Real

[graystrickland]

A sub-forum for RealPlayer would be nice.

[c.c.r.]

Does real player support the iPod?

[graystrickland]

Not yet, not exactly. But I prefer to use it in combination with EphPod. I have used MusicMatch and RealPlus quite a bit and find that Real does a better job of recognizing cds -- particularly my obscure ones -- than MusicMatch. MM can synch directly with the iPod, but it's sync mechanism is somewhat buggy, IMHO. I prefer to use EphPod for synching anyway.

I predict that Real will add iPod support before the end of the year.

[c.c.r.]

When and if they do, I'd bet money that we'll add a forum for 'em. Until then, though... if they don't do iPod, we probably won't pay 'em any attention! :D :D

[graystrickland]

I started to write back that you had a forum for Media Player 9, and it doesn't synch either, but then I finally noticed that your forum is for Media CENTER, not Media Player.

Yeah, I can understand that you have to draw the line somewhere and lack of iPod support does makes sense.

But it would still be nice. :-)

[vkeks05]

Feh, nobody likes Real anyway. (except you)

[c.c.r.]

Originally posted by vkeks05
Feh, nobody likes Real anyway. (except you)

Please refrain from flames such as these in the future, vkeks05. You may not like Real, and you might know others that do not, but obviously, graystrickland does and it's not polite (nor is it in accordance with our forum guidelines) to disrespect a user or his opinions. Thanks.

[vkeks05]

Ok, maybe I forgot a smiley or two.

[graystrickland]

I wasn't offended.

Seriously though, enlighten me. All I know much about is MusicMatch (hated it), RealPlyer Plus (two snaps up) and Windoze Media Player 9 (haven't used it much... can't seem to rip in MP3 format without a paid plugin). What else is there? What do you think is best. This is a legitimate inquiry.

[dmt1]

A legitimate inquiry deserves a legitimate reply:

Media Center 9 is IMHO hands down the best. You can trial it for free to decide for yourself. Check out the MC9 thread in these very forums for more info....

[vkeks05]

Here's my legitimate reply, what do you want to know is the best for doing what?

[c.c.r.]

My opinion of RealOne Player, and historically, every piece of software to come out of RealNetworks Headquarters:

Hate it, hate it hate it. It's intrusive, it does the same thing that the free Winamp does, but includes a TON of advertisements. Advertisements all over the freakin place. And it calls home. And they put spyware in their "RealDownload" utility a few years back. My opinion of RealNetworks became soured several years back, and since then I've seen truly great software be offered, both for free and for licensed use, that outshines anything that RealNetworks has ever offered.

I don't want to see little button ads for Disney.com and CNN.com when I play music on my computer, danm it! I don't want Real.com to know about EVERYTHING I download with their little download manager! And I don't want to turn on my computer and see little "messages" from Real.com (message == advertisement, IMHO).

Bah. If I had to use a free player, I'd use WMP9 or Winamp3.

[vkeks05]

Originally posted by c.c.r.

Bah. If I had to use a free player, I'd use WMP9 or Winamp3.

You mean WMP 8 or Winamp 2.xx :D

[graystrickland]

There is a Windoze Media Player 9. Why do you like WMP 8 better?

There is a Winamp 3. Why do you like Winamp 2 better?

[vkeks05]

Simply, less bloatedness.

[graystrickland]

I guess I show my naivete with every question. I see friends who use AOL and wonder how they can put up with it. And the answer is, because they just don't know any better. I use Real, I 'spose, because I dont' know any better. So what are my goals?

1. Not be spied upon.

2. Not be spammed.

3. Easily, quickly, accurately rip my music collection. I own about 700 cds. I never ripped a single track until I bought an iPod a few weeks ago. It's really important that they all get tagged and organized properly.

4. Easily organize my library by artist, albumn, track, composer, etc.

5. Easily synch my music to my iPod.

6. Download new music from Rhapsody (and iTunes if it's ever available for Windows).

I really like Rhapsody so far and will probably keep it, but I don't have to use Real to use Rhapsody.

[tntracy]

Originally posted by graystrickland
<snip>
So what are my goals?

1. Not be spied upon.

2. Not be spammed.

3. Easily, quickly, accurately rip my music collection. I own about 700 cds. I never ripped a single track until I bought an iPod a few weeks ago. It's really important that they all get tagged and organized properly.

4. Easily organize my library by artist, albumn, track, composer, etc.

5. Easily synch my music to my iPod.

<snip>
Well now, if I was Jackonicko, I'd say, "Get a Mac and use iTunes"! :D :D

(Who's Jackonicko, you may ask? Just our most avid resident Mac proponent, who has disappeared as of late. [Sorry, Jacko - just having some fun at your expense! ;)]).

And, truth be told, that was my solution. I bought an iBook to go with my iPod(s) after having been a Windows & PC user for years.

But, short of your buying a new computer, and having been in the 'lounge for well over a year, I can tell you that MediaCenter9 is the hands-down fav-o-rite "all in one" (i.e., rip, encode, tag, and sync to iPod) solution amongst my Windows iPod brethren.

OK, Kurt and Adam - there's your cue! :D

Tom

[AMG]

Originally posted by graystrickland
I guess I show my naivete with every question. I see friends who use AOL and wonder how they can put up with it. And the answer is, because they just don't know any better.

Hey, I have an AOL account! ;)

There are so many solutions out there it's dizzying. If you want an all-in-one, go with Media Center 9.

If you are looking for a toolbox approach (what I personally do), my toolbox consists of the following:

Tag & Rename for tagging
CDex for ripping MP3's
XPlay for manging content on the iPod
Winamp 2.9.x for playing MP3's
KaZaa Lite for... just kidding... :)

But seriously, the three main all-in-one's are so similar yet so different. MusicMatch Jukebox is hated (even by Mac users) for a variety of reasons, although, it does (usually) work with the iPod.

Windows Media Player 9 does work with the iPod but requires XPlay's plug-in. A bit more powerful than Jukebox, but it does need an MP3 plug-in and an iPod plug-in (both are commercial software) to work with the iPod.

Then you've got the iPodlounge favorite of Media Center 9. Powerful software with tons of features (one of the more recent big ones being iPod support).

Oh, why Winamp 2.9.x instead of 3? Well, Winamp 3 is basically done for. Nullsoft is going to merge the two seperate code bases into one unified product. For now, 2.9 is the fastest and most stable build of Winamp available.