# IOS OR WINDOWS BASE TABLE?



## GS3 (Feb 19, 2006)

trying to find out if there is any sq difference or advantage by using an ipad? ios based or a tablet running windows 8 based? my impression is that apple's ios may have a slight advantage with it's lossless format. i could be wