low power outputs on the headphone socket and I question if they are retrofitting USB drive tech as cheaply as they can...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3042347013&category=14980

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3043162726&category=11024

Overally I kinda like these but cant find any reviews...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3041965575&category=11024

or

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3042305668&category=11024&rd=1

So anyone familiar with those last two ?? Anyone have any advice ?? Are they all pretty much similar in SQ ?

[SteveG]

PhatPhreddy,

"I simply dont need that much storage (as I always travel with a laptop) and so simply want the smallest coolest best sounding cheap player...  "

This is the most crowded part of the Portable Player market. There are a lot of players that  fill this niche. I will let others give their reviews because I do not want to endorse any one player over another and then check back if no one is helping you out.

Steve

[LonWar]

If you want it for jogging, then I would just go with a sports cd player.

I have not seen a HD player that could take being dropped and such....

[PhatPhreddy]

A CD player will not play my 2 hour essential mix MP3's...

I dont want a HD player and I cannot imagine a CD player that takes movement or even abuse better than a small light solid state player...

[Galley]

Check out the FL100 series of players made by Digitalway.  They have gotten good reviews, and the 256MB version can be found pretty cheap on eBay.  It also has a slot for an SD card!
http://www.mpio.com/

[nabsltd]

A CD player will not play my 2 hour essential mix MP3's...

So, get a portable CD player that plays MP3s.

There are very few cheap, small players that can handle 2 full hours of music at anything other than "ugly" quality.  You need 128MB to get to "barely acceptable".

[PhatPhreddy]

I really dont want / need / or have any desire for a CD player... CD's have been banished from my life...

My house is set up for APE file playback from my media server...

I am bulding a car computer for MP3 only use...

I consider the IPOD and the much smaller toshiba linked above, too big for this... I want a keyring / lighter sized device...

As the above ones I listed can all be had at about 120 - 140 USD for a 256 model I guess I should just take a chance one one... A buddy came back from Singapore after picking up a (IIRC) walkman MP3 player that was about 1/2 the size of a fountain pen... 60% battery !!! It only held 64 or 128 though and I need 256 (but want 512)...

[Kurt Young]

I suggest the Creative Muvo.  It's tiny, solid state, and I think has pretty good capacities.  At least a long jog's worth.  A friend of mine has a Nike player that plays wma as well, and it's very small, very stylish, and made for running.

Your logic is spot-on... don't take an iPod, or any other hard-drive based player, running.  Running with a spinning hard drive means that eventually your hard drive will become damaged, I don't care what kind of case you put it in.

The iPod rules for walks, commutes, drives, chilling in the living room, parties, while at work... but if you want a player just for jogging, get one with no moving parts.

BTW, about your car-mp3-computer... Did I mention that an iPod rules for music in the car?  Especially with one of these babies.  

[PhatPhreddy]

I had a look at the Muvo... Nice size but no screen at all... Plus the essential mixes I have float from 150 MB to 180 for the 2 hour mixes... I dont want to have to edit them down... The Muvo Maxes out at 128, simply not enough...

There seems to be a few of those USB drive / MP3 players now at the 128 MB capacity but I was warned they are often down at 5mw headphone power...

I am still thinking the two last links I included above are the two best units I have found for my purpose so far... Of course I like the second unit due to additional FM radio but it seems to be on back order...

I guess I shouldn't analyse everything so much and simply give it a go...

BTW as far as 'rules in the car' check out Media Engine running on a 800x480 touchscreen embedded into the dash... With 802.11 on the CarPC I should be able to simply map the car as a network drive and export / manage all the files from within MC9 !!!

Look at http://www.mediaengine.org/

I am converting my Libretto to run this from boot and if it works well may plump down for a Xenarc 16:9 touchscreen...

[crowfan]

PhatPhreddy,

Creative just came out with the Muvo NX, which comes in 256 and has a screen, and I think it's the same size as the original. There are some terrible reviews of the Muvo on Amazon, but I think I'm gonna pick one up anyway. Supposedly, it's worth the while to pick up software called Notmad Explorer (spelled correctly!) for use with the Muvo, although MC9 would obviously be my first choice if it could work with the Muvo. Here's the link:
http://www.redchairsoftware.com/notmad/

Gateway also makes a direct-USB device just like the Muvo NX, check it out on their website (it comes in 256 and has a screen).

Kurt,

Does that thing really sound OK?  I have an iPod which I would love to have in my car, and the only other device I've seen is that Belkin connector. I had an FM trasmitter about a year ago and took it back because it sounded terrible, but it wasn't that one, and I wasn't using it with the iPod. If that thing sounded good, I'd pick one up...

Thanks

crow

[SteveG]

crow,

FYI, the Muvo NX works well with MC.

Steve

[crowfan]

Steve,

Does MC9 allow you to change song order on the Muvo?  From what I read, the biggest drawback to the Muvo is that the drag-and-drop method (directly in Windows) does not alllow for re-ordering of the songs. Therefore the songs play in alphabetical order. If you re-order them in MC9, will they play in my desired order, or alphabetically?  

I figured the Muvo would work with MC if only through the My Computer tree on the left, which would be just like working with it in Windows directly. But I would be quite happy to find that MC9 would allow you to re-order the songs. That would really be my only reason for getting the Notmad Explorer, so if MC9 does it, so much the better!

Thanks

crow