[Eug]

I can't find any specs on the iPod 30 GB drive. Toshiba doesn't have the drive listed, and Hitachi doesn't list 1.8" drives at all. I haven't seen a link in any of the many iPod threads, but there are so many threads I can't possibly sift thru every single message. (I've done a search though.)

The 20 GB Toshiba MK2003GAH is 4 heads and 2 platters. The new drives are 15 and 30 GB, but I note that there are no 7.5 GB and 22.5 GB sizes. I know this is wishful thinking, but could it be that the 30 is a single platter with two heads and much higher track density? If so, I'd love to get a two platter 3 head 45 GB or two platter 4-head 60 GB iPod. (My current MP3 collection would already fill up current the top of the line iPod.)

There are supposedly some iPod dissection photos at iPoding but for some reason I can't access the website. If the pictures are high enough quality, one should be able to see the specs on the label of the drive, and it would probably list the number of heads and platters.

[Yoda's Erotic Piggyback]

Originally posted by Eug:
(My current MP3 collection would already fill up current the top of the line iPod.)

That is because all your songs are in 320kbs ya goof

[Eug]

Originally posted by Yoda's Erotic Piggyback:
That is because all your songs are in 320kbs ya goof

Well, 256, but close enough.

The reason is if I'm going to go to the trouble of ripping the CDs, I may as well get a good quality file. I'd rather waste a little bit of disk space than skimp on the quality, even if it does mean that I have to wait a little bit longer or spend a little more money.

From what I've read, 128 AAC is a bit better than 160 MP3, but not quite as good as 192 MP3 (assuming the MP3 is well-encoded). From my listening tests, I don't think 192 MP3 is quite good enough (even though I do find it acceptable for most usage). So if I were to use AAC I'd probably stick with 192 AAC or higher anyways. People have reported that 192 AAC gets into the 256 MP3 territory.

Plus AAC is incompatible with my other equipment, so I'd have to stick with MP3 regardless.

Thus I'll remain using 256 kbps MP3, and wait for a bigger iPod to come out.

[Yoda's Erotic Piggyback]

Originally posted by Eug:

Thus I'll remain using 256 kbps MP3, and wait for a bigger iPod to come out.

Wait till you see it, you will change your mind.

Also, I know you have the compulsion of encoding every damn song on the CD whether you like it or not. I bet if you just kept the ones you like you wouldn't need 3 hard drives, DVD backups and you would be a happy owner of an iPod.

Nobody in the world likes 60 gigs of songs. I think it turned into a warez obsession, people who download every bit of warez there is even if they have no need for it.

You might have to wait more then 8 months for a new iPod.

[Eug]

Originally posted by Yoda's Erotic Piggyback:
Wait till you see it, you will change your mind.

Also, I know you have the compulsion of encoding every damn song on the CD whether you like it or not. I bet if you just kept the ones you like you wouldn't need 3 hard drives, DVD backups and you would be a happy owner of an iPod.

Nobody in the world likes 60 gigs of songs. I think it turned into a warez obsession, people who download every bit of warez there is even if they have no need for it.

You might have to wait more then 8 months for a new iPod.

Granted I don't HAVE to have ALL my MP3s on it at one time, but I like it because sometimes I like to just put the player on random mode. I often rediscover music that way.

Whenever I buy a new CD I just stick in the CD into my TiBook and 5 minutes later the thing is encoded. It seems odd to then just throw away most of the tracks. (With my ultra high-quality 256 kbps MP3 settings, my TiBook rips/encodes at up to 19X.)

Anyways, it's not really a huge deal for me right now to hold off on the iPod. I already have a tiny Cutie 2.5" 60 GB Firewire hard drive I can use for MP3s. I can listen to the music at my computers at home and at work. (It's in HFS+ format, so my PCs can share the drive with my TiBook.)

And if I want to do the just-keep-your-favourite-MP3s thing, I'll just burn 4.7 GB of MP3 to a DVD (which I can also use at work).

BTW, if you think I have an obsession... A friend of mine has several hundred gigs of MP3. Now that's what I call an obsession.

[Yoda's Erotic Piggyback]

Originally posted by Eug:
BTW, if you think I have an obsession... A friend of mine has several hundred gigs of MP3. Now that's what I call an obsession.

Actually I think that is called eternally single.

[Eug]

Hmmm... The picture at www.ipoding.com shows a Toshiba MK1504GAL, but doing a Google search on that brings up nothing. The specs aren't on the label, either.