OT: Technology and Geek Stuff Thread

[unknown lions fan]

And for Christmas, no less? Why didn't you just get her a lump of coal?

[Panoptes]

I might be interested. Is it in KC?

In Detroit

[Panoptes]

Gonz - plan on it.

There is no set plan yet because we're waiting to see the date of the game. If its a holiday game that could spell doom for the plan or if its too late in the year.

Let's hope for a Sept thru early November date.

[Panoptes]

"We're going to give consideration to attending the KC v DET game this year. If we can pull it off, perhaps you can join us?????"
-------------------------Thanks for the invite buddy.

GO LIONS "07" !!!!!!![/QUOTE]


Dano,

Never forgot you buddy. I was just waiting for the right time to ask you if we could stay with you. :twisted:

You watching this M Marko? Because if you are and Dano turns me down, I'm shooting for you next. :-D

[Newbomb Turk]

Scratch me off the list, there is a no beaner clause in the HOA by-laws

[Panoptes]

Scratch me off the list, there is a no beaner clause in the HOA by-laws

That's cool.....I only need your tickets.

[Newbomb Turk]

I hope you are laughing with me...........

try to plan this early, I can try to put together as many as 12 tickets together for this game, the earlier people commit $$$ the more I can usually get........

[Panoptes]

Im wif ya

[DanO]

"Never forgot you buddy. I was just waiting for the right time to ask you if we could stay with you. :twisted: "
---------------------------Absolutely. You can sleep upstairs with your daughter and your wife can sleep in my bed. I know you want her to have the best accomodations and I aims to please. Pay no attention to any moaning/screaming you hear.

GO LIONS "07" !!!!!!!

[YT]

Just floating an idea.....

If the KC game is between Sept. & Nov., how about we make it the forum game? I'll certainly try to attend

[Jdoggie]

Actually, it plays fewer audio formats than the iPod, not more.

Zen: MP3, WMA, WMA with DRM, Audible (formats 2 and 4), WAV = 6 formats

iPod: MP3, AAC, AAC with DRM, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, WAV = 9 formats

[Since the three formats Audible offers are significantly different from each other in how they compromise between sound quality and file size, it seems appropriate to count them as separate formats.]



Of the Zen's 6 formats, four are propietary?WMA, WMA w/ DRM, and the two Audible formats.

Of the iPod's 9 formats, four are proprietary?AAC w/ DRM, and the three Audible formats.

Apple Loseless and AIFF are both Apple formats, right?

Futhermore, most people that own Ipods buy music from Apple's store which cannot be played on any other players.

Really the only formats that matter are MP3 and WMA since that is the format most people code there songs. IPOd used to make you code your own songs in their prioritory format. they getting tem to play on any other player.

Now, go back and take a look at the Video formats Zens support. There are alot more then IPOD.

Futhermore, Zen supports TIVO to GO. With the FM radio, FM recorders, Outlook contacts, hard drive, organizer, etc...I would say it is better because it is more universal.

[FVD]

Gonz, if I can make the game, I will, and if I do, I will show up in a #76 with BACKUS UP on the back of it.

[Larsky]

Apple Loseless and AIFF are both Apple formats, right?

Actually, yes.

Apple did indeed invent the Apple Lossless format, so upon reflection I should have included it as a proprietary format. But it's a compression technology that's in the iTunes software for both Windows and Macs. It's a compression option that the user can choose to rip their own CDs into if they want higher quality audio while still having significant data compression. It contains no DRM. I'm not sure how having the ability to play back Apple Lossless files makes the iPod worse than the Vision.

AIFF is just an uncompressed audio file. Since my computer displays uncompressed CD audio files as AIFF files, I assumed it was a universal format. However, I've used Macs for the past 20 years, which have always used AIFF. Basically WAV and AIFF files are the same thing (formats for storing PCM data on a PC). Silicon Graphics also uses AIFF files. It's not really a consumer-oriented format, but the fact remains that it is supported by the iPod, and not supported by the Vision.

Revised score:

Of the Zen's 6 formats, four are propietary?WMA, WMA w/ DRM, and the two Audible formats.

Of the iPod's 9 formats, six are proprietary?AAC w/ DRM, Apple Lossless, AIFF, and the three Audible formats.

Futhermore, most people that own Ipods buy music from Apple's store which cannot be played on any other players.

Well, I wasn't talking about the iTunes Music Store. Despite what "most people" do, I've only used my iPod to play tracks ripped from actual CDs. But you are correct?if you want to download music legally and play it on a portable player, the iTunes/iPod combination is hard to beat. By comparison, the Vision can download legal DRMed music and video from Walmart or Napster, although those services don't have the selection the iTunes Music store has.

Really the only formats that matter are MP3 and WMA since that is the format most people code there songs.

So now the number of formats supported isn't important, just the ones "that matter"? Okay, fine. But if you're talking about encoding your own music, then the variety of supported formats is irrelevant; why encode a file in a format that you can't use?

IPOd used to make you code your own songs in their prioritory format. they getting tem to play on any other player.

That's flat out untrue?the iPod has supported MP3 since day one, which is not proprietary. The iTunes software package has also never required the user to encode in a propietary format.

Now, go back and take a look at the Video formats Zens support. There are alot more then IPOD.

That is true. However, since video needs to go through your computer to get to the device, you can encode it into whatever file you wish (i.e., a format that your device will play). Therefore, I don't think the number of video formats really matters that much, for same reasons you stated above.

Futhermore, Zen supports TIVO to GO. With the FM radio, FM recorders, Outlook contacts, hard drive, organizer, etc...I would say it is better because it is more universal.

The video iPod also supports TiVo to GO (see this link?http://reviews.cnet.com/4531-10921_7-6546050.html). It also syncs with Outlook, can be used as a hard drive, has a calender application (which also syncs with one's PC), etc.

Furthermore, the 80gb Video iPod has more than twice the storage of the Vision, longer battery life, a smaller form factor, compatibility with the iTunes store (i.e., the best legal music/video download service there is, although I don't use it), and costs about $30 more ($300 vs $330). My vote goes to the iPod.

[froot loops]

Froot, my wife bought me the same one back in August for our anniversary. I F'ing LOVE IT! She researched MP3 players in-depth and decided I needed one without a mechanical hard drive, as I'd probably break it.

I use it at the office all the time during the day....put it on, turn on the tunes and close my office door. I can get a lot of work done that way!

Also, get yourself a rubberized "jacket" for it. It really protects the unit. You can get one off of Amazon.com (use Deb's link here at the top)

Yeah I was pleasantly suprised by it. Right after I bought it the Costco Coupon Booklet was advertising 30 dollars off the 8 Gig one. 2 Gig is nice but it's probably the minimum I'd want. One thing I've noticed is the random shuffle option isn't all that random, it seems like the same songs come up.

[dwt1]

Actually, it plays fewer audio formats than the iPod, not more.

Zen: MP3, WMA, WMA with DRM, Audible (formats 2 and 4), WAV = 6 formats

iPod: MP3, AAC, AAC with DRM, Audible (formats 2, 3, and 4), Apple Lossless, AIFF, WAV = 9 formats

[Since the three formats Audible offers are significantly different from each other in how they compromise between sound quality and file size, it seems appropriate to count them as separate formats.]



Of the Zen's 6 formats, four are propietary?WMA, WMA w/ DRM, and the two Audible formats.

Of the iPod's 9 formats, four are proprietary?AAC w/ DRM, and the three Audible formats.

well, to his credit...accuracy isn't Jdoggies strong point. Making shit up is where he shines