Rockbox Technical Forums

Rockbox General => Rockbox General Discussion => Topic started by: starmanj on August 23, 2005, 01:54:12 PM

Title: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: starmanj on August 23, 2005, 01:54:12 PM
I love my Archos, but fear it's on its last legs.  I have searched, but can't find another jukebox that simply lets you COPY YOUR MUSIC FOLDERS INTO IT and plays like the Archos!

The Ipod is the worst example-- it must "import" all your music into its proprietary database.  I just want to plug the USB in, drag and drop my music folders, delete the folders I don't want, etc.

What other jukeboxes work like the Archos?

Thanks!
Starmanj
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: Xetrov on August 23, 2005, 02:03:09 PM
pretty much any other moden mp3 player except the ipod, my friend just got an iaudio x5 and is very happy with it.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: nobby on August 23, 2005, 02:03:30 PM
the iriver does.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: wrecker on August 24, 2005, 06:50:15 PM
nobby, like your style. Simple, concise, to the point.

Buy iriver. Enjoy life. Never look back.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: starmanj on August 31, 2005, 11:16:55 AM
Actually most other players don't behave as mass storage devices.  IPOD doesn't, Creative players don't-- but yes, it looks like Iriver does.

I think most don't because it prevents people from uploading and downloading to different computers.

Is Iriver the only other player that is a general-purpose XP recognized mass storage device?
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: Xetrov on August 31, 2005, 11:47:24 AM
thats not true, im pretty sure creative zen has a mass storage mode, i dont know any other big brand names other than iriver zen and iaudio that have it, except ofcourse, the archos ;)
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: nobby on August 31, 2005, 11:49:38 AM
Iaudio X5 does too, as Xetrov said. Mass storage compatibility is quite sought after, so its likely to be mentioned in a review of the hardware, so check google for one before you commit.

the zen does not, i know that for a fact, having used one.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: kenshin on August 31, 2005, 02:55:25 PM
The ability to act as a simple hdd was why I bought an iRiver. I only run Linux and have no intentions of running special software just to maintain my player. Nooooooo.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: starmanj on August 31, 2005, 03:43:10 PM
I downloaded the Creative manuals, and no, they don't act as mass storage-- you have to partition a segment and use their software to backup data.

will check out the Iaudio though.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: rasher on August 31, 2005, 04:35:12 PM
Actually most other players don't behave as mass storage devices.  IPOD doesn't
I'm quite sure that iPods are simply UMS devices. They just expect a different filesystem layout. Sure you can't just "drag & drop" like the OP said, but there is no driver-problem on other operating systems (again, I'm not 100%, but pretty sure).
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: nobby on August 31, 2005, 06:08:38 PM
they use fat32 when used with a windows pc, but you HAVE to use itunes to import music or the ipod won't know its there.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: kenshin on August 31, 2005, 11:42:09 PM
they use fat32 when used with a windows pc, but you HAVE to use itunes to import music or the ipod won't know its there.

Not exactly. Yes, you do have to use iTunes (or gtkpod) but the filesystem is not necessarily FAT32. The older ones came in two flavors: one for use with Mac (HFS+) and one for use with Windows (FAT32). Newer ones come only as HFS+ with an HFS+ -> FAT32 translation layer built-in so Windows users never notice the difference. The problem with drag & drop is that the iPod firmware expects (and requires I believe) Apple's database or the player can't see anything.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: nobby on September 01, 2005, 04:56:16 AM
you can still choose to reformat a 3g or 4g ipod to fat32 instead of using the translation layer.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: rasher on September 01, 2005, 07:27:04 AM
they use fat32 when used with a windows pc, but you HAVE to use itunes to import music or the ipod won't know its there.
Yes, well, what I was responding to was someone saying that the ipods aren't UMS devices, which they are.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: nobby on September 01, 2005, 08:09:23 AM
yeah, but the UMS is pointless except for storing backups, since the firmware can't play any music added using UMS.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: rasher on September 01, 2005, 10:44:32 AM
It's not at all pointless.

Consider the case of Linux/FreeBSD/Whatever drivers. If the device is UMS, all you have to do is figure out the directory structure and file database (see gtkpod and other programs that interface with iPods).

If the iPod wasn't UMS, but some proprietary protocol, things would be a lot more complicated.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: starmanj on September 08, 2005, 11:31:21 PM
The point is I don't want anything that needs a translation layer.  Simple drag-and-drop UMS is the only way to go.  The IPOD is a huge PITA to work with-- even using 3rd party sync software.

It's too bad Rockbox can't be ported to currently sold players-- I can't find any currently supported devices for sale.
Title: Re: Other jukeboxes with FOLDERS?
Post by: Arj on September 10, 2005, 06:34:48 PM
Well, for iRiver, you might still be able to dig up an H140 for sale.  People are still finding them.  If not that, consider a 3xx series player.  They are porting Rockbox to those.