best portable video/mp3 player
 

I recently started to search for a high quality video player that would work as an mp3 or cell phone as well for the best price.

I know most people will recommend ipod classics or nanos and they seem fine.
I just don't like the fact that Itune needs to be installed to work with the ipod.

Apart from that, I've been checking out the sansa view which seems nice.

I'm pretty much asking if anyone has any of these or something different that is better? I would like to have my tv shows/movies and possibly if it has a high enough capacity: have my music collection on it as well.

really? no answer?

ok, lets rephrase: Who has an mp3 / video player that they like? care to say anything about it to someone who has never used one?

From what I understand, you can install a different OS on an iPod so you're not tethered to iTunes.

I have an iPod Mini and an iPod Nano and love both of them.. I definitely want the new Nano, too. I use a MacBook Pro, though, and love iTunes (especially the new Genius feature), so I don't really empathize with your wants. ;)

Zunes are really good, too.

What's the problem with iTunes? It will come on disk with a new iPod.
Either way, you're not locked into iTunes with an iPod.

Itune is not the problem. Its the fact that I have to install a propriatary software before I can see what's on my device. Its the reason why I haven't touched ipods since now. I like just going in Explorer and drag&dropping files. That is all.

Merleniau: Do you ever use your ipods to view videos? How's the experience overall?

you can use explorer to drag/drop files,

you can also use floola an open source application for ipods.

personally i resisted an ipod for many years, for the very reasons people don't like them.

and I love my 160gb one.. its' awesome.

I watch movies and TV shows on a regular basis. it's great for the gym when you want to watch YOUR shows. My Tivo transfers and converts shows automatically for loading onto my ipod.

If you want a video player, get Archos. If you want a phone video player, get Nokia N95. If iPhone is your bag (it ain't mine) you can check that out too.

For an awesome media player, check out Cowon A3. Can handle pretty much anything, works in windows, OSX and Linux and has plenty of space. As for a phone video player I agree with LoganSnake, Nokia N95 is a very good choice.

You can still do the iPod route, just don't use iTunes, get yourself a copy of Redchair's Anapod.

I use it on an old school HDD based mini and 2 shuffles with zero problems.


http://www.redchairsoftware.com/anapod


I personally use my PSP for a lot of stuff.

My Nano is the only one able to view videos.. and I've only done it a couple of times. The new Nano or a normal iPod would be better to view video (larger screen), but even on mine it's fine. The color and refresh time is really good. I prefer to use my media players for music, though -- I can't really watch a video and run at the same time. I'm not coordinated enough for that.

If I get a new Nano, though, you can bet I'm going to try to find some way to load some of my favorite TV shows on there. That's got to be great when on an exercise bike or something.

Personal preference, but watching something on a screen that tiny is not acceptable to me, so I wouldn't call Nano or any iPod, save for iPod Touch a good video player. They're just MP3 players that can also play videos.

I have a creative Zen Vision W and it's good. I download stuff off BBC iplayer and transcode it onto the zen for watching on the train on my way into the office

Some thing else you might want to look at is a PSP. I love mine, play's videos and music great, battery lasts for ever while just playing music. It also has built in wifi and of course you can play games. It is going to be a lot bigger than the other mp3/video players though.

I also recommend the Creative Zen's as well.

I LOVE my iPod Touch.

LOVE.

Actually, PSP is not a bad idea. It has a huge screen and plays a variety of file formats. There are also plenty of third party software to make any video you have compatible with the PSP. It also has an added Skype feature which kinda/sorta covers the phone part.

I have a PSP that i use for a lot of it, and a RockBox'd Sansa that I use for the rest. Both have their advantages, I like both...for $40 the Sansa can't be beat.

interesting info guys! i forgot about the psp. I'll have to check out the costs next time I'm at my videogame store.

And thanks for letting me know I don't have to use I tunes. I'll review my options and post if I find something suitable for my needs. :)

Thanks for everyone's input. Very much appreciated.

the thing with the PSP is, and this is just me. I wouldn't mess with using homebrew apps and using custom firmware on the one I own now, I want to buy an older one that has already been flashed so I don't have to worry about bricking mine. I have the new slim God of War bundle one that is red with a silk screen of Kratos on the back of it.

I have a PSP at my disposal and I find it large and cumbersome in comparison to an iPod. Yes, the screen is much larger, but it doesn't fit in my shirt pocket as easily as an iPod. I also have to reformat things I find that are formated for the ipod to the PSP, which is a pain in the ass.

You watch youtube sized videos on your PC from time to time I'm sure, so I don't see it as too difficult to have portability and small size, yet large space. PSP also has limited memory in comparison due to stick size.

This concern is obsolete. New firmware is perfectly reliable, and also, there is no way to permanently brick your PSP when installing firmware, due to the existence of Pandora batteries.

I don't own an iPod that will play videos, so the only experience I have playing them is on the PSP. Just out of curiosity do you own the older "fat" PSP or one of the newer slim ones? Mine is a slim and from what people have told me it is a ton smaller than the older ones.

I have heard of Pandora batteries, could you go into a little more detail?

I have the iPod Touch and the video and sound quality are great on it. The new ones (this "generation") finally have a speaker in them so you're not tied to the headphones if you'd rather.

I've downloaded a couple Squidbillies episodes and they played wonderfully, plus you can surf the interwebs wherever you go that has Wi-Fi. The new app store is full of nifty games and such as well.

Hope I helped.

I bought an Archos 605 in July. I'm considering selling it, but not because of any issues on it's end; it doesn't fit my personal needs well.

I would describe it as a player that does several things well, but outside of the video nothing really great.

The screen is absolutely insane, however. It is big, and looks fantastic with video or photos. So if you are looking for, as you say, a video player that plays MP3s as well (as opposed to the other way around) I would recommend it.

Just as an MP3 player, or with it's WiFi capabilities, however, it is merely competent.

Pandora is a maintenance battery. It will unbrick any dead PSP as long as there is no hardware damage.

I own the red Kratos PSP and I have modded it with Pandora. Works perfectly.