[Discuss] MP3 Players

[Adam Parkin]

Patrick wrote:
> When I asked at the electronics dept of one or two stores, they
> said most MP3 players *don't* behave like thumb-drives.  So you
> usually need special software that can speak MP3-playerese

Typically what happens is that MP3 players need to index the files on 
the device.  Some brands (like say, an iPod) do this via special 
software (like say, iTunes).

Others do this indexing on the device itself.  The upside of this is, as 
you pointed out, that no special software is needed.  The downside is 
that typically this means when you turn the device on after copying some 
files to it you get "Please wait" on the device's screen for a long time 
before you can actually start playing your music.

> [probably a different dialect for every brand] just to transfer
> a few files.  That's unfortunate, and even if some do come with
> software for Linux, I'd rather not mess around with it when a
> simple `cp -r /path/to/MP3s /path/to/MP3/player' is so much
> easier.

Yeah, I agree, I want my MP3 player to be a USB stick which happens to 
play MP3's, not the other way around.

> So... anyone know of any MP3 players that do behave like standard
> USB storage devices?  The more the merrier.

Well I haven't tested it under Linux, but my RCA is just like a normal 
memory stick (you just throw a bunch of MP3's on the device and then 
when you turn it on it figures out what's where).

However, I wouldn't particularly recommend it as a MP3 player as it's, 
well, crappy (although it is a step up in many ways from the iPod 
Shuffle I used to use).  After copying some MP3's to the device, then 
unplugging it from the computer, you have to wait a good 2-3 minutes 
with "Please wait" on the player's display while it indexes the MP3's 
you put on it before you can start playing something.  It's also 
remarkably stupid in regards to track ordering (it plays all selected 
tracks in alphabetical order, rather than by track #).

Hope some of this mini-ranting helps somehow. :)
-- 
--
Adam Parkin
E-mail: pzelnip at gmail.com
Blog: http://pzelnip.blogspot.com/
----------------------
Part of the inhumanity of the computer is that, once it is compentently 
programmed and working smoothly, it is completely honest.

	-- Isaac Asimov, Computer Geek Joke of the Day Calendar