mp3 player questions

ncage

Golden Member
Jan 14, 2001
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Hi everyone, i received a creative zen xtra (30GB) today from someone on the FS/FT forums and so for i really like it. Seems like i got a hell of a price for it $110 with FM Modulator. Anyways i already have some questions for everyone.

1) Is there anyway to tell the sofware to convert all music formats to WMA before it transfers it to the player? This would be really nice because converting to wma would take up the least amount of space. Most of the files i have now are in mp3 format. Otherwise im going to have to convert all my mp3 to wma files and have a seperate directory for them and that would almost take up twice the space on my computer which would suck.

2) When you convert between formats do you loose quality? So say if you converted from mp3 -> wma (loose quality) and then you convert the file again from wma --> mp3. Do you loose quality again for each convert? If you do that really sucks.

3) THe quality of the FM Modulator is ok i would say at best. I tried it on both my home stereo and car stereo. My truck luckily has both a CD and Tape player so i will probably get one of those tapes for higher quality. Is there any more options to play it over home/car stereo? Say if get into a car that doesn't have a tape player or with my home stereo?

4) I am using media source software included with the player. Is there any way to sync the player so it will only transfer new songs? I Have been manually deleting all the songs on the player than readding them. Im sure im doing things the hard way. If you can't do it with media source is there any software i can buy which would do the job?


thanks for your time,
ncage
 

The J

Senior member
Aug 30, 2004
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1) Not that I'm aware of. They won't become smaller unless you lower the bitrate as well, which will lower the quality.

2) Generally you do lose quality. Whether or not you will notice the loss in quality is up to your ears.

3) Belkin makes an FM broadcaster you can use. I've never used it, though. My Neuros HD has one built-in and it works OK when I can find a frequency to play through.

4) There's Notmad Explorer. Also, you should just be able to sync new songs with Media Source or any sync manager.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
2) When you convert between formats do you loose quality? ... Do you loose quality again for each convert? If you do that really sucks.
Yes. Think cassette - to - caseette copies on a cheap boom box, or photocopies of photocopies of photocopies.

You're better off leaving the files in MP3 and "only" loading 300+ CDs of music at once.

3) THe quality of the FM Modulator is ok i... Say if get into a car that doesn't have a tape player or with my home stereo?
Car: hack out a line-in jack? otherwise cassette and FM are it. At home you can attach to a stereo using a stereo miniplug to 2-RCA (red,white) plug adapter, Radio Shack sells these.
 

Maluno

Senior member
Mar 28, 2005
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One of the first things you are going to realize about your Creative Player, (as you are already beginning to see), is that their software _SUCKS_.

When I used to use their media source stuff, I deleted my music library like 3 times, and it would always import duplicate copies of songs. Not to mention, when I reformatted my pc, I couldn't recopy my songs back to my computer from the mp3 player due to DRM protection... Not cool...

I finally ended up just using the nomad explorer, as it is much easier to use, (built into windows explorer), it doesn't have such a clunky interface, and it is nearly as powerful as the full media source stuff.

As far as your other questions go, I would leave all of your music in mp3 format, unless you are willing to switch to ogg, or something similar.

Yes, you will lose quality, and I recommend that if you choose to convert to ogg, you should start from the original audio from the cds (assuming you bought them all legally... ;)) and convert directly to ogg.

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but the fm Modulator, unless it is a really bad one, _should_ actually sound better than a cassette adaptor. The other option, of course would be putting in a line-in jack as DaveSimmons suggested.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
Originally posted by: SickBeast
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Car: hack out a line-in jack?

How can you do this? Is it relatively simple? How do you select the "line-in" mode? :Q
I wasn't entirely serious about that -- you know, splicing wires in between the head unit and amp or something ugly like that. Hotwiring your car stereo :)
 

SickBeast

Lifer
Jul 21, 2000
14,377
19
81
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Originally posted by: SickBeast
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Car: hack out a line-in jack?

How can you do this? Is it relatively simple? How do you select the "line-in" mode? :Q
I wasn't entirely serious about that -- you know, splicing wires in between the head unit and amp or something ugly like that. Hotwiring your car stereo :)

That doesn't sound ugly at all. :D
 

prochobo

Senior member
Aug 9, 2005
517
0
71
Originally posted by: SickBeast
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Originally posted by: SickBeast
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Car: hack out a line-in jack?

How can you do this? Is it relatively simple? How do you select the "line-in" mode? :Q
I wasn't entirely serious about that -- you know, splicing wires in between the head unit and amp or something ugly like that. Hotwiring your car stereo :)

That doesn't sound ugly at all. :D

It is ugly when the player can't put out enough juice to drive an amp or even 4 car speakers.
 

SickBeast

Lifer
Jul 21, 2000
14,377
19
81
Originally posted by: prochobo
Originally posted by: SickBeast
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Originally posted by: SickBeast
Originally posted by: DaveSimmons
Car: hack out a line-in jack?

How can you do this? Is it relatively simple? How do you select the "line-in" mode? :Q
I wasn't entirely serious about that -- you know, splicing wires in between the head unit and amp or something ugly like that. Hotwiring your car stereo :)

That doesn't sound ugly at all. :D

It is ugly when the player can't put out enough juice to drive an amp or even 4 car speakers.

Teh iPod has teh technology to do that; it drives 50 milliwatts! :D