<pre style="margin: 0em;">Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton wrote:
> I'd appreciate any advice on the issue of using the iPod in field
> conditions and on the use of MP3 sound files as stimuli.</pre><br>
<tt></tt><br>
<br>
<tt>Hi Scott,</tt><br>
<br>
<tt>I've no experience with an iPod, but I've been using a small MP3 player
(Rio 500) in the field for 4 or 5 years now. I find it very nice for
field use, with a couple of caveats:</tt><br>
<br>
<tt>- sound clips must be of high quality. I normally create clips at 160
kbps (or greater) and 44 kHz (but suspect that 22 kHz is adequate).</tt><br>
<br>
<tt>- devices designed for playing music may not have the best interfaces or
features for field use. For example, it's nice to be able to organize
sound clips into folders (e.g., sparrows in one, finches in another,
etc) to make for easy navigation, but not all models allow this
(although the use of 'playlists' may be equivalent). Likewise,
'auto-repeat' or 'random' controls are not very useful in the field, and
the control buttons can be quite tiny.</tt><br>
<br>
<tt>- a quality amplified speaker is a must, of course.</tt><br>
<br>
<tt>That said, the small size, audio quality, and good battery life are
definite advantages. Fully digital models have no moving parts, so they
are reasonably hardy to physical shock.</tt><br>
<br>
<tt>I suspect that the model I use is already outdated; the newer models
likely have better features. The Rio 500 has 96 Mb of of total
capacity, which is small by audiophile standards, but is sufficient for
A LOT of several-second sound clips.</tt><br>
<br>
<tt>Hope all is well with you - good luck.</tt><br>
<br>
<pre style="margin: 0em;">PMN
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Paul M. Nealen, Ph.D. tel: 215-573-2653
Biology Department fax: 215-898-8780
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6018 [EMAIL PROTECTED]</pre><br>
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