Since I run Linux, I have somewhat special requirements. I didn’t want something that would be bound to iTunes or Windows Media Player. After careful Googling, I got a Sandisk, Sansa View. It holds 8 GB (and there is a 16GB version out as well.) It’s possible to mount the device as a USB drive, and to drag and drop files, so no special software is needed. A nice device, well designed, well built, easy to use.

What I learned. Media players communicate in several ways. There is a protocol or mode called Media Transfer Protocol and another called, I believe, MSC, where the device appears as a drive. Windows Media Player uses MTP to communicate. This allows transfer of playlists and other data besides simple song files. I was interested in standards based stuff, so I wanted to put the device into MSC mode and mount it as a drive.

The undocumented feature on the Sansa View is accessed as follows:

1. Turn on the Sansa View by pressing the slide switch UP.
2. Now put the player in Hold mode by moving slide switch DOWN.
3. When the Lock icon appears, hold the left button (left part of the thunbwheel) down until the padlock blinks off then on again.
4. Now plug in the USB cord to the player.

If you are running Gnome, or KDE, you should automount the player on /media/Sansa Disk. If not, you’ll have to locate it’s /dev/sdX device node and mount it somewhere. Note that this will also work on a Macintosh, since it’s really a Unix box underneath. Shhhh. Don’t tell!

Once I had the player mounted, I just used rsync to syncronize my music directory with the player:
$ rsync -rvp /path/to/music/* /media/Sansa Disk/MUSIC
This assumes that under /path/to/music, you have a directory structure full of MP3s.

When the rsync or other copy is complete, UNMOUNT the player (right click on the player icon, or use the umount command at the command line) Then unplug the player. A window will open on the player that says “Refresh Database.” There may be a long pause where you think that the player is crashed, but stay with it. You’ll be listening to music soon enough.

Remember to unlock the Hold switch, or you won’t be able to do anything with the beast.

Enjoy.

[Update: About three months later, I ditched the Sansa and bought an iPod.]