There also those mem stick recorders which might be an
option.

Also from my brief tour of the Linux world, they seem
to be enchanted with Ogg Vorbis file format for it's
compactness and sound quality.

I have been subscribed to the Audiograbber forum
for years. Over there I think they'd be able to give
the lowdown on this stuff plus whatever is offered
in here.

Many possible file formats are available: WMA, AAC, AIFF, Wav all of which are apparently decent. The problem is some of these use DRM, which may affect sound quality.

Check out real player's harmny technology that allows multiple files to be played on iPod. Apple has countered by altering the DRM logic in newer versions of ipod, so that real player tunes cannot be played on IPOD, and only itunes downloaded files can be played.
I am fundamentally in favor of plain oild CDs, without DRM, becuase it think it offers the best sound quality.
-akhilesh

• "Inside iPod" - Electronics Design, January 20, 2005

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore?productLearnMore=M9128G/A

I'm thinking I'd like one as sole input device on the system I'm building now. Set it up with some t-amps and you've got a mobile party going on. The only problem would be the active crossover getting power. Hmmm.

It's worth looking at.

Grant.