ipod question

[thinsgreat]

hi , i posted this awhile back and am wondering if anything has changed--- i am going to buy an ipod very soon--- finally!!!

someone said mac is coming out with something?

i don't know--- again, which one is best? and how about ear buds? do they stay in or does anyone know of any type that won't drop out?
thanks.

 

[chefkate]

Not sure what kind my ipod is - maybe a nano? I am NOT a techie!
The earbuds stay in good for me but they don't for my DH. He - LOL! - uses scotch tape to hold them to his head! Good thing he runs in the dark!

 

[BuffyR]

I thought that I heard the prices of ipods were coming down.

I just got an IPhone about a month ago and I'm completely in love with it. I'd marry it if I could (only kidding.) It's just so much fun and there are something like 7,500 aps.

 

[Vee]

Apple just released a new line up of ipod models in Spetember so this is the right tme to buy.

All iPod models come with apple earbud style headphones. Unless you are an audiophile, you may like them well enough. I was happy enouggh with them for my first year as an apple ipod user and then I listened to high-end headphones. Now, I plonk down $$ for better quality headphones. However, that can come later. To get started, you can use the standard headphones that come with your ipod.

How to select a model:

a. iPod classic - Get this is you have a reasonable large collection of content and want ALL of it in your ipod to carry around with you. My husband likes the Classic because he has a large coolection of songs and audio-books and wants it all with him on his ipod. The ipod classic can play videos too, but the small screen size compared to the ipod Touch makes it less attractive to those who want to use the player to watch movies. For occasional video watching, the ipod clasic can hold up.

b. iPod Touch - This is an uber cool ipod with a touch sensitive screen. Apart from watching movies on it, listening to music/audiobooks or podcasts, you get many applications for the ipod touch including games and productivity tools. If you are in a wi-fo hotspot you can use your touch to surf the internet. Watching movies on a touch - especially on long commutes or flights is a delight. The ipod Touch has flash memory (the ipod classic uses a ard disk), which in theory makes it more rugged and immune to jostling. In practise the ipod classic is pretty rugged too - I have yet to meet anyone whose ipod classic could not take jostling from stuff like being taken on runs. The capacity of the ipod touch is upto 64 Gig - which is decent sized for carrying along a reasonably large library of content.

c. iPod Nano - This is a smaller capacity player with flash memory and a smaller screen that the touch. The nane can also play video and in the latest model, shoot video films too. The nano is compact - so very attractive for those who like to use music while working out. The capacity is lower than the previous two models so if you have a largish collection, you may have to keep your library on your pc and sync subsets of content to your nano to carry with you. Itunes is very user freindly so learning how to do this is a breeze. This is a very cost attractive model.


d. ipod shuffle - This is a ultra compact model which can only play audio (no video). IT "talks to you" to announce what song you are listening to since it does not have a screen. Very suitable for active users as an alternative to the nano.

My preferences are for the ipod touch (if you like watching videos on the move, the Touch is a MUST) or the Nano (more versatile than the shuffle). I currently own a nano because I like to carry my ipod on me when I exercise and prefer the size of the nano to the touch.

The iphone is like the ipod touch with a phone and camera built in. My husband has an iphone and a ipod classic. he uses the iphone to carry movies around when he is on the move and also for its snazzy other applications and cool phone features.

 

[upnorthchick]

Apple just released a new line up of ipod models in Spetember so this is the right tme to buy.

All iPod models come with apple earbud style headphones. Unless you are an audiophile, you may like them well enough. I was happy enouggh with them for my first year as an apple ipod user and then I listened to high-end headphones. Now, I plonk down $$ for better quality headphones. However, that can come later. To get started, you can use the standard headphones that come with your ipod.

How to select a model:

a. iPod classic - Get this is you have a reasonable large collection of content and want ALL of it in your ipod to carry around with you. My husband likes the Classic because he has a large coolection of songs and audio-books and wants it all with him on his ipod. The ipod classic can play videos too, but the small screen size compared to the ipod Touch makes it less attractive to those who want to use the player to watch movies. For occasional video watching, the ipod clasic can hold up.

b. iPod Touch - This is an uber cool ipod with a touch sensitive screen. Apart from watching movies on it, listening to music/audiobooks or podcasts, you get many applications for the ipod touch including games and productivity tools. If you are in a wi-fo hotspot you can use your touch to surf the internet. Watching movies on a touch - especially on long commutes or flights is a delight. The ipod Touch has flash memory (the ipod classic uses a ard disk), which in theory makes it more rugged and immune to jostling. In practise the ipod classic is pretty rugged too - I have yet to meet anyone whose ipod classic could not take jostling from stuff like being taken on runs. The capacity of the ipod touch is upto 64 Gig - which is decent sized for carrying along a reasonably large library of content.

c. iPod Nano - This is a smaller capacity player with flash memory and a smaller screen that the touch. The nane can also play video and in the latest model, shoot video films too. The nano is compact - so very attractive for those who like to use music while working out. The capacity is lower than the previous two models so if you have a largish collection, you may have to keep your library on your pc and sync subsets of content to your nano to carry with you. Itunes is very user freindly so learning how to do this is a breeze. This is a very cost attractive model.


d. ipod shuffle - This is a ultra compact model which can only play audio (no video). IT "talks to you" to announce what song you are listening to since it does not have a screen. Very suitable for active users as an alternative to the nano.

My preferences are for the ipod touch (if you like watching videos on the move, the Touch is a MUST) or the Nano (more versatile than the shuffle). I currently own a nano because I like to carry my ipod on me when I exercise and prefer the size of the nano to the touch.

The iphone is like the ipod touch with a phone and camera built in. My husband has an iphone and a ipod classic. he uses the iphone to carry movies around when he is on the move and also for its snazzy other applications and cool phone features.

Vee!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! Your post has brought me much needed clarification! I feel educated and less intimidated! You have no idea how much you have helped me; especially since Cathe is now offering downloads! I didn't have a clue which gadget to get, what each is capable of or how to pick one. Heck, I wasn't even sure what they were called!! Can't thank you enough!

Now I know what I want for Christmas! An iPod Touch! Though I will let DH know that I'll settle for a Nano Yay!

 

[llp]

I hope my 30 GB Classic from 2-3(??) years ago will work. I don't want to buy another one! Seems like I paid $289 or $299 at Costco at the time I purchased it...

 

[thinsgreat]

vee, thanks so much for the reply.
what i need is something small to keep in my purse for "noise emergencies"
sometimes i get so overwhelmed with noise pollution while shopping or having a manicure.... that i need to block it out.. also, would like to use on the treadmill at the gym.
from your description, it seems like the nano would fit the bill-- right? what is the latest "generation?" should i look on amazon- or is there a better place to buy? how much will it cost?

oh and about downloading videos--- i've seen iphones, how do people workout with these--- excuse my naivete, but do they rest the phone on something-- and watch?
how could you lift?

thanks again...

 

[banslug]

I hope my 30 GB Classic from 2-3(??) years ago will work. I don't want to buy another one! Seems like I paid $289 or $299 at Costco at the time I purchased it...

Linda, my (now) ex-BF bought me the 80G iPod Classic for Christmas 2 years ago and I'm sure they will work fine. I haven't gotten around to even SHOPPING the downloads yet, but eventually I'm going to give it a try and see how I like it. My big question concerning the iPod and downloading something to it is simple.....how do you hook the iPod up to the TV if I wanted to do that??? lol

Gayle

 

[Vee]

vee, thanks so much for the reply.
what i need is something small to keep in my purse for "noise emergencies"
sometimes i get so overwhelmed with noise pollution while shopping or having a manicure.... that i need to block it out.. also, would like to use on the treadmill at the gym.
from your description, it seems like the nano would fit the bill-- right? what is the latest "generation?" should i look on amazon- or is there a better place to buy? how much will it cost?

oh and about downloading videos--- i've seen iphones, how do people workout with these--- excuse my naivete, but do they rest the phone on something-- and watch?
how could you lift?

thanks again...

If you are not interested in video, consider getting the ipod shuffle. You can use it to listen to audiobooks or songs during noise emergencies or on the treadmill. You can use it for audio workouts like itrain and cardio coach. It is the most unobtrusive model among all ipods. A very tiny player you can clip on to the neckline of your tee or the waist band of your shorts.

The shuffle, as I mentioned has no screen, so you cant scroll through your playlists and songs visually, but it oversomes this by "announcing" names to you as you scroll.

The only disadvantage of the shuffle when you workout is the wires from the headphones. Dangling wires annoy me when I am at the gym. So I use this sony W202 walkman mp3 player instead. The player is integrated into the headphones. Very cool. It has no screen and is not as friendly as the Shuffle to scroll through. It does not support playlists either. But if you dont mind syncing just the songs or workouts or book you need for each workout session or outing, before you leave, it is a better option than the Shuffle in my opinion for workouts, because of the freedom from headphone wires.

