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Am I a bad person x3 (purchase decision)

840quadra

840quadra

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Original poster
Staff member
Feb 1, 2005
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6,527
Twin Cities Minnesota
Ok, so I am stealing iGary's thread name and did a modification.

Some may know that I had been working on digitizing my Mothers LPs to give to her on an iPod nano for Christmas, to give as present obviously. I was planning on buying the ipod for her today (sitting outside the Apple Store in Southdale mall Minnesota now), but after looking in the window (the store opens in about a half hour) I think I (myself) want to get an ipod video.

The only thing wrong with this scenario is the fact that I have 2 ipods already, including a nano! Would I be a bad person to give my Mom my used nano for Christmas?

It has no scratches on it (has had protective tape front and back since I opened it) and I still have all the packaging and the cute little Nano bag I picked up at the apple store the week after mine shipped. She also hates me spending lots of money on her (too bad), and will freak regardless if it is new or not.

So, am I bad guy to give my Mom my used nano, and buy myself a Video?

:confused:

::EDIT::
You all have less then a half hour to tell me as I will be buying one or the other then getting my butt out of the mall before the rush of Christmas shoppers!
 
If you were just giving her your used one so you could buy a new one, I'd say, yeah, you're a "bad" person. The fact that you're taking her old albums and digitizing them trumps giving her your old one.

Buy the iPod video- it's what Jesus would want. :eek:
 
well the gift is more about the music than the iPod itself, correct?

I don't really see a problem with giving her your nano.

now if the gift was more about the iPod than the music that would be a little different.
 
I dont believe there is anything wrong with giving her a used nano.

I doubt she would be that upset as you are STILL giving her a nano

And she will love the idea most likely of the LP thing.

DO IT. the iPod video IS SWEET!
 
Moms usually don't care about the spending money part. They just want to know that you remembered her. I'd recommend creating a custom playlist for her... Put songs on it that she really likes... Maybe a few that are tear jerkers. She'll eat it up. I guess customize the iPod for her. Buy yourself the video iPod.
 
I think it's sort of bad, especially if she knows that you just got a new Video iPod. It's like "Here, I don't need this anymore. Merry Christmas." But I'm sure she'll still appreciate the music in any case!!

Quick question -- how hard is it to digitize LPs? I'm going to do that as a Christmas present for my teacher from one of her favorite LPs. I have an amplifier, turntable, etc.
 
Dear 840quadra,

I hope you don't mind a slightly used Christmas dinner.

Santa Claus
 

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This is why I never EVER buy my Apple Christmas gifts at the store. I always walk out with a ton of **** for myself. It's like freaking crack. I always order online if I can.
 
Well she doesn't know I have a nano, as I don't live at her house (I am 27), and I don't have it with me when I visit (unless it is in the car or something).

I am more after giving her the songs more then the ipod. My actual first choice for an ipod was to buy a used mini off of ebay to go with the USED ibook that I gave her (and she loves to death).

So it sounds like most people think the gift in itself is good, and the fact that I am giving her the music is the main goal here. Regardless of what I buy her, it will be open anyway, as I plan on loading songs on it from her Albums, plus about 20 songs I am going to buy on ITMS for her ipod. And I also can't forget some pictures I plan on loading as well. :)


Thanks for the replies!

I now know I am a bad person with good intentions! :)

iGary said:
This is why I never EVER buy my Apple Christmas gifts at the store. I always walk out with a ton of **** for myself. It's like freaking crack. I always order online if I can.
Click to expand...

NOTED for 2006! :eek:
 
840quadra said:
Well she doesn't know I have a nano, as I don't live at her house (I am 27), and I don't have it with me when I visit (unless it is in the car or something).

I am more after giving her the songs more then the ipod. My actual first choice for an ipod was to buy a used mini off of ebay to go with the USED ibook that I gave her (and she loves to death).

So it sounds like most people think the gift in itself is good, and the fact that I am giving her the music is the main goal here. Regardless of what I buy her, it will be open anyway, as I plan on loading songs on it from her Albums, plus about 20 songs I am going to buy on ITMS for her ipod. And I also can't forget some pictures I plan on loading as well. :)


Thanks for the replies!

I now know I am a bad person with good intentions! :)



NOTED for 2006! :eek:
Click to expand...

I went into the Clarendon Store in 2003 and walked out with a G4 tower. :rolleyes: Crack, I tell you, crack.
 
You just have to ask yourself. "What would Brian Boitano do"

Seriously tho. I think it is great that you are going through the trouble of digitizing your mom's LP's. That is the real gift. What sound card/software are you using? I have about 150 or so LP's of my own that I wouldn't mind converting to digital.
 
