file navigation in iPod vs. h120

[synthking]

Here is something that has not been discussed a lot. I'm a happy user of h120 but I just gifted my wife an iPod mini since she's all for those colors and the small form factor.

After using the iPod mini for a few days I realized some good points but a lot of bad points on iPod that I have not seen discussed in detail.

My biggest problem was the lack of support for file system navigation. iPod is purely a db navigation system. I have lot of international songs that are poorly tagged but neatly organized in the file system. This means that I have to spend so much time in retagging those songs.

Now smart playlist is a great option in iPod but it still doesn't totally fix this issue. You create smart playlists based on any meta-info in the song such as title, author, comments, grouping, year etc. But here is the problem. Say I have a smart playlist that includes 500 songs based on some criteria. Now, this playlist is flat so once I choose that playlist, I have a list of 500 songs. If it allowed me to browse those songs based on (artist/album/genre) that is something. This is where file navigation comes into the picture.

Another problem with the iPod. Long song names won't scroll during navigation.

There are other issues (battery life, external hd etc.) that have been discussed in length before. I just posted this so that a potential buyer confused between these two devices is aware of this.

[jamie_500]

Don't get me wrong, I'm an iriver man through and through but I do have to admit that the file navigation/display on an iPod has a better sense of quality. I'm talking about the purely superficial sort of stuff. For example the lack of 'clutter' on screen (really annoys me about the h120) and the way menus slide in from the side.

You do occassionally have to give iPods credit, only occassionally though.

Jamie

[pokecapn]

I dislike everything about iPod navigation except for the fact that menus slide in rather than appear and that you can assign fast forward to the scroll wheel. Navigation by filename is pretty essential for me.

[XavierGr]

I fully agree.

There should be an option like iHP. Some will get tricked at start if they cant use the folder structure.
Every one uses a PC (how about if you belong a DAP) so the filetree method is by far the easiest to get used, on the other hand though, DB has its good too.

If you ask me: I definitely prefer the Filetree mode. I used the DB once and I was sick of it!

[pomegranate]

Originally Posted by synthking

Here is something that has not been discussed a
lot.

I'd be more sarcastic in response to this point if you didn't make a lot of good observations! Welcome to MR synthking

[synthking]

Originally Posted by pomegranate

I'd be more sarcastic in response to this point if you didn't make a lot of good observations! Welcome to MR synthking

Thanks pomegranate. I did some basic search on this topic but couldn't find much. So much that I started looking for file navigation mode for a few minutes the first time I powered up the iPod.