If you want to try video workouts and exercise is high proiority, the ipod Nano is a great option for being compact.

The Nano can be connected with Apple cables to your TV and will work just like a dvd player (except you dont need media).

If you are exercising at the gym, you cannot watch constantly as you would when you exercise in front of the tv. You will rely more on verbal cues and catch occasional glimpses when you arm happens to be at eye level during a lifting move. However, Cathe cues so well, she is easy to follow along to even if you arent watching her all the time.

You need a clip on case or arm band to use any player at the gym (unless you wear it in your pocket in which case you cant use the video feature). The wrist is the most convenient place to wear a player if you want to steal peeks at the screen to watch video while lifting. The nano is the only ipod model that is small enough to wear in a wrist band. When you are on a cardio machine you can prop up the player on the console of the machine to watch - however there is a risk of dropping the player. Only people who walk or exercise at the lower range of their heart rate usually find it possible to watch video while working out this way.

Buying on ipod online at amazon or buy.com will usually mean you can find it at a discount to apple stores or the apple online store. When you buy from apple online, you will pay the full retail price most likely, but can get your ipod inscribed for free.

For the Nano you need the 5th Gen model (or the model with the built in camera) if you are looking for the latest model.

As someone else said on this thread, you can buy refurbished older ipod / nano models at the apple site for attractive discounts if you dont mind an older model.

My 3rd gen ipod nano on my left wrist at the gym while I do walking lunges on the treadmill with Tracey's "Walking Strong" video.

Cathe on my wrist:

a. Link to amazon for the Sony w2o2 (audio only player - ipod shuffle alternative for treadmill and noise emergencies)

b. Link to amazon for buying the latest Nano

c. Link to buy a Nano wrist band (for the latest 5g model of Nano)

d. Link to apple online store (to check out all ipod models and prices)

 

[Sheila S]

Great answers and info from Vee!

I'm going to put in a plug for the older, 2nd Gen iPod Shuffle with the Arriva headphones. I love this combo and just ordered a refurbished shuffle and another pair of the headphones so I have a spare.

And for anyone who already uses one of these old Shuffles for running, walking or working out, the Arriva headphones are the best! No wires - they wrap around the back of your head with the shuffle in the back, very easy to reach to adjust the volume or advance to the next track. I have the iPod earbud style which allows me to hear what's going on around me but they also have an in-ear style. They recommend the small size for women and they fit me just fine.

I've got a big old 60Gb iPod classic that lives in the car most of the time and an iPhone. I didn't think I'd like the Shuffle because there's no way to scroll through the music tracks but it turns out, I'm just as happy to listen to whatever I've loaded up and skip the fiddling when I'm out walking.

The headphones come in a little pouch which I use for traveling and it's easy to just pull them out and pop them on without having to untangle the wires.

Here's a review of the headphones from the Fat Cyclist. I agree with all his comments about them.

At $39 for the refurb shuffle from Apple and $30 for the headphones, it's not a bad investment.

Sheila

 

[thinsgreat]

vee, you're amazing! thank you for taking the time to explain in such detail...now i'm thinking maybe the nano- just in case i decide to go with video at some point.also,
read your attached link and liked all the features..

since the ipods are mac products--- will that be a problem since i have a pc?

also, what about the cords from the headphones--- didn't notice in your cute gym picture--- do they just hang down and get in the way? how's the quality--- i am kind of a snob with good sound.

thanks again for sharing your knowledge..

 

[llp]

Linda, my (now) ex-BF bought me the 80G iPod Classic for Christmas 2 years ago and I'm sure they will work fine. I haven't gotten around to even SHOPPING the downloads yet, but eventually I'm going to give it a try and see how I like it. My big question concerning the iPod and downloading something to it is simple.....how do you hook the iPod up to the TV if I wanted to do that??? lol

Gayle

Hi Gayle!

That's my big question, too! I don't know how to hook the ipod to my TV. Guess there must be a cable to run from ipod to the TV. I don't use my ipod much, it usually just sits in the ipod home(the clock radio thingy with a place on it for my ipod to stay charged!). I guess I should look at my ipod and figure it out! If I get around to it, I'll let ya know .

That's a nice present from your exBF. Do you use your ipod much?

 

[sancho]

Vee - excellent posts.

