Double-Trinity

The most important asepcts of MP3 players for me are as follows:

Audio Quality
Hotkey ability/ease of use inhand
UI
Effects
Aesthetics

I recently connected my Axim to some big high quality speakers over at my friend's house in order to listen to a few somngs in all three of these MP3 playing programs side-by-side. As many of you konw (and lament) The Axim puts a slight hissing sound onto all outgoing audio.

This hiss is most discernable from WMP, which has no aftereffects available for audio, and in terms of MP3s specifically is the most cripple of the 3 apps. The only formats it supports well are proprietary Microsoft Formats.

Next in line, is GSPlayer. This is an app originally designed for Handheld PCs that was converted over to PPCs. One major problem is that is doesn't correspond properly with the PPC registry, so it can't be applied to hardware buttons, and certain features in other programs. It does support streaming audio however, which is an advantage, but for me it doesn't make any difference

It has the most amount of after effects, yet the most important one for solving the hiss problem - Preamp, causes crackling and popping if even turned up just a little. However, it does have a lot of capabilites including skinning, and hotkeys for free.

Finally, there's pocketmusic, the frustrating freeware app which is severly crippled in order to entice the purchase of a $20 upgrade package inlcuding skin abilities, advanced cascading playlist, and editing of tags for thigns like EQ presets. However, PocketMusic tops out without question for audio quality, the hiss can be completel erased in a few moments using preamp and EQ that work very well, and make for a great sounding song even in large high quality speakers. So reluctantly I give it the top position

Aftrer the comparison of these three apps, I liked the UI of GSPlayer the best, but for controls and integration with my system, it scored low. Next, its audio quality was only fair. PocketMusic had BY FAR the best quality, and Windows Media Player bottomed out in every area, it is a sort of jack of all trades... most of which are not important to me.

so, once again:

1) PocketMusic (Freeware)
2) GSPlayer (Freeware)
3) WMP (Freeware)

I am strongly considering buying the full version of pocket music as it has passed the alll important sound-quality test.

cuttooth21

GSPlayer does support hardware buttons. It even has more options for the hardware buttons than the other 2 apps (e.g. FF, REW, and Next Track, Previous Track). I actually prefer this app above the others. One reason being the Fast Forward is more responsive. In Pocket Music and WMP, when you drag the slider to fast forward, it sometimes hangs or takes a long time to start playing at the new position, especially for longer tracks. In GSPlayer it starts playing right away. Another reason why I like GSPlayer is because of the Surround Sound option. Turning it on just a little bit makes a nice difference.

GSPlayer has an EQ and preamp option as well. I wasn't satisfied with PM's or GSPlayer's EQ options. I felt raising the bass frequency levels caused distortion even when lowering the preamp slider so I don't use EQ in either app.

Double-Trinity

Quote:

Originally posted by cuttooth21 GSPlayer does support hardware buttons. It even has more options for the hardware buttons than the other 2 apps (e.g. FF, REW, and Next Track, Previous Track). I actually prefer this app above the others. One reason being the Fast Forward is more responsive. In Pocket Music and WMP, when you drag the slider to fast forward, it sometimes hangs or takes a long time to start playing at the new position, especially for longer tracks. In GSPlayer it starts playing right away. Another reason why I like GSPlayer is because of the Surround Sound option. Turning it on just a little bit makes a nice difference. GSPlayer has an EQ and preamp option as well. I wasn't satisfied with PM's or GSPlayer's EQ options. I felt raising the bass frequency levels caused distortion even when lowering the preamp slider so I don't use EQ in either app.

I mean, selecting it as one of the default hardware buttons, as it doesn't seem to be entered into the registry properly, I can't assign button 1 to open it, and I also can set it to a list of applications to hide from Icbar for that reason. I worded that poorly... I am aware it supports hotkeys, I currently have:

action = Screen off
1 = pause/play
2 = Previous Track
up = Volume up
down = Volume Down
left = Reverse
right = Fast Forward
3 = Next Track
4 = Hide App

for my freeware pocketmusic which is limited:

action = screen off
record (not supported on either of the others) = stop
1 = Previous Track
2 = Pause
DPad = n/a (the bastards don't let you use volume for free... grr... this is why my decision was painful, but audio quality is king)
3 = Play
4 = next track

for WMP:

1 = Previous Track
2 = fullscreen
up = volume up
down = volume down
left = n/a
right = n/a
Action = screen toggle
3 = pause/play
4 = Next Track

Quote:

Another reason why I like GSPlayer is because of the Surround Sound option. Turning it on just a little bit makes a nice difference.

That made the biggest difference of the GSPlayer output. EQ and Preamp were pretty bad sounding... Bassboost and Surround though made the audio quality good, but not quite as clear as PocketMusic.

ugh... why can't they just release winamp or something free, WHY! :D

oh, and if there's any other freeware MP3 players out there, I"m all ears, if anyone would know it's you guys

cuttooth21

hmmm...I'll have to compare the sound quality of the the 2 app's EQ's again. I was just unimpressed with them both so I just gave up on em.

As for using a hardware button to launch the app, I know for a fact you can, because I launch GSPlayer with my Home button.

One thing that I don't like about GSPlayer is the playlist. I wish I could randomize the playlist. I've been manually moving each track one by one when I want to switch up the order. With PM, you have the ability to randomize. There's also no way to clear the playlist in GSPlayer without manually removing each track. That's a real pain!

