hardware recommendation

[torne]

If not then you can just stuff a bigger disk in there at that point

[mkny13]

Well, it also seems like solid state drives will get there soon.  You already can get at least 64 GB on a thumbdrive and iPod Touches are up to 32, right?  No reason why we should see 128 and up in the next couple years.

Maybe the interim solution, until cellular networks and devices take over, will be all your music stored on a large thumbdrive with a separate tiny device handling playback of files form that external media.  If the Sansa Clip or iPod nano can fit playback and browsing functionality into tiny packages, why couldn't similarly sized devices interface with external media?  For that matter, maybe that's something rockbox could do in the future.

But we stray from the topic   So Gigabeats are too small. Am I left with iPods or nothing? I was expecting more options.

[torne]

Pretty sure the 80GB iPod Video is the largest stock disk of any player we support. Very few manufacturers have ever made MP3 players so large; most people just do not have that much music and would prefer a cheaper device, or a flash-based one which can be physically smaller and also impact resistant

The Sansa Clip+ has a uSD port, so what you describe is already pretty much done.. you can get 16GB uSD cards, 32 is coming, and there's no particular reason to assume it will stop The Clip+ isn't supported by Rockbox yet though.

[mkny13]

Didn't know that about the Clip+.  Useless to me until rockbox support comes--I have a Clip and not at all happy with the UI.

[Llorean]

Rockbox supports several other players that already have MicroSD slots working, though. Might I suggest reading through the list of supported players and looking at their features?

You would've quickly discovered, for example, there were no 120 or 160GB devices, among other things.

[mkny13]

Not really interested in the SD option this time, as capacity isn't there yet and prices will be too high for years to come.  It's an interesting thought though.

I missed this on my first scan through the docs: http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/BuyersGuide. Helpful info there.  I still prefer hearing from actual users though.

I think I'll cross my fingers for a new (7th Gen) iPod classic for xmas, lack of rockbox support be damned, and fall back on a 5.5 gen if I have to buy it for myself.

EDIT: I could get an Archos on the cheap and swap in a big 2.5 drive--that would only run about $80 total.  Anyone had a good experience doing something similar? Those are some UGLY looking players. I'd prefer something pocket-sized but I'm open to the option.

Now I'm also looking for reviews of the Archos 5 tablet, but that's way off topic for this forum