[Discuss] MP3 Players

[R. Langkamer]

On 7/1/07 9:49 AM, Adam Parkin wrote:

<snip>

>> Do the newer ones hassle you about DRM, or does that all happen in
>> the computer, not the player?
> 
> The device doesn't (or at least the shuffle didn't with me), but iTunes 
> certainly does.  I wasn't using the latest version (just whatever 
> version came with the shuffle), but (for example) I had to register the 
> Shuffle with a particular user.  So when my wife wanted to use the 
> shuffle she logged into the computer we share under her name, plugged in 
> the Ipod and got a "This device is registered to Pedle Zelnip, would you 
> like to reigster it to yourself?" or some similar message.  She of 
> course said yes, AND THEN EVERYTHING I HAD ON THE DEVICE WAS ERASED. 
> Another example: I had all my MP3's on one machine with iTunes.  I then 
> installed iTunes on another machine before I copied all my MP3's over to 
> it.  When I plugged the device into the new machine it decided that 
> since it couldn't find any of the MP3's on the iPod on the new machine I 
> must be trying to share my music with my friends and thus decided that 
> all MP3's on the shuffle should be deleted from the device (without my 
> consent).  That was pretty well the moment I decided I would never buy 
> another iPod again (although technically I never bought the shuffle - it 
> was a gift as part of a promotion for TD Bank). :p

	iTunes only deals with DRM on purchased files. If you rip your music 
using iTunes, then the rip is sans-DRM. iTunes stores the music on the 
iPod in a "hidden" manner in addition to building the index. As far as I 
know, you can not simply copy MP3s to an iPod and have them play. You 
need some software that can copy the files to the iPod in the manner the 
iPod expects.

	iPods can only be "synced" with one computer, though there are ways 
around this, sort of. That being said, the newest version of iTunes 
(circa 7.x I think) allow you to copy your purchased (DRM) files from 
one computer to another using your iPod. The reason being, you are 
allowed up to 5 "authorized" computers for playback. Far better than 
what the "other empire" allows.
	So, if you setup your iPod on computer A and then plug it into computer 
B, you will not be able to add more music, unless you follow some of the 
"hints" on how to do this.

	As for buying music, I started to buy using the iTunes Store, but after 
about $200 worth, I got concerned about maintaining backups of the 
music. Whereas with my CD collection, all I would have to do is import 
the CDs again. So now I've decided to only buy CDs (that way I get 
inserts as well - not all iTunes Store purchases come with inserts) so 
long as they are the same price or less than what I would pay on the 
iTunes Store.

-- 

Sincerely,

R. Langkamer

cross platform specialist
Mac - Linux - windows

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