Double-Trinity

Quote:

Originally posted by cuttooth21 hmmm...I'll have to compare the sound quality of the the 2 app's EQ's again. I was just unimpressed with them both so I just gave up on em. As for using a hardware button to launch the app, I know for a fact you can, because I launch GSPlayer with my Home button. One thing that I don't like about GSPlayer is the playlist. I wish I could randomize the playlist. I've been manually moving each track one by one when I want to switch up the order. With PM, you have the ability to randomize. There's also no way to clear the playlist in GSPlayer without manually removing each track. That's a real pain!

All of the playlists I find real limiting, so far only PocketMusic full looks like it has an ideal playlist.

But with PocketMusic I run into the problem of having duplicates of items in my platlist, and if I try and save or load or make a new playlist, it often crashes the program. However, the shuffle feature actually works quite well in it. As for WMP... the playlist seems the most solid in terms of not acting srtange, or duplocating everything, etc. but it is inherently limited due to the over-streamlined nature of all the ROM apps.

I think that the PPCs really should have more like 128 ROM 256 RAM internal, and then they could put streamlined, not crippled versions of all their apps in there, with a more robust OS. I would like to see the equivalent of a full WMP in there, a word similar to Text MAker, and an excel with a little bit more power. Finally, PIM shouild be far far improved overall, and integration should be almost seamless between most ROM apps. I bet that the equivalent of this will be coming though, once M$ switches over to .NET architecture, I bet they will make improvementsl ike this to Pocket PC, as it seems like they are kind of putting everthing on hold involving PPC until the final launch of .NET. The whole point of .NET is cross-app integration, so I just realized I went off on a huge tangent.

:D

I actually found myself making a bunch of different playlists, setting the associaton to GSPlayer, then clicking on them from my roday screen launcher. So then it would launch that playlist (differentiated by Genre) and I would eidt them in Pocket Music, but load them in GSPlayer.

NMkiD

Pocket Music is really the most well rounded music player in almost all aspects and has great potential for future upgrades, etc. Once it supports .wma .ogg and streaming files (in the next version from my source) it will be the standard payer for PPC's.

The extra money that you pay for those extra features is worth it, why would you want to give that great of an app away for free, you pay for quality my friends, the free version isn't cripiling its limited and more of a demo that never needs registration which is nice of them if you ask me. The ability to use winamp 2 skins is really just for fun but if you use your ax for a mp3 player alot its a plus to be able to have a nice custom UI.

WMP is a waste of space IMO, I wish they didnt waste ROM on it (theres alot of thigns I'd hav rather had teh option of installing come to think of it)

I have my ax hooked up to high quality speaker from time ot time and PocketMusic really sounds damn good, I can't really find a reason to complain about it.

Handy

On the other hand, if GS Player (my current favorite) tweaked it's sound quality a little, it would probably beat out PocketMusic in most areas and it would still be free.

Hopefully, GS Player will continue to evolve and maybe the developer will fix those problems with the preamp and the EQ.

slothdog

Looks like a new version of GSPlayer (1.80a) was released yesterday. No idea what's new, unfortunately.

http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA032810/files/

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Handy

Slothdog, thanks for the heads up! Im eager to see what's new in this version of GS Player.

Double-Trinity

I wish they had it so that the AXIM came with no OS installed, and then you could pick your configuration of many, then set it up. Then, there should be light, full, and none as options for all the programs. The current level of all the programs should be considerd "light" and then a media player with the functionality of PocketMusic, and Pocket TV and current WMP should be full for that. A better IE, a better word, a better excel, and a more unified PIM tool would be great.


...and perhaps tht would open the door for a 3rd party os, like linux :evilgrin:

but I'll try out the new GSPlayer

NMkiD

This guy for pocket GS player needs a damn website, I think ppl would be more adept to trying out his app if it was more professional, I just don't think I'll use it until it becomes more mainstream then I KNOW that ppl are reportign bugs and things are getting worked you know you, hey you ppl with GS player, post some screenshots, or better yet write up a review!

slothdog

There *is* a webpage, it's just in Japanese.

http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA032810/gsp.htm

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ddesilva

Do any of these apps allow importing of WMP playlists...I've spent much time organizing these and really don't want to build them again.

Lastly, can any of these be mapped to keys in such a way that you can choose playlists and start playing without having to take your stylus out...ie all with mapped hardware keys?

WMP doesn't let me do the playlist selecting part with keys....

hypnotoad

I'd like to throw my vote in for WinamPAQ. Supports Winamp 2.x skins which is a neat feature. Also supports OGG files, which I don't use, but some find it useful. Pretty much a clone of Winamp, with a lot of the features removed. It does have a decent EQ with all the standard Winamp presets. The only problem I have with it is, there is no installer, so the files aren't automatically associated with the player. Also, I haven't figured out how to associate them with it properly. Right now if I tap on an MP3, it simply opens the player. It doesn't play or enqueue the song. I'm working on that though. Maybe someone else has figure that out... But anyway, I've tried a few other players, and I like this one the best so far. Just gotta work out some bugs... Here's the url:
http://www.projecteam.org/phpwiki/in...20-%20Download

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hypnotoad

One more thing I forgot to mention. One thing that really bothered me about PocketMusic (really the only thing that made me look for something else) was the random scheme. It wouldn't remember songs it had already played and would repeat songs very frequently. I've been using WinamPAQ for about a week now and I haven't noticed this yet. But, you can't use the "forward" button to skip to the next random song, it only skips to the next track in the playlist. But that doesn't bother me as much as the random in PocketMusic. Hope this was helpful.

hypnotoad

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