I've never seen the wrist thing for the Nano. I really like that. I have the long rectangle version of the nano. I have mine in the holder that has a hook on the back to put it on the waist of your pants or the back of the job bra. I wonder if I could wear a sweatband and hook it on that. It would probably need to be on top of my wrist instead of under it???

Are you able to lift with the nano on your wrist? Do you follow Cathe weight workouts at the gym?

Just FYI for anyone trying to choose between the Nano and the itouch . . . I use my Nano for watching movies on planes and it works just fine. I'm sure the itouch would be better but I don't fly very often, so it isn't worth the purchase for me. I read that Verizon has a deal with Apple and they are going to start iphone cellular service in 2010. I'm going to wait to get an iphone (instead of an itouch) when Verizon starts providing the cellular service.

 

[llp]

more techie stuff: ipod to tv

Hi Gayle:
Here is an article from the internet(I'll cut and paste the article & provide the URL). It tells exactly how to do this, and what to buy. The article is kind of old, but, my ipod is older! SNM may already have a link to some instructions like this(not sure about that, though).

Hope this helps!

http://www.cnet.com.au/how-to-play-back-ipod-videos-on-your-tv-339274556.htm

How to play back iPod videos on your TV
By Staff writers on 28 March 2007
You can't live without your iPod, but are you really making the most of it?
To help you make your iPod an even more essential entertainment gadget and so much more than an MP3 player, check out how to free yourself from the small screen with a few easy steps. Start souping up your iPod!
What you'll need: A video-capable iPod and an AV cable.
Connect your iPod to your TV with a cable
The simplest and most direct route is to get a cable that plugs into the iPod and the TV. You use the iPod's controls to start and stop play and use the iPod's screen to navigate the menus and set up the video. The iPod's menus don't appear on the TV screen, but as you're holding the iPod, this isn't a problem.
Your first option is to get Apple's iPod AV Cable (AU$29). Slide the 1/8-inch connector into your iPod's headphone port, connect the yellow, red, and white connectors on the other end of the cable to the corresponding RCA plugs on your TV, and you're in business. If you have an iPod Universal Dock, you can connect the iPod A/V cable to the dock's line-out port instead. You can then keep the A/V cable plugged in when you remove the iPod from the dock.
Connect your iPod to your TV with a DIY cable
The iPod A/V Cable is stylish and handy, but you may feel it's not worth AU$29; the Belkin cable gives you twice the value per metre but costs the same overall. For a less expensive alternative, find a standard A/V cable with three RCA plugs at one end (coded red, white, and yellow) and a 1/8-inch A/V plug with three bands at the other end.
To set up your iPod for playback, plug the 1/8-inch connector into your iPod's headphone port, and then plug the yellow, white, and red RCA connectors into the RCA jacks on your TV in this non-colour-coded way:

(see attached jpeg)

Set the iPod to output the signal to the TV
To set your iPod to output the signal to the TV, follow these steps:

1. Scroll to the Videos entry on the main menu, then press the Select button to access the Videos screen.
2. Scroll to the Video Settings entry, then press the Select button to access the Settings screen.
3. Set the TV Out setting to On if you want the iPod always to output the video to TV, or to Ask if you want the iPod to prompt you first. Ask is usually more convenient, as you don't need to switch the setting when you want to play the video on the iPod's screen. The disadvantage to Ask is that you have to deal with the iPod's prompt -- TV or screen? -- each time you play a video.
4. Make sure your iPod is set to output the right kind of TV signal for your TV: PAL or NTSC. PAL is used in Australia, New Zealand and most European countries, while NTSC is primarily used in North America and Japan.
5. For the Wide-screen setting, choose On or Off to suit your TV or your tastes.
6. Press the Menu button to return to the Videos screen.
Start the video playing
To play videos on your iPod, follow these steps:
1. If the iPod is not already showing the Videos screen, scroll to the Videos entry on the main menu, then press the Select button.
2. Scroll to the appropriate category (for example, Movies or TV Shows), then press the Select button to access it.
3. Scroll to the item you want, then press the Select button to access and start it playing.
You can fast-forward through the video file by pressing the Fast Forward button, and rewind by pressing the Rewind button, but these controls are comfortable only for moving short distances. To move farther, press the Select button to display the scrub bar, and then scroll to scrub forward or backward. When you reach the point you want, press the Select button to hide the scrub bar again.
Tip: When you're playing short videos, you may not want to start each of them playing separately. To make your iPod play them for you, create a video playlist in iTunes, add the videos to it in the order you want, then synchronise your iPod. You can then set the playlist playing from the Video Playlists entry on the Videos screen.

 

[thinsgreat]

couple more questions---

should i buy the extended warranty?

someone mentioned skull____ headphones?

how do you download movies on to the nano? is there a site where you buy them?
someone mentioned free movie downloads?

thanks.

 

[Vee]

......
since the ipods are mac products--- will that be a problem since i have a pc?

also, what about the cords from the headphones--- didn't notice in your cute gym picture--- do they just hang down and get in the way? how's the quality--- i am kind of a snob with good sound.

thanks again for sharing your knowledge..

You are welcome!

Apple iPods connect with no compatibility issues whatsoever to a PC.

There are cords in the pic, you just dont notice them. The cords dangle from your ears to your wrist (or wherever you choose to wear the ipod).

I used jaybird gear bluetooth wireless headphones for some time and was initially thrilled. But I could not figure out a way to wear the ipod with the blue-tooth adapter on my wrist. The fit of these headphones varies from person to person. They fit my ears fine but keep falling out of my husband's ears. Seems to depend on ear canal shape/size. Sound quality is good but not great. These are not audiophile headphones - just nice sounding ones for sport/gym use.

The quality of standard iPod ear buds is average (compared to higher end head phones like shure/etymotic/bose or even compared to the mid-range headphones from say sony. The standard earbuds or in-ear headphones from Apple are far from bad, but dont do justice to the remarkable sound quality an iPod is capable of producing. Since the iPod has a standard headphone jack you can shop around and buy a higher end pair of headphones of your choice.

 

[Vee]

couple more questions---

should i buy the extended warranty?

someone mentioned skull____ headphones?

how do you download movies on to the nano? is there a site where you buy them?
someone mentioned free movie downloads?

thanks.

I have never purchased on needed the extended warranty with apple products. None of my ipods have failed on me. However, I use my gadgets carefully, read manuals and follow instructions on how to extend the life of the gadgets. If not, the extended warranty may be a good thing.

You can buy movies or tv series for your ipod at the itunes store.

You can also convert from dvd to IPod format on your PC. The easiest way to do this is to use Slysoft's clonedvdmobile for converting the dvd along with their AnyDVD to overcome the copy protection that certain dvds (like Cathe's) are encoded with. Alternativey, you can use free software like Videora and dvdfab decrypt software. Google for the names to find the downloads.

There are several illegal movie download sites on the internet (some free, some that charge you a nominal fee), but as far as I am aware there are no legal free movie download sites. The video format from these sites may not be ipod compatible, but then again, there are ways to get around this with converting using software like Videora.

 

[Vee]

Vee - excellent posts.

I have mine in the holder that has a hook on the back to put it on the waist of your pants or the back of the job bra. I wonder if I could wear a sweatband and hook it on that. It would probably need to be on top of my wrist instead of under it???

Are you able to lift with the nano on your wrist? Do you follow Cathe weight workouts at the gym?

.......

Whether you can hok it to a sweatband securely depends on how much bulk the case adds to the Nano. A flexible case versus a hard one is likely to work better. You could give it a try.

I have a flexible wrist band made of neoprene and it does not in any way interfere with lifting. It feels like I am wearing a wrist band. I frequently used to carry Cathe on my wrist to lift at the gym. I havent been weight training in a long time - but when I start again, I plan to take Cathe along. Perhaps the STS downloads!!!

 

[Vee]

Apple changed the video out technology of the ipod a couple of generations ago. So depending on the model you have, you need a compatible cable to connect the ipod to the TV.

This is a good article to read from the Apple website before buying a cable.

If you are buying a non Apple cable like Belkin, you should check explicitly if the cable will be compatible with your model of ipod.

Incidentally, you can play Cathe downloads direcly from your PC to the TV. You need to check what "out" ports your PC has (VGA / HDMI / DVI) and what "in" ports your TV has (HDMI / DVI / others) and buy the right cable(s).

 

[llp]

Apple changed the video out technology of the ipod a couple of generations ago. So depending on the model you have, you need a compatible cable to connect the ipod to the TV.

This is a good article to read from the Apple website before buying a cable.

If you are buying a non Apple cable like Belkin, you should check explicitly if the cable will be compatible with your model of ipod.

Incidentally, you can play Cathe downloads direcly from your PC to the TV. You need to check what "out" ports your PC has (VGA / HDMI / DVI) and what "in" ports your TV has (HDMI / DVI / others) and buy the right cable(s).

Good info Vee. I'm going to send the article to DH so he can figure out what to buy!