??? about MP3 players

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abbadoodles
abbadoodles Member Posts: 2,618
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer
??? about MP3 players
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  • abbadoodles
    abbadoodles Member Posts: 2,618
    edited February 2008

    Ladies, I'm sure most of you know more about this than I, so please advise me.  I've heard it's a good thing to have an MP3 player with you for your hospital stay (if several days) to both drown out noise and amuse oneself.  However, I've never paid any attention to them as I never felt I needed one.  So..........

    Is it best to buy an iPod or is any MP3 about the same in quality, features and price?  Just your opinions, but good enough for me.

    I know I can download music for it from the internet but can I put music I currently have on CD on it?  It would cost a fortune to load it with new buys.

    How about audio books?  I'm thinking they would be a great time-filler.  Are they available at reasonable cost?  Actually, I have a complete Ilead here on CD.  This would be a great time to listen to that, but it's on CD not MP3. 

    How about battery life?  Or do I just re-charge the MP3 player?  Are portable CD players still available?  Actually, I have a portable DVD player.  Can I play audio CD's on that?

    Sorry for all the questions from the technologically challenged.  I hope you can fill me in.

    I'll post this over on the Recon boards, too, as that's why I'm thinking of buying one.

    Tina

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  • Bugs
    Bugs Member Posts: 1,719
    edited February 2008

    Love my ipod.  I don't know that you would get an audio book on an mp3 player.  Yes, you can download from cd's to your mp3 or ipod.  I found Itunes to be very reasonably priced.

    Good luck,

    Bugs

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  • janet11
    janet11 Member Posts: 262
    edited February 2008

    Do you happen to have a palm pilot?  I use 'ptunes' on it and load audio books onto SD cards to listen too.  And for audio books, try your local library or the sale counter at a local bookstore.

    They're great for trips, and they were wonderful for chemo days.  I'd load in a favorite book and with luck, would sleep through most of it.  Then I'd just go back to the last remembered chapter and start again (*grin*).  I'd always use a book I knew and liked this way so that I could keep up with the plot.


    It also helps with those 'awake' nights.  I use a very soft set of headphones or flat earbuds and lay down with the volume very low.  voila... it helps get your mind off everything and just gives you something to concentrate on.  Music would help here too.

    Good luck.  i've never had an ipod.  I've had an MP3 player, but it was so small and the controls so cryptic, they're difficult (for me) to control.   I've also used a portable CD player for this (to play audio books or music), but they don't like mp3s very well. I could only go to the beginning of a track if I wanted to go back.  My palm pilot (Palm TX) works wonderfully and since I have it, voila.

    Janet 

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  • roseg
    roseg Member Posts: 3,133
    edited February 2008

    I've had all kinds of audio things and I like them. But I think they need to grow on you.

    My husband got a satellite radio and he really likes that because it's got a ton of stations and no commercials.  

    I suspect you will be too wacked out to do much listening while in the hosptial, but it may be fun to play with afterwards. I'd get an iPod because once you get into it you'll want one anyway. 

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited February 2008

    I have a Palm Pilot and I'm sure I am under using it! I did't know I could load music onto it.  I just use it for calendaring things and contacts.

    I have an iPod and love it!!  I would NOT bring it to the hospital unless you have someone bring it to you after surgery. Things get stolen when you sleep.

    I used it during chemo days and you can download books, songs, movies and tv shows from iTunes.  I download podcasts and hook my iPod into my car and listen to awesome things on my way to work!

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  • abbadoodles
    abbadoodles Member Posts: 2,618
    edited February 2008

    A Palm Pilot?  Hahahahahaha.  Moi?  Gee, I don't even have a cell phone. Embarassed

    Good points about being whacked out after surgery.  Well, since I'm scheduled for 5-7 days, I thought that after the first two I'd be itching for something to do and everyone seems to think a book is overkill.  Audio book would be more usable. 

    And, Rocktober, I hear you about things disappearing.  I thought I'd have my man bring it in around Day 3, along with my make-up bag!

    Tina

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  • Raye99
    Raye99 Member Posts: 1,350
    edited February 2008

    I have an ipod as well,which I used during chemo. Prior to that I had a Rio MP3 player, which is a very good brand as well. I am not the savviest electronic device person, but I do believe you can download music from CDs to an MP3 player. I had to get used to the ipod, now I love it, but at first I found the RIO player much more user friendly.

    I already had some songs saved in my computer that I downloaded to my iPod - the rest I did buy, but I also received some gift certs for iTunes, so the cost was not too bad.

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  • Jorf
    Jorf Member Posts: 498
    edited February 2008

    Love my iPod so that's all I know about (I don't use my palm t/x for music since I have the iPod). When I found out I needed chemo I said, "I want an iPod" and DH got it for me, engraved and all. (That one turned out to be a bad battery one so the new one isn't engraved....)

    I used it for chemo, I also made a surgery playlist with the audio from Prepare for surgery/heal faster (something like that), some of my favorite relaxing songs and the goals/visualizations I did from the book.

    I did use it when I was in the hospital for a few days when I got an infection after the mastectomy and it was a lifesaver - my roomate was narced out on her pain meds and pulled out her IV, etc. I didn't exactly sleep through it but it helped listening to the complete guitar works of Villa Lobos over and over through the night! 

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  • lvtwoqlt
    lvtwoqlt Member Posts: 6,162
    edited February 2008

    Our local library has audio books available to download for free.

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  • LizFL
    LizFL Member Posts: 377
    edited March 2008

    I have a Sansa View MP3 player and I love it.  It is made by the same people that make the disks for digital cameras.  I purchased a speaker system with it...it runs on electric or batteries.  When it is on electric power, it recharges the MP3 player battery while it is in the dock.

    I have downlloaded my favorite CDS....a video of my grandkids and pictures of my dog.  I'll have to check if it handles audio books....but I imagine it can.  It has 8G memory and also receives FM radio.

    Although ITunes is no longer the only place you can purchase music for your IPod...one of the reasons I went with the Sansa View is that you can buy music anywhere.  On the Walmart website....you can download music to a custom made CD.  I think it cost about $22 total for 20 songs, the CD and postage.  I downloaded the music to my MP3 from the CD and I can also play the CD in my car.  Of course you can download music and make your own CD....but this made it really simple and fast and only cost a bit more than just purchasing the songs.

    This player was less expensive than most IPods. There are less expensive speaker systems than the one I bought....but this one serves my needs well.  I did buy new earphones that are more comfortable than the ones that came with the player.

    Sansa tech support was great when I had a few problems figuring how to work it.

    Liz

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