Is HI-MD right for me?

[phox]

I've been debating between HI-MD and the I-Pod line for a little while now, and have ultimatly decided on the Hi-Md series, but i was displeased to see the sony is continuing to be idealistic in thinking they can stop piracy with all these restrictions, but anyways, this is my situation;

i use two computers, one for music, and one for everything else (games, work and such). now i will probably only use music from my music computer and wont have the need to transfer music from my MD to another computer, only my MD and music computer will be sharing music, and i have no problem using atrac or whatever sony forces me to use, as long as i dont run into any problems listening to my music when and where i want and the transfer is seemless and no other noticable obsticles

now what really sold me to the Hi-Md line was the ability to use my Md's for data storage. i want to be able to put a few movieclips or files or whatever, label it funny movies or something along those lines, and just be able to store it, and i have come to terms with the slow uploadspeed of about half a meg per second, 10 min for an entire 300meg standard disc isnt THAT bad, i've zoned out for longer than that

that basicly sums up how i will use my hi-md, i dont think there are any noticeable obsticles keeping me from using my hi-md from how i want, but i just want to be sure, so if there is ANYTHING you think i should be warned about before shelling out a few hundred bucks for somthing that already seems like a questionable invetment, like if it takes hours for me to put a few dozen songs from my music comp on my md even if i cooperate with sony's ways, please, let me know

thanks in advance

~phox

[mutant1345]

the only thing i can see that should be keeping you from an ipod in this situation is the price...everything you are looking for is in himd but perhaps it is in ipod to and better

both units can.....

transfer music and play them back with reletivley no problem.

Ipod CAN store computer files but you are stuck with those files on the same hdd you keep your music, so theres a nogo on that

if you really wanna use mds for making computer style personel videos and such

GO FOR HIMD

if you can pass that up and go for the faster one but have no changable storage

GO FOR IPOD

those are my thoughts....

[phox]

yup, it basicly comes down to that, have been really pondering that fundimental comparison lately, and also trying just to 'feel out' which one i would feel more satisfied with, imagining that i bought an ipod and regretting not getting a hi-md, and vice-versa, and seeing which one seems more realistic,

oh, and anothering thing that has also become a varible is playlist. ipod has alot of capability of creating playlist on the fly where the md seems very limited on the use of playlists. that, and the possibility of having my entire (6 gig) music collection with me at once, of course, i could get a hefty portion of that with md's

still semi-divided

thanks

~phox

[sxc]

Of course there are the other disadvantages for ipod - battery life and size.

Playlists and itunes are a big plus for the ipod.

[Christopher]

If you're into live recording or recording from sources that the iPod cannot record from, then yes, get a Hi-MD unit.

Well, better yet, what's your maximum budget?

[phox]

My max budget is around 500 or so, but my budget is more based on getting the one unit that is right for me, may it be the most expensive iPod or the cheapest Hi-Md unit, and not so much the "i have $300 and i want to be able to do this, this, and this, what can get the most bang for my buck" scenario

I doubt that i will ever have the need to live record, when i am away from my computer i want to be able to listen to my music, alot of it, and that's pretty much it, and like i said earlier, playlist capability would make that more enjoyable, but in the end it's not entirely neccesary and wont kill the deal for me for Hi-Md

while the topic is up, how can you listen to your music with md's besides by artist and by album? for example, can you import playlists or maybe move the files to and from folders on the md on the fly with hi-md? and can it show you the entire music contents of the md and scroll through/play from there?

thanks again for all you guys' help

~phox