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MP3 player's that can be used as an external hard drive


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Old 30-12-2005, 02:23
dominoid
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I'm thinking of buying an MP3 player but I'm not sure which to get. I'm unlikely to want an ipod as I'm not overly keen on the look but I hav e a requirement that the manufacturers seldom advertise. I wish to use it under multiple operating systems. Basically, I use both Windows and Linux and I keep my music on a FAT partition so I can access it from both. I would like to be able to just drag and drop my files between the two so I'd like to be able to treat the player as if it were a removab;e hard drive. I know that creative players can do this as a friend has one but I would like to know which other s I can do this with. I like the look of the new walkman but I'm under the impression you can only put tracks on it using the Sony software.
So what I'd like is for people to recommend MP3 players with 20 gig or larger drives I could do this with please.
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Old 30-12-2005, 02:27
dan_wood
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The IPod can, just plug it in via USB (or firewire on older models), pops up as disk, size limitation is only as big as the disk,
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Old 30-12-2005, 02:56
Bill Clinton
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Most USB MP3 players can be used as an external disc, they're like flash drives with added MP3 playback.
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Old 30-12-2005, 10:08
luvsnail
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Mmmmm...
http://eng.iaudio.com/product/product_X5_feature.php
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Old 30-12-2005, 10:12
TennantsElbow
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Originally Posted by dominoid
I'm thinking of buying an MP3 player but I'm not sure which to get. I'm unlikely to want an ipod as I'm not overly keen on the look but I hav e a requirement that the manufacturers seldom advertise. I wish to use it under multiple operating systems. Basically, I use both Windows and Linux and I keep my music on a FAT partition so I can access it from both. I would like to be able to just drag and drop my files between the two so I'd like to be able to treat the player as if it were a removab;e hard drive. I know that creative players can do this as a friend has one but I would like to know which other s I can do this with. I like the look of the new walkman but I'm under the impression you can only put tracks on it using the Sony software.
So what I'd like is for people to recommend MP3 players with 20 gig or larger drives I could do this with please.
The iRiver H340. You can drag and drop any sort of file just using Windows Explorer or any other file management system. I store - as back ups - all my Word docs from my PC and load them up on other PCs to work on when I'm travelling.
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Old 30-12-2005, 12:23
ruswilks
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Originally Posted by dan_wood
The IPod can, just plug it in via USB (or firewire on older models), pops up as disk, size limitation is only as big as the disk,
I thought that whilst the iPod can be used as a plug and play mass storage device, for tracks to actually show on it for playback they must be added to the database through iTunes? Also isn't there a problem with using the iPod on more than one computer, which I guess is to stop file sharing?

I might be wrong because I don't have an iPod, but know plenty of people who do and I'm sure they've had problems like these. I've got an iRiver H340 which has been mentioned above, it does work as a true portable drive, any file can be dragged and dropped and navigation on the player itself is through a filetree system similar to Windows Explorer. I've never had problems using it with multiple PCs (2 at home, friends, school etc) and have never actually had to install any software for it, it is automatically recognised by XP (but I think software is required for older OS's such as Windows 98). The only reason to install software is to use the 'database' navigation system similar to that used on the iPod where you browse by Artist, Album etc.
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Old 30-12-2005, 15:02
BeatleGod
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Originally Posted by ruswilks
I thought that whilst the iPod can be used as a plug and play mass storage device, for tracks to actually show on it for playback they must be added to the database through iTunes? Also isn't there a problem with using the iPod on more than one computer, which I guess is to stop file sharing?

I might be wrong because I don't have an iPod, but know plenty of people who do and I'm sure they've had problems like these. I've got an iRiver H340 which has been mentioned above, it does work as a true portable drive, any file can be dragged and dropped and navigation on the player itself is through a filetree system similar to Windows Explorer. I've never had problems using it with multiple PCs (2 at home, friends, school etc) and have never actually had to install any software for it, it is automatically recognised by XP (but I think software is required for older OS's such as Windows 98). The only reason to install software is to use the 'database' navigation system similar to that used on the iPod where you browse by Artist, Album etc.

iPod's main problem is using iTunes software. Use something like Anapod and its fine for using on different PC's i believe.
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Old 30-12-2005, 17:50
dominoid
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Originally Posted by luvsnail
Oooh, that's nice. I'm liking the M5 more though, I like the bare metal look. If I can't use the new walkman how I want (specifically, under linux) I think that's gonna be what I go for.
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