They're open on sundays? I think I might go to Southdale right now to see the new iMacs:cool: .

/Thanks to this thread I want to go to the Apple store.
 
I understand those that think less of me, and I am sorry that this question has dissapointed you all.

I have made my decision, and made some purchases. Lets just say I ended up spending more money then I wanted. Everyone can speculate whatever they want from that ;) .


My Process
So far in this project (still not done)

- Digitized 15 out of 41 albums (she has more but I coudn't take them without her knowing)
- Replaced 2 styluses
- Taken 5 pictures of album covers
- Fell asleep 4 times requiring me to re-digitize 4 sides (not all the same album!)
- And today started loading songs onto her iPod nano Brand new Purchased today, Thanks allot for those that gave me the guilt trip!

bla bla bla..

Actions to get from point A to Point B

-Put record in old pioneer Turntable that has RCA and headphone out. The Headphone out is connected via an adapter to a double ended 3.5mm cable that goes into the line in of my Powermac G5. (all gold plated cables if that matters)

- I am simply recording the songs and tracks in Garageband using the "Voice" Real instrument, and have some filters and specific Audio Units settings enabled to lightly clean up the sound (works quite well actually). You can start the record, and hit "Record" in Garageband and get one solid recorded track, form one side of the album.

- I then import the songs into iTunes as long tracks (one long track per side) and use it to divide the songs out into individual tracks. You do this by going into "Get Info" on a song, and navigating to the "Options" pane. Select the Start time from within the long track, and also the end time, Hit "OK" then right or "Control" click on the song, and convert the selection to AAC (or whatever you have your import settings set for). After this is done, you will have a new track that came from the time span you set in the options. Repeat the process to cut out the other tracks from the big file.

- I then Google image search for the album name, and locate a picture of the album that I had just digitized. If I find it, I download it, and add it to the song so it shows up on album art in iTunes, or the iPod. If the album art isn't on the net, I take a Digital photo of the album cover and import that.

- Enter the song names in by hand for each divided track, along with the album, and artist (I actually do this from the master track I divide from so I don't have to type in the artist and album every time, just the song name.)

- Create a playlist for the album and drag the newly named songs into this playlist

- Import the playlists onto the iPod.

The process takes anywhere between 40 minutes to an hour per album, depending on speed, or other issues (and I am slow too!)

If done correctly with some practice, it is hard to differentiate a imported from an album, from that of a CD when you listen to clarity and loudness. The Album tends to have a more "warm" sound, and occasionally you are reminded that the sound came from an album, when you encounter a scratch every so often.

I am happy with it, and found some really good songs in the process :)

Sorry RIAA and Record companies, this is totally legal, and my mom will not be buying Tape, CD, or MP3 versions of these songs now ;)
 
I see no problem with this, especially since you have been digitizing her LP's. Clean it up and repackage it with the music on it, and create a nice Christmas playlist for her from you. Add a iTunes Gift Card to it and she'll love it. It's not the gift but the thought that counts....and it seems like you've been putting a lot of work/effort into her gift. Maybe for her birthday you can buy her AppleCare so that she has a warranty on that until late 2007.
 
840quadra said:
So, am I bad guy to give my Mom my used nano, and buy myself a Video?
Click to expand...
Meh. My mom gave us a ticket to a dinner theatre 60 miles from where I live, that she had been given and hadn't gotten around to use herself. There was an expiry date on it of a few weeks after she gave it to me. (We don't like dinner theatre)

I say go for it, Moms don't deserve any better. Really.
 
Thank you for the explanation of how to digitalize vinyl albums! I've been thinking about doing that since I've got some albums which are not available in any other format. I saw this "Instant Music" device at the store the other day and was wondering if that would do the trick. Anyone have one of those?

OTB
 
Only when i went to print out your post so that I'd have the directions handy for digitalizing did I see the otherwise nearly invisible part that comes after "onto her iPod nano..."

Kudos to you! Good show! Now no guilt trip and she'll be thrilled. This way, too, you'll be able to keep your old Nano. Did you go ahead and get yourself a video iPod too??

OTB
 
I wouldn't say so. I gave my girlfriend my old 3G 15gb iPod and she went silly crazy.

Its not the actual gift that's important, it's that you thought about what you wanted to get that person. over the past couple of years I've learned that it really is the thought that counts, and hey if you're deliberating on giving your mum you're iPod then that really is something! It would mean so much less, if anything, if you just gave her the iPod without second thought. A combination of both "i dont care about my mum or my iPod". but you do. so that's good. right?

However, to get another iPod straight after... If it were me I'd wait a bit. I dont know why but I just would.
 
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