OFF: Questions for techies

Tue Oct 27 16:58:25 EDT 2009

Hi Folks...

I know there are some knowledgeable techies here on BOC-L, such that I even hesitate to pose such a question, lest I unwittingly unleash a torrent of ever-more-sophisticated ramblings and arguments that leave us luddites in the dust, but nevertheless, here goes...

I am going to start ripping my collection to data, since I better start now, or else I'll die of old age before I finish.  I am not particularly picky about retaining the maximum sound quality of the original, so I thought I would just allow iTunes (is there a problem with that?) to rip them into the current state-of-the-art for iPods and such, which I gather is still MPEG-4 (file suffix .m4a).  I have 8 GB in that format already (current iPod contents), so a small headstart.  I know there are some FLACheads here, but since I don't know JAC about FLAC, I figure that's not for me.  Presumably, the file sizes are proportionally larger?  And the compatibility with devices like MP3 players and such more problematic for a somewhat techphobic (by 21st c. standards) person?

Anyway, my real question is about the storage device I should buy.  I am looking at a Seagate FreeAgent PRO desk model with 640 GB capacity, as they are on sale for only $70 with free shipping to boot.  Is this a good one?  I have never even purchased a computer before, so this would really be the first notable hardware acquisition of my life.  Everything else I have used was either a work computer, somebody else's, or a hand-me-down.  So my first question, which might seem rather funny, but...

Does it have to be plugged in?

The information sheet (PDF) doesn't expect someone to be this incredibly stupid, and I was planning to order online (where I can't ask the salesperson or just look at the demo model), so there's no answer to this question anywhere.  But it says it has a power source (quite logical I suppose), and I just wonder if the power actually comes direct via a conventional plug/outlet, or perhaps can feed through the computer itself and into the harddrive via the cable/USB.  I mean, my iPod does this, and it is effectively an external drive, so why not this one too? (such is my thinking)  Perhaps it needs a lot more power though.  (?)  But anyway, I ask because I want to have something I can carry to Europe (eg) and still use without any trouble.  (On that note, what is the Windows/Mac compatibility of externals, assuming it will be used with Windows XP first?)  So if it does have a plug, is it at least designed to be compatible with 220/50 power?  My iPod and
 digital camera battery chargers are, so perhaps this too.  (?)  Plug adapting is no big deal, but I would rather not screw with power converters with something so important.

Also, can anyone recommend some good techniques, and or good software with which to catalog, update, and maintain my newly-forming digital music collection?  I don't really like iTunes, and it seems limited as to what sorts of attributes it allows.  Ideally, I would like to have a super-comprehensive program that not only shows me my filing structure etc., but also has a lot of user-entered (or partially Gracenote-linked, perhaps album art even) attribute information, such that when all is said and done, I could "log in," do a Boolean search for whatever I would like to hear that day, and it would instantly play me a random mix of songs that match the criteria that I entered.  Country of origin, language, instr vs. vocal, with/without guitar/synth/flute/sax/etc, several layers of genre/subgenre classification, year, heavy/soft, light/melancholy, composer, etc. etc. ad infinitim.  And of course, I get to add/subtract my own database elements and
 arrange/prioritize them as I like.  Somebody certainly has created such a program, yes?  And more importantly, could it possibly be free?  (I kinda doubt it, but who knows.)

That's all for now...it will take some time to even get going, so perhaps some of this can wait, but the external harddrive I get should be ultimately appropriate.  To have the option of just using CF cards or memory sticks, ie., no moving parts, no power source, would be great, but they seem to be limited to 16-32 GB at present, and quite expensive per GB compared to the external drives.  And my collection is huge (ca 4,000 CDs).  Seagate makes 'portable' 500GB-1.5TB external drives which look nice, but are more expensive ($120 and up), and presumably also have moving parts, so perhaps not any 'safer' as far as resistance to damage.  Is that true?  Then the only advantage is really more compact size?  No big deal for me, I only need one, and the one I am considering only weighs 1 kg.

Thanks for any help...Grakkl (State College, PA)

P.S.  Oh, one more...does somebody now make 'stereo systems' with a kind of docking thing (or USB2.0 port) for something like this, to use directly without a computer in between?  Again, like the ubiquitous iPod docking station/stereos?  Or are super-modern high tech stereo systems themselves now coming often with USB or similar inputs/outputs as a matter of course these days?  (I should go and look myself one of these days, not having shopped for stereo components in well over a decade.)