[kennethmac2000]

My top two for now:

(i) Apple has removed the 3 second time for the backlight that was present in 1.0.x. This looked cool because, when you changed the volume, the backlight turned off straight after the volume control animation finished. Now there's a 2 second delay during which the backlight doesn't need to be on. What possible reason could there be for needing to remove this feature!?

(ii) Unlike (i) this is not a backwards step, it just means, for me, iPod 1.1 is less of a step forward than it could have been. The problem... Apple's EQ presets are crap. All the ones that might be useful to me given the style of music I listen to (Dance, Electronic, Bass Booster) enhance the bass far too much, to the point that it becomes distorted. As a result, whenever I setup a new machine or user account, I always create a new iTunes 2 EQ preset called Dance 2 which lowers the bass amplification a couple of notches. Now, I guessed that I wouldn't be able to setup custom EQ presets on the iPod, but I am really disappointed (perhaps even a little bit angry) that my iTunes custom presets don't get transferred to my iPod, nor does iPod even use custom presets when playing back songs! (This is confirmed by KB article 61567 which states that 'iPod does not use custom equalizer settings made in iTunes 2' and 'You can't create custom equalizer settings on iPod, or transfer custom settings to iPod'.)

Obviously there are plenty of other enhancements I would like (cross-fading for example) but I'm quite prepared to wait for those or accept that they'll never come. However, I am annoyed that they have removed one feature and then introduced another in a half-baked fashion.

[Evangellydonut]

agree with (ii) very much.
I was trying the iPod's new EQ with my 320kbps LAME encoded MP3 and one of the most analytica headphones $ can buy. Guess what? the iPod's EQ provided crackles, hisses, and other noticeable distortions oh well...guess i'll just listen to them the way it is.

[Phat Bastard]

I agree with you man, the EQ settings in iTunes/iPod are next to useless. I haven't found one of the 20 settings that is even remotely suitable to the music in the genre it's named for. Custom EQ settings would be great.

Some other additions to the iPod I can think of:
-the ability to manage playlists on the iPod itself and removing the reliance on iTunes. It's a good idea to keep iTunes in the loop since Apple wants to promote the product, but it would be nice to create your own playlists on the fly, delete songs, etc. This wouldn't be impossible with the controls available on the iPod.
-EQ settings that are specific to each song. As much as the EQ settings aren't good, I would be more motivated to deal with them if I didn't have to change the EQ setting once the song changes. If I'm listening to songs from different genres, it would be nice if iTunes/iPod could remember each song's different EQ settings.
-an included case. I still haven't found one I'm happy with, I live in Canada so I don't want to spend tons of US$ for a case. It would save a lot of trouble and wear-and-tear to the thing (mine's already crazy scratched on the back).

[ 03-21-2002: Message edited by: Phat Bastard ]

[BobVB]

Originally posted by Phat Bastard:
<STRONG>-EQ settings that are specific to each song. As much as the EQ settings aren't good, I would be more motivated to deal with them if I didn't have to change the EQ setting once the song changes. If I'm listening to songs from different genres, it would be nice if iTunes/iPod could remember each song's different EQ settings.
</STRONG>

Huh? The new EQ settings *ARE* specific for each song. If the global EQ setting is anything but 'off' it will use the song's own EQ setting from iTunes, and if one isn't assigned, it will use the global selection (select 'flat' if you want song specific EQs but nothing for songs without EQs)

[kennethmac2000]

Originally posted by BobVB:
<STRONG>

Huh? The new EQ settings *ARE* specific for each song. If the global EQ setting is anything but 'off' it will use the song's own EQ setting from iTunes, and if one isn't assigned, it will use the global selection (select 'flat' if you want song specific EQs but nothing for songs without EQs)</STRONG>

And how about addressing his other point, "As much as the EQ settings aren't good"? I believe this translates to something along the lines of "Apple's EQ presets are total crap".

Indeed, I've spoken to several people about them in the last 24 hours and not one has said they can tolerate listening to music with them.

[BobVB]

Originally posted by kennethmac2000:
<STRONG>

And how about addressing his other point, "As much as the EQ settings aren't good"? I believe this translates to something along the lines of "Apple's EQ presets are total crap".</STRONG>

I didn't address it because it is just an opinion, and he has a right to it whether I agree or not. I only was correcting his factually inaccurate statement.

As it stands, I think the iPod sounds best 'flat' and all the EQ settings are just a bastardization of the accurate sound presentation. They are the same presets that iTunes has had since the beginning, odd that people are complaining now.

Just can't please some of the people ANY of the time it seems.

[kennethmac2000]

Originally posted by BobVB:
<STRONG>As it stands, I think the iPod sounds best 'flat' and all the EQ settings are just a bastardization of the accurate sound presentation. They are the same presets that iTunes has had since the beginning, odd that people are complaining now.</STRONG>

People are complaining now because iTunes allows you to set and use an arbitrary number of customizable presets. iPod allows you to set and use exactly zero customizable presets.

