After lusting for nearly a year over the iPod I've finally decided to give it a go and get myself one. Right now I'm looking at the new 10GB Mac version. I currently have a PC running Windows XP that nearly all of my MP3s reside on and my Lombard lacks Firewire ports. Getting an iPod means getting a Firewire card for my PC which doesn't bother me much as I've been needing to get one anyhow. Getting a Firewire PC Card for my Lombard would cost quite a bit more than a PCI card for my PC. Now you might be asking yourself why don't I just get a PC formatted iPod. That question is easy to answer, my friends and work have Macs with Firewire ports. Me having a Mac compatible FW drive that happens to play MP3s would be a very good thing. Since I can use EphPod and XPlay to transfer my MP3s to my iPod I think it would be much more viable getting the Mac version. In my future is a new mac portable with Firewire so future firmware updates for the iPod will be available to me.
This is my quandary however, what experiences do you have with iPods and Windows PCs (the Mac formatted iPods of course)? How reliable are EphPod and XPlay? Are there particular FW cards I ought to stay away from on my PC? Are there more software options for the PC and Mac formatted iPods. Is MacOpener/EphPod better to use over XPlay? I've googled a bit of info about PCs using Mac formatted iPods but I'm looking for real world experience and personal tales of woe or elation here. How helpful would a Mac-head at an Apple store or Frys/CompUSA be for me to talk to? Will they just try to hock a PC formatted iPod off on me? Thanks in advance for any advice. I'd like to get a bit more info before shelling out $400.
Top
