MP3 Player that...

[RustyGT]

MP3 Player that..Does Not! Want to take over, my system!
Looking for a simple mp3 ute for W2K, to play downloads without redesigning the GUI..!
ChrsR.

[muno]

mplayer2.exe, that's in windows media player folder http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif
-M

[RustyGT]

Muno,
Haven't tried it, just assumed.
In anticipation, can offer only, why I asked, www.reality.demon.co.uk/gasturb.htm (http://www.reality.demon.co.uk/gasturb.htm)
Wanted to hear some DTT's[DIY Turbo Turbines] in action!

Thanx R.

[This message has been edited by RustyGT (edited 08-20-2001).]

[OuTpaTienT]

Winamp has never tried to take over my system.

Goto http://www.winamp.com/

and download Winamp <u>Lite</u> version.

[jad1097]

I use www.musicmatch.com (http://www.musicmatch.com)

[OuTpaTienT]

WarningWarningWarning

Judging by what you're looking for Rusty,
(something that WON'T take over your system)
I'd suggest staying FAR away from MusicMatch.
I could list the reasons why, but I don't have
a day & a half to type a book...you're gonna
have to trust me. http://members.home.net/0utpatient/tounge.gif

WarningWarningWarning

ps - for those that do like MM, I mean no offense and God bless the fact we have the freedom to choose whatever software we like. It's just my PERSONAL opinion that MM is evil, bloatware that's way too buggy and chock 'full of unneeded features. All flash & no stash.

[jad1097]

Bloatware, buggy, takes over your system and uneeded features? "but I don't have a day & a half to type a book" Sorry out but you are full of it. Type away!

Winamp has none of the features I like about MM.


Please explain your extremly aggresive biased opinion, after all it is just that without any facts to boot. Heck you don't even use anything close to the latest release of Winamp from what you said in a post a while ago.

[otho]

I use both winamp and MM. I don't have a problem with either. I would also like to know your problems with MM.

[dogg]

Whoa, lets not get *physical* people!!! But anyway,

Winamp....It really kicks the llamas *****!
;p

[jad1097]

dogg, don't worry he knew I would say something like that when he posted that idiotic unsubstantiated post. In fact I think he is infatuated with Winamp. He can't deal with the fact that some of us actually use most if not all of the features in MM instead of having several programs installed to do what one program can do. I was a winamp user until I found MM. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif


Heck, Winamp does not even have a library! I have found the library to be essential since I have around 3000 MP3's. To each their own but don't post a ignorant warning like that and expect people to take your word for it. He acts as if it is dangerous to install it. OMG it might blow up our boxes!!!!! Do you know why did not post any reasons? He has none other than his opinion. Plain and simple.

[samwichse]

I wouldn't call that post idiotic. There is no need to be reactionary. I also use winamp, why? Because I tried musicmatch and it was huge, dragged down my system (then a cyrix 150, not an issue now) and kept giving me errors. Plus I couldn't seem to get rid of that thing it has running all the time.

Winamp's "lite" version is only 494kb to download (compared to 9884kb for musicmatch) and ran fine on my old computer, and since it required less then, I still use it on my new machine 'cause I'm just like that.

My own personal opinion on the matter.

[jad1097]

The reason I called it "idiotic" is because I think he lacked any though when he put that warning **** there. In essence he said I was recommending and useing a dangerous or "evil" program. It has done no damage to my box or anyone elses afaik.

The reason why you had problems was the cyrix 150 did not meet the min. sys. requirments. Yes, I know winamp will run on a 486.


Are these features too much? They are not for me and many others.

Play MP3s, CDs, video streams and more
Rip: Convert CDs, vinyl and tapes to MP3s Burn: Create CDs from your music library
Transfer your music to portable devices
Multi-session CD burning
Customize and save equalizer settings
Create and print custom CD labels and liners
Custom visualizations
Print your music library and playlist
Free online technical support
Radio MX free for 30 days


If you don't want to use then don't.

[OuTpaTienT]

[sigh]...here we go...

(let the record show that I did not start this without good cause. If Rusty was just looking for any ol' MP3 player I wouldn't have said a word against MM, but I felt it my duty to speak up because IMO MM is exactly the type of program Rusty is saying he wants to avoid.)

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

For starters, there are a lot of technical issues regarding quality of MP3s in all phases of processing; ripping, encoding & decoding (playback). And IMO one of the best sites you'll find giving a comprehensive (& comprehendible) explanation of all these processes and how some of the MP3 software available stack up against each other is www.r3mix.net (http://www.r3mix.net/) . IMO this guy knows what he's doing and does a good job of explaining it. The text, data, and opinions voiced at the site are logical, fair, and simply telling it like it is. I have the utmost respect for the webmaster and hold his site in high regard.