[ 03-23-2002: Message edited by: kennethmac2000 ]

[BobVB]

Originally posted by kennethmac2000:
<STRONG>

People are complaining now because iTunes allows you to set and use an arbitrary number of customizable presets. iPod allows you to set and use exactly zero customizable presets.</STRONG>

Probably so - I've never had occasion to configure any. Considering that iTunes/SoundJam and the iPod don't use the same mp3 decoding alogrithms, there could be some hurdles in implementing a useful translation between the iTunes 10 bands of adjustment and however many are available in the iPod. A more useful approach might be in suggesting alternative settings Apple for the existing presets, or the addition of more that were to the complainers liking. its definitely a 'whatever' situation for me, but I can see how people might ask for the feature. Maybe in 1.2?

[kennethmac2000]

Originally posted by BobVB:
<STRONG>Considering that iTunes/SoundJam and the iPod don't use the same mp3 decoding alogrithms, there could be some hurdles in implementing a useful translation between the iTunes 10 bands of adjustment and however many are available in the iPod.</STRONG>

I would argue that it is not beyond the wit of man to do this though. And especially not beyond the capabilities of a good digital audio engineer.

[G4ME]

I think the problem is the head phones that you use, if you still have those buds that came with your iPod, try those out, to me with bass boost, it sounds great, a big improvement, and there is little to no distortion, or hissing. Shame on apple for configureing their product to their hardware, they sould have thought of you and all of the differnet styles of head phones and writen different EQ for each. Mother F�ckers.

[kennethmac2000]

Originally posted by G4ME:
<STRONG>I think the problem is the head phones that you use, if you still have those buds that came with your iPod, try those out, to me with bass boost, it sounds great, a big improvement, and there is little to no distortion, or hissing. Shame on apple for configureing their product to their hardware, they sould have thought of you and all of the differnet styles of head phones and writen different EQ for each. Mother F�ckers.</STRONG>

I'm am actually shocked that a so-called elite member could come out with such a load of speculative drivel. That whole post, apart from being factually inaccurate, was premised on me not using the supplied headphones, which you have no evidence for whatever.

For the record, I do use the supplied headphones. However, I think you will find that the headphones have very little to do with the problem anyway. Both iPod and iTunes absolutely rape my music when used with any bass-enhancing EQ preset (Bass Booster, Dance, Electronic etc), presumably simply because they are not designed for the type of dance/techno music that is so widespread here in Europe.

So if you'd said, "Shame on Apple for configuring their product to their development team's taste in music. They should have thought of you and all the different styles of music you like to listen to", I would say, absolutely!

[H * � �]

With iPod 1.1 the audible fastforward is broken with large 5 hour mp3s.
It actually runs backwards, audible fastrewind still works.
I went back to 1.0.4.

[poocat]

i do find that the ipod takes much longer to boot under 1.1,
and, though it may be heresy to say so, i would say it crashes much more often...
especially when plugging/unplugging/playing/plugging...

does it also go to the language option screen when you force a reboot?
mine did, at least twice, last night...
like some default thing... couldn't go up menu, just had to select "english" and proceed...
strange.

i'm wondering how much they changed... i'm betting a lot.

the eq debate above is entirely meaningless.
these people all wanted eq so bad.
they got it,
but in a fashion they don't like.
now they'll complain (which i'm not saying you all shouldn't, i'm just saying...) until ipod 1.2 comes out with customizable eq imports from itunes, then (hopefully) they'll be happy.
so, my point is, WHY BOTHER ARGUING WITH THEM?

they want customizable eq.
that's the only thing that will make them happy.
(because seriously thinking that apple will create perfect eq settings for EVERYONE'S tastes is nuts)
so... just let it go, note the complaint (i do) and hope they fix it.

that's the point of this thread.
poocat.

[tonton]

Originally posted by H * � �:
<STRONG>With iPod 1.1 the audible fastforward is broken with large 5 hour mp3s.
It actually runs backwards, audible fastrewind still works.
I went back to 1.0.4.</STRONG>

iPod 1.1 now plays long MP3s without running the hard drive continuously and therefore quickly draining the battery (and wearing down the drive, no doubt).

This fix seems much, much much more important than audible fast forward! If you need to fast forward, just use the new "diamond" mode, which is great, and although not audible, you can search much, much faster through long MP3s.

[Leaping Gnome]

I really don't like that they moved Shuffle from the number one spot under settings and replaced it with Info. How many times do you need to visit Info? Probably once just to see what is there!

I use two things under settings on a regular basis, Shuffle and the Backlight, those things should be 1 and 2 in the list, or even 1 and 3 like they were before. If this OS was supposed to be really user-friendly, they would be instead of now having Info at the top because somebody in marketing wanted it there.

[H * � �]

?�n+�N,
This feature seems important to me.
I need the audible fastforward for listening in the car, I don't want to take my eyes off the road to use the shuttle.
I don't think that fixing the HD spindown issue prevents the fastforward from working, I hope it will be fixed in the next OS revision.