Is the Clip Right for Me?

[jlarimore]

I am looking for a new player that can handle FLAC encoded music files. My other requirement is that I can access the device like a hard drive and require no programs other than windows explorer to load and unload the device. I have been unable to determine whether you can do this with the clip. Is this the device for me?

[CrowdAds]

[marc2003]

before connecting to your pc, you can go to settings>usb mode>msc. that will then make it appear as a standard USB drive.

but i still see flac as a huge waste of space on a device with a capacity this small.

[skip252]

Welcome to ABi

FLAC is among the supported codecs.

Supported Formats: MP3, WMA, WAV, FLAC, Ogg, Audible

The review is here. Drag and drop is supported either in MTP or MSC.

[jlarimore]

Originally Posted by marc2003

before connecting to your pc, you can go to settings>usb mode>msc. that will then make it appear as a standard USB drive.

but i still see flac as a huge waste of space on a device with a capacity this small.

In regards to space, I'm not really interested in housing my entire music collection on a device. I'm most interested in compatibility with my new format of choice. I can always expand the memory (32gb micro sd card) or mass convert all the flac source files to some lossy format if I start valuing quantity more than lossless quality, right?

[FreeZ5]

Originally Posted by jlarimore

I am looking for a new player that can handle FLAC encoded music files. My other requirement is that I can access the device like a hard drive and require no programs other than windows explorer to load and unload the device. I have been unable to determine whether you can do this with the clip. Is this the device for me?

Clip - good choice, but not expandable
Clip+ - better choice - Rockbox available, which I believe has better battery life when using FLAC files
Clip Zip - new product - Rockbox not available (yet)

Steve

[steinburger1109]

Originally Posted by FreeZ5

Clip+ - better choice - Rockbox available, which I believe has better battery life when using FLAC files

Without Rockbox, FLAC absolutely eats battery life. You'll get around half of what you would get if you used Rockbox. W/ Rockbox, you could potentially get around 15 hours or better with whatever codec you choose.

[jlarimore]

So the shipping firmware in these devices is not so great? It's better to replace it with custom firmware?

I did think of another requirement I have. I really dislike hardware that is not built to stand the test of time. Is the battery replaceable in the Clips? I'm pretty handy, so even if it involves complex surgery and soldering, I consider that replaceable. My main concern is whether it uses a standard battery that will be available down the road. If there are other good portable music players that satisfy all three requirements, I'd love to hear about them.

Reqs:
1) Plays FLAC files without some major caviat. (like super battery drain)
2) Replaceable battery/indefinite longevity. (i've had my last MP3 player about 8 years and only want a new one because of tech improvements)
3) Easy to load/unload. (no software beyond OS required)

[Enigmatic]

Originally Posted by jlarimore

So the shipping firmware in these devices is not so great?

It is OK. Rockbox is a lot better. http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/WhyRockbox.

It's better to replace it with custom firmware?

Why? What, specifically, are you looking for?

[jlarimore]

Originally Posted by Enigmatic

It is OK. Rockbox is a lot better. http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/WhyRockbox.Why? What, specifically, are you looking for?

I was just responding to the other post where someone mentioned that FLAC playback on the default firmware drains the battery incredibly fast.

[FreeZ5]

Originally Posted by jlarimore

Reqs:
1) Plays FLAC files without some major caviat. (like super battery drain)
2) Replaceable battery/indefinite longevity. (i've had my last MP3 player about 8 years and only want a new one because of tech improvements)
3) Easy to load/unload. (no software beyond OS required)

1. Clip+ and Rockbox. Clip Zip you'll have to wait.

2. Very few replacable batteries in mp3 players these days unless you want a poor player. I'm pretty sure that there's a thread somewhere with pics (etc) of an open Clip+. Sorry didn't look for it. I thought there was a pic of the insides of the Clip Zip, but I couldn't find it quickly.

3. I use Windows Explorer to manage my Sansa players (Clip, Fuze, Clip+). Drag & drop works great. I do use some other software to manage my music collection (eg MP3Gain, MP3Tag). I use Winamp to create playlists once the songs are on the player.

Steve

[jlarimore]

Originally Posted by FreeZ5

1. Clip+ and Rockbox. Clip Zip you'll have to wait.

2. Very few replacable batteries in mp3 players these days unless you want a poor player. I'm pretty sure that there's a thread somewhere with pics (etc) of an open Clip+. Sorry didn't look for it. I thought there was a pic of the insides of the Clip Zip, but I couldn't find it quickly.

3. I use Windows Explorer to manage my Sansa players (Clip, Fuze, Clip+). Drag & drop works great. I do use some other software to manage my music collection (eg MP3Gain, MP3Tag). I use Winamp to create playlists once the songs are on the player.

Steve

Thank you for your reply. 2 out of 3 ain't terrible. (and it sounds like it might be the best I can do these days) Has anyone confirmed that the Clip Zip still handles FLAC files inefficiently with default firmware?

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by jlarimore

Thank you for your reply. 2 out of 3 ain't terrible. (and it sounds like it might be the best I can do these days) Has anyone confirmed that the Clip Zip still handles FLAC files inefficiently with default firmware?

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