iTunes software is the best song management software I've encountered. On my desktop machine I
have the default set to .wav. If I fip songs from a CD, that's the format they'll be converted
to. I've loaded mp3s, iPod proprietary files and other file formats into iTunes. They stay as
they are, unless I right click and ask iTunes to convert them to the default. But I don't have an
iPod connected my desktop.
I do have an iPod, that I use a lot in teaching. It's synched with the iTunes on my laptop. The
default there is set for the iPod proprietary format. It's easy for me to the move a folder from
my desktop iTunes to my laptop and convert in to a smaller format. I don't like moving in the
other direction, but if I plan well, I don't have to.
I'm thinking of changing all my iPod files over to .mp3, so that I can load them into Sound Ford
for editing. The proprietary format is untouchable.
Paul
"Steven C. Barr(x)" <stevenc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: ----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Fine"
Well, there is a reason the iPod is far and away the best selling digital
music player -- ease of
use and user-friendly interface. You'd be hard pressed to find a better
interface, although someone
probably makes a specialized player of some sort for institutional purposes.
I've seen specialized
CD players in museums -- the covers are locked and they are ruggedized and
offer only play and stop
buttons, covered in rubber so slimy little fingers can't break them. Someone
must make a similar MP3
player.
Another idea -- seek out an Apple refurb or recycling place in Europe. You
might find a load of iPod
Mini or even an early Nano for very cheap. A Nano might be your ideal choice
because it's got
solid-state memory, not a hard drive, and will thus last longer under constant
jarring.
The problem with genuine Apple iPods is that they use a proprietary sound-file
format. I don't kmow if they can convert other more common formats (i.e.
CD, .wav, .mp3, usw.)...but I do know that material intended for the iPod
can't be played by anything else (there may be Apple-built exceptions...?)
One can also buy "MP3 players," which act much the same as iPods but use
more accessible file format...
Steven C. Barr