# Mp3-player and Linux?

## void

I'm about tu buy a mp3-player, but which should i buy.

I'm choosing between an Archos 20gb (USB) and a Creative 20gb (FireWire).

Do they work with linux? Is there a better choice?

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## pjp

I'd recommend waiting for players that have .ogg support in addition to .mp3.  Supposedly there are a couple of companies working on it now.

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## void

Nice...

I will probably be waiting some time anyway. Selling my MD and old VCD-players   :Very Happy: 

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## col

I had a Dlink roq-it....Most of the USB storage device players work on linux including the roq-it....I am getting rid of it (fairly bad quality device overall). I am going to buy an ipod which now works on linux.

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## Wackie

I've got a Apple Ipod (5 gig)

Rather expensive, but really great, and fast: Firewire. I Have to format it to FAT32 to try it with linux, since linux can't write on HFS+.

If that 20 gig player is USB 1.0 instead of 2.0, I wouldn't go with it, if I were you, it's takes HOURS to upload 20 gig on USB, so says a friend of mine with a Creative USB mp3player.

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## ViMan

Actually, the Archos 20 is USB 2 and also compatible with USB 1.1.  USB 2 = 480mbps so you shouldn't have any trouble with the speed of transfers.

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## oniq

Archos USB drivers, not sure about the Creative, what model?

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## shm

I have an archos.. in the short period of time I've had it (two weeks), it's worked great in Linux. Much better/faster than my old Nomad.

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## drakonite

 *kanuslupus wrote:*   

> I'd recommend waiting for players that have .ogg support in addition to .mp3.  Supposedly there are a couple of companies working on it now.

 

Uh huh...  There have been a couple copanies that have been supposedly working on ogg support for their players for a long time..  Sonic Blue has a link to "source" for all of the rio players, but so far everyone that I've checked says that no source is available... I think it's about time we petition and get them to release the firmware source for the Rio 600/800 players...

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## xr31Daisy

I've had an Archos Jukebox Recorder (AJR) (not the multimedia ) for one year and a half ( it was stolen last week).

Pros : USB, compatible with Linux without worries.

It's small enough to fit in a jeans pocket ( but you'll never it's there : it's not that small ).

And the best is : it's just a portable harddrive. you don't have to worry about special software to store your music. If you want to transfer a whole programming project to a friend, you just use your archos. 

You just have to plug it in to see a new harddrive available ( mount /dev/sda/ /mnt/archos  !!! )

NiMH AA batteries was an interesting feature too. the unit was sold with a spare set. So if you planned to be away for quite some time, you could always change the batteries.

Cons : USB1.1 is so ##### slow !

And the build quality of the thing is ... bad ! After 18 months of heavy use, the thing used to reboot at the slightest bump ( a short-circuit somewhere ? ) , the paint was going of, the LCD screen had moved a little.

The internal microphone is crap, it's picking the harddrive's noise, and also some kind of electric noise : it's unusable. ( but I didn't purchase it to record things anyway ... )

Same thing for the sound quality, the amplifier sometimes picked up some electrical noise. That's mostly noticeable at low volumes. ( It didn't disturb me, since I was mostly using my Archos as a walkman, and the background noise in the street was far louder ... )

As for the internal battery charger ... no comment.

As a walkman and portable harddrive, I was mostly happy with my AJR. but I wouldn't even dream of plugging it on my stereo. That's it for my experience with the AJR.

I didn't consider buying anything from creative, since their jukebox was far too big, and their closed source software was getting in the way at that time.

And now that my AJR as made me an addict to portable MP3 players, both the Archos Jukebox Multimedia (AJM) and the iPod seem to be interesting replacements : the AJM for his 'just a harddrive' feature, and the iPod for his small size.

So if you get an iPod working with linux, I'd be glad to hear about compatibility and software.

( Note : USB2 and firewire are only _options_ for the AJM ! )

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## col

I returned my dlink roq it because it was very poorly made & it sound really bad!!.....anyway I picked up a cheap mp3 cdplayer for about US$50....its great...I get about 7-8 hours on mp3 discs from my 2* rechargable AA batteries (1800mah).

Threw the heaphones away and got a pair of these...they sound awesome & are great when I go biking.

http://www.sel.sony.com/SEL/consumer/ss5/portable/accessories/fontopiartmear-budheadphones/mdr-ex70lp_specs.shtml

this is a temporary device until I find the perfect mp3 player. Ipod is to expensive & has no line/mic input. nomad zen needs stupid software. nomad 3 is to big.

I am tossing up whether to get something that uses compact flash now instead of HDD ... compact flash is getting really cheap.

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## pjp

Vorbis support for a portable player

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