Toshiba's gigabeat U202 supports direct-to-MP3 ripping
By Darren Murph 
posted Jul 24th 2007 9:46AM
posted Jul 24th 2007 9:46AM
posted Jul 24th 2007 9:46AM
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Direct-to-MP3 ripping??!!? GTFO!
My Archos FM Jukebox 20 from six years ago had that feature. The thing functioned perfectly until I left by my open window in a rainstorm a few months ago. Damn shame, really.
I was all prepared to say this looked pretty nice for what it is but had no idea alex had an archos six years ago with that feature. The new gigabeat is clearly garbage given these new details being brought to light. I for herald alex for having the courage to come out with this information.
Don't leave it on your window sill!
Actually, you didn't say what feature, so you simply sounded like a git. "What feature?" I was thinking, "Built-in FM??? What a git!"
The archos recorded audio in one large mp3. (or a tedious song by song method) Audio in, push play, push record.
I believe this has a more automated method of ripping.
Don't get me wrong I loved the Juke20, still can't find a player that has "Queue" mode.
Will it rip VBR?
-I mean...blend?
I don't think it has the same affect as when applied to Hello Kitty robots.
I don't think it has the same affect as when applied to a Hello Kitty robot.
Oops, commented twice.
You actually commented three times there buddy ;-)
So how does it rip it? 1x speed through an rca input?
Looks like it's though the headphone jack which doubles as a line-in.
Read much?
Do try.
It's cool that you can record music on the go, but it sucks that you'll spend 80 min. recording a whole cd. I guess that opens the door to "straight from tape deck to mp3!" or whatever else you want.
It sucks how nasty the internet allows people to behave.
Indeed.
All that snarky commenting without a clue to the facts.
(which are easily accessible)
Deplorable.
LMAO Direct to MP3 ripping. I have done that using CDEX and my Sandisk 512mb player! In fact it works with ANY mass storage based MP3 player!
1) Plug MP3 player into computer.
2) Run CDEX (Or any other CD Ripping software.) and tell it to save the files to the drive letter from step 1.
DONE!!!
However this is a pointless feature for a 2gb MP3 player. If the player was 20 or more gig then maybe. However who want's to rip, then later re-rip the same CD over and over again? It is always best to rip to your HD, then if you have limited space, burn the MP3 files ro CD or DVD for future use.
Wow, direct to MP3 ripping. Now that saves me the hassle of downloading it all! Oh wait... it'll take 4 minutes to record a 4 minute song...as opposed to downloading it in 15 seconds....
Reported on this when the player was available in Japan back in March: http://www.mygigabeat.com/2007/03/gigabeat-u-new-player-from-toshiba.html
Nice to see that it is making it over here. Been awfully quiet from Toshiba lately except from the news regarding the MET401 a couple days ago. Maybe the fact that the Zune has been able to sell +1 million units have made Toshiba reconsider the US market again?
The RIAA would unleash a firestorm of amazing fury if there were more devices like this. Think about it..
This device records any audio output to mp3. So an ipod/zune/whatever + gigabeat = much love. However, at real time speeds and need for them to plug up this isn't convenient enough for more than one song, not to mention quality/interference. Do-able but not enough.
So I guess the ultimate would be something like the zune + gigabeat. Gigazune. (maybe Beatzune) Then you could connect to other Gigazunes and transfer music. The zune has work-arounds, but they aren't easy or efficient. The Gigazune would tout this as a feature, maybe even have software to make it easier, like comparing libraries and creating trading tables or 'wanted' lists.
But what we might lose by adding zune abilities is being able to interface with any device. Of course we would gain interference and wire free transfer at much, much greater speeds.
Be careful Toshiba, you are headed down a dangerous path. Don't ask Microsoft for directions. They are lost beyond hope.
comment please...
Please and thank you!
Now all it needs is a internal mic and it might almost be as cool as the iRiver H300 .
Go Free stuff.
-Jai
Cool enough for me!
Sounds like a good solution to a common problem.
DAMN! if i'd have stayed up just a little longer i coulda gotten the server :(
how does this work?
All I want for Xmas.....
this is great
Nice small player.