iPod question--20 or 40

While reading over last month's Ipod postings, I finally decided to jump in and get one since Holiday sales are in full swing.

I want to get the newest generation model, but the question is about HD size. I can get the the 20 gig model for $20 off regular price with a few free accessories (after rebate). OR, I can get the 40 gig model for $40 off and the same free accessories.

For those of you that have an iPod, what do you think about size. The computer user in me says to get the larger one--but it's an extra $66 bucks. Has anyone here actually used up their entire iPod HD?

to me i have many many mp3. but i felt it was silly to have 14 hour battery life and 1000 hours a mp3,s but thats just me id get the 20.remeber ya can always load up new tunes when ya get bored

Your method of encoding will tell you what size iPod to buy. Some people encode @ the highest setting but this is a huge waste of space. I encoded all my music @ 192k AAC. I cant tell the difference between a 192k AAC encoded song & the original. That being said, I have a 20 gig 4th Gen iPod that has a capacity of 18.5 gig (after formating), My iPod has 611 sons on it and 15.3 gig of free space.

I'd say a 20 gig will work well.

Just for the heck of it, I'd say to get the larger one. iPods usually use the AAC encoding instead of MP3 BTW. It depends on how much music you want to put on it really. I do know people with 40 and 60 gigs of music. You can also use it as an external hard drive, so it sort of adds to the value.

Thanks guys--I'm probably going to go for the cheaper one just for the savings alone. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/broke.gif

Thanks!

Go with the 20GB.
I have the 40GB and it is way too big.

For an extra $66 I'd double the capacity and get the 40 gig :evil:

That said, I have a 20 and it's only about half filled. You can encode MP3 *OR* AAC, it's a simple setting in iTunes, but AAC is bar none a better codec, producing files with sizes similar to MP3, but better sound quality. I go for 160 kbps AAC.

An answer to a question you didn't ask: AAC is *NOT* a proprietary format. It is the format used for the iTunes Music Store, and those songs are wrapped with a "FairPlay" DRM, which *IS* proprietary. So now you know.

sorta off topic, most players seem to be limited in how high a bitrate they accept, are they any that will play lossless compressed formats (WMA lossless, what I rip at).

the irver plays ogg vorbis i belive org is losless. it also shows pictures.its new.irver has been makeing mp3,s a long time though

I heard that iPods need to be treated like fine crystal, as they're not too durable. You might want to invest in a nice, padded carrying case just to protect your Pod, regardless of the size.

a cheapy plastic carrying case is free post rebate. That'll hold me over till I decide on which really nice one I want to get.

When you buy an iPod you are married to iTunesApple Corp for downloads.
Downloads from other sources will not easily work on the iPod and some won't play at all (there is a warning about this on WalMart.com).
Downloads in AAC from iTunes won't play on any player except an iPod. You can burn the songs to a CD and then re-rip them, but this is a PITA.
You are Married.---Marc

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Tentou said:
I heard that iPods need to be treated like fine crystal, as they're not too durable. You might want to invest in a nice, padded carrying case just to protect your Pod, regardless of the size.

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Not true. The new Ipod Mini is made from a solid core of aluminum and is tough as nails. IMO, get the Ipod Mini over the larger capacity versions. Not only is it way cooler, it won't fingerprint on the backside like the new gen versions, as the anodized aluminum casing completely enshrouds the machine, but it also has an improved battery life. I've had both the new generation (larger capacity) Ipods and now own an Ipod Mini. It's the hottest thing going, and the one to buy, if you can handle the smaller storage capacity.

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MicroE said:Downloads from other sources will not easily work on the iPod and some won't play at all (there is a warning about this on WalMart.com).

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I'm thinking of buying an ipod and have tons of MP3's. Ripped these from CD's I have.

Are you saying my MP3's will not work on ipod?

Please clarify.. thanks,

mp3's play fine on the ipod.

even the bigger ones are not at all fragile in the sense that they will break, but the are much more prone to minor scratches and such. the aluminum back on mine has gotten quite a nice patina of use /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I hope that at some point in the future the whole line will get the anodised aluminum case of the mini though, it is quite nice.

did i say yet that mp3's play fine? it wont play windows media encoded files though.

after reading through i can add more /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif ogg vorbis is not lossless, but it is better at loosing things you wont notice as much as mp3. aac is excellent too, i use it for everyting now and actually went through and re-encoded hundreds of my favorite cd's in it.

iTunes and the iPod do support a lossless format if you want that. but it's still much bigger than an aac or mp3 formatted file. better get the big one if you want that /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif it's considerably smaller than uncompressed aiff though, which will cost you 10 megs a minute for stereo cd quality music

Maybe there should be some Ipods in HA3... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

-YC

opps james ya are corect i think i was thinking a monkey audio..im in the market for new mp3 player . but i may wait to prices drop again i want the new crative labs 1 gig player .i cant afford ipod but there nice.the creative labs new muvu is kinda cool though for its size id say its smaler then pack a gum. but i only saw pics .man there is so much cool stuff out. i wish ipod was cheaper. got mine last xmas for 140 bucks but had to sell it.

James, Thanks for the clarification. MP3's will play fine whew... thinking of going with the mini.

Is there an MP3 player that uses flash memory? 1gig cards are real cheap now.

cv there are proably 100 mp3 players that use flash now

The 4G (new) 40GB iPod has the "audio defect" on a fairly large number of units. You can read more at ipodlounge. I believe that I posted on this problem before. Mine is not easily ignored, but easily worked around.

Capacity-wise, I'd go with the 40GB. I have 11GB of music and nearly 10GB of files on mine.