Itunes rookie needs advice (1 Viewer)

[BrianW]

Not all online music services use DRM. MP3Tunes.com not only lets you download music without any copy protecton whatsoever, if you lose your music as a result of a hard drive crash (or just from reformatting your hard drive), you can even re-download all your previously-purchased music at no extra cost. So once you buy it, it's yours to do with as you please (within fair-use limits, of course, which they trust you with), and you can re-download your music as often and on as many computers as you want.

 

[Ken Chan]

Many consumers are happy playing their music on their iPods, and maybe sometimes playing music on their computer with iTunes or on their stereo through AirTunes. They don't care about the freedom to play it elsewhere. Some don't know and don't care. But some know, and still don't care.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

it's ONLY lock-in if you use the itunes music store, not lock-in to the ipod.

CJ

 

[Al.Anderson]

I didn't know about mp3tunes.com I'll definitely check that one out. I also didn't know about the 12 month reset. (Though I was only at four, I was worried about maxing out.) Thanks!

 

[Ted Todorov]

1) Apple's format (for selling DRMed music over the internet) came first -- why should they change, just because Microsoft came up with something different?

2) DRMed WMA does not work under Mac OS X, because Microsoft never released version 10 of the Windows Media Player for Mac OS X. And you expect Apple to switch to the MS format? I don't think so.

There is a standard war going on -- and both sides are fighting it by all means necessary. Back in the day when the OS standard war between IBM (OS2) and Microsoft (Windows) happened, only Microsoft fought dirty, and the rest is history. This time around, Apple isn't rolling over and playing dead.

Ted

 

[MarkHastings]

Ted explained it best so I won't attempt to go into it...

The one thing that Apple does that makes it so popular with Apple lovers (such as myself) is they don't mess up their technology by making it compatible for every possible scenario out there. I also love PC's, but the thing I hate is that there are SO many variables out there that you ALWAYS run into conflicts. Apple has created a stable environment this way by creating products that work within their environments.

I'm sure this is what pisses a lot of pro-PC users, but for those of us who like Macs, this is a godsend!!!!

p.s. I used to only buy Creative MP3 players, but guess what? they ONLY work with PC's that have CREATIVE sound cards!

So in comparison, of the 4 computers I own (i.e. 2 Macs and 2 PC's) the iPod works with all 4 computers, but my old Creative Jukebox ONLY work on the 1 PC that has a Creative Sound card.

Talk about non-compliant???

 

[DougWright]

I guess I mis-spoke when I wrote proprietary formats.
What I meant was you need to use itunes to put music on the ipod.

I want to be able to just drag and drop MP3s with no software. Just using windows explorer. I o that with my handheld and my standalone player.

Sorry for confusing the original issue.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

still wrong. i wish you could drag and drop too, but you dont need itunes specifically, to use the ipod. there are free utilities out there, plenty of them.

CJ

 

[ChristopherG]

CJ - can you recommend one?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Christ Reynolds]

sure. if you use windows, ephpod is a popular one.

if you use linux, gtkpod works very well.

ive never used mac os, but there are many helpful people at the ilounge forums who have used all those programs and can recommend a good one. good luck!

CJ

 

[MarkHastings]

If you have an iPod and a Mac, I would HIGHLY discourage using anything other than iTunes. iTunes works SO well on the Mac...there's really no need for anything else.

Of course, that's really only if you absolutely hate iTunes.

p.s. I can see why you'd want to avoid it on the PC though.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

but that's still only based on YOUR preference. there are alternatives available for a reason. it may work well (it works pretty well in windows too), but i hate the interface. the only thing i strongly encourage people to use is the one THEY like.

CJ

 

[MarkHastings]

While this is true, my preference is also based on facts about the system. I'm not saying to use it only because I like it, I'm saying to use it because it was designed to work with the operating system and the iPod.

 

[Eric_L]

and now I've learned ANOTHER expensive lesson thanks to Itoons. I bought some gift cards for downloads from a local vendor as stocking stuffers. Once I found out that itunes downloads are useless for my kids (who have Muvo) I tried to take them back and exchange them for a different one.

No can do. Itoons gift cards are non-refundable - even one day later.

I sure am glad I have the Shaftle or else I would have been given the biggest ripoff ever. Now my wife gets three giftcards... Not liking this experience.

I wonder if someone can invent a hardware or software CD burner/ripper that lets you burn and rip songs to/from a 'virtual' cd simultaniously or at least in quick succession without having to use countless CDs. It would sure solve lots of problems. A bif of lossy is a small price to pay for the ability to actually own my music.

 

[MikeH1]

I believe some earlier Sony's wouldn't play MP3's.

I myself have a 20 Gb iRiver and wouldn't trade it in for any other player.

 

[Mark Murphy]

I have two Creative mp3 players and no Creative soundcards. They work just fine on my laptop or my desktop.

 

[BrianW]

Why would any MP3 player's performance depend on your computer's sound card?

 

[MarkHastings]

I swear, my Jukebox 3 ONLY worked with Creative Sound cards. You couldn't install the drivers without the card. The software would exit out if it didn't see a Creative card.

It sucked ass!

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Well, it's too complicated to explain to a novice, but Alcohol 120% can mount CD images and CDex will rip them just like an actual CD. The limitation there is I'm not sure how one could burn an image from within iTunes. Once JHymn is back up, it will be a non-issue.

 

[Scott L]

No offense but you're silly. With as many mp3 players as you have around your house & information available on the net you didn't know the format differences for each? I sympathize with the non-returnable policy though, that's always a bummer.

If you want, however, you can burn any of your itunes-bought songs to an audio CD-R, then put it in your kids' computers to rip to mp3, and the songs will play just fine on their muvo's.

+1 on the JHymn comment. Holding off most itunes purchases until they get a v6.x compliant version, but I'm not holding my breath either.