...that being said...he has this to say about MusicMatch:

"I've seen MM version 4, 5 and now 6 and numerous little upgrades. After a massive number of updates they still haven't managed to bring out a stable and good product. The program is even more huge than it already was ( 9.3 meg! ), and imo MM only seems interested in finding new ways of filling your registry with junk, applying new skins and adding more useless half-functioning features. It takes your windows PC hostage because if you even dare to install a third-party-player (winamp, for example) and use it as default MM will keep on nagging until you make their player default again. Besides that, I seriously distrust any program that keeps asking me for personal details and feels the need to send this over the net to some private corporation which will decide what kind of music I like and what kind of advertising would be most appropriate for me. There is a term for this kind of program: "bloatware"."
see www.r3mix.net-"analysis" frame (http://users.belgacom.net/gc247244/analysis.htm#MM44BUG) . I could not say it better myself, so I won't try.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

All I know is MM is not for me. And no I'm not just going on what one webmaster thinks of this product, it just so happens he says it very well and that's why I refer to his comment. I have downloaded & installed the latest MM (6.1 I think)) as well as a 5.x version some time ago...and like all things I try-out I gave it an open minded chance to either impress me or annoy me or some combination thereof.

First (and most importantly), the technical details of how MM rips & encodes seriously seems to compromise the integrity of the music file or at least has critical flaws that can allow the sound to be compromised. This little ditty is quite enough for me to not want to touch MM with the proverbial ten foot pole. AFAIC when dealing with audio processing the vital aspect of the procedure is true and accurate sound reproduction to the best of the capabilities of whatever is processing the data (software, hardware, whatever). All features and nice conveniences of any sound utility are nothing if it isn't capable of the core task of true and accurate sound reproduction.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

On a more personal less technical line of reasoning, I simply found MM awkward and irritating to use. I found it's way of handling files that were dragged 'n dropped to be completely unintuitive and odd.

I don't like the way it presents information to the user and doesn't allow for customization of how it's presented.

I do not like how MM assumes you want it to keep a library of ALL your MP3 files and how it self-handles adding new tracks to it's catalog simply because you wanted to hear a sound byte of a track and played ten seconds of it. I'm quite capable of categorizing, organizing, and storing my MP3 library simply with the knowledge of file/data storage and basic directory structures.

...ya know, there's probably much more, but my arms are getting tired (because I'm not sitting in proper typing position) and I'm sure I can find something better to do.

My final thought is, if you like and use MM, then by God man go forth and use the hell out of it, more power to ya. But MM is not for me, and from what I gathered from Rusty's initial post, it's not what he is seeking either. I felt compelled to warn him of that…which is where all this started.

[sigh…again] - http://members.home.net/autpatient/0.gifuTpaTienT

[OuTpaTienT]

ooops, almost forgot... "Good day sir."

http://members.home.net/autpatient/24.gifuT

[jad1097]

Thanks. I don't agree with what you wrote but that is fine. I have had no problems with it. Apparently some people do not want to use the options menu to disable things that could be annoyoing. To each their own.

I have never noticed a 16kHz cut-off but I usally download music and rarly rip from CD (he say the problem is supposed to be gone when ripping from CD also).

[jad1097]

Oh, and a good day to you also.

[muno]

Good morning all.
Winamp has that agent that takes over your system http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif It can be disabled, I had to do it twice to function.
Wmp6.4 was just the basic thing that doesn't do anything else but play a song. Winamp is my preferance anyhow for long lists http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif
-M

[howste]

Awwww - I can just feel the love in here now. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/biggrin.gif


P.S. I've always loved Winamp. I tried MusicMatch and didn't like it. One more opinion.

[MrFreeze]

have used winamp since version 1.20, still love it, winamp rulez.... (i also use it's linux clone xmms)

MrFreeze

[JayMan]

I also definatly prefer winamp over any other player i have tried, including MM.

This is the way i look at it. When you buy a home theatre system, if u just want a theatre system, u would buy the all-in-one type pro-logic 5.1 stereo systems, BUT if you want something with very good quality, the best way to go is to buy componants, thats right, get separate stuff to do each thing. If something is designed to do one thing, and one thing only surely its gonna be better at it than a single thing designed to do many things (e.g. PC's -good at everything, consoles - killer at gaming with minimal system specs). So the quality of a dedicated dolby digital reciever, dedicated amp, etc..... is gonna be much much higher than a combo system. SO i think it is also the same with most software, use a good player to play music, use a good audio proggy to rip the wave from a cd, use a good encoder to convert to mp3 etc.... u will end up with better quality than a combo program doing a half arsed job of everything all at once.

My $0.02 worth.....

JayMan

[OuTpaTienT]

I know someone just recently posted a question that this thread might answer. I hope they catch this thread because I'm not finding their post.

Anyways, this is one of those threads I invested a lot of typing into so in order to justify that I need more people to view it. ;)

(¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.->BumP<-.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯)

Note: my above posts show current edit dates due to me fixing the broken hyperlinks/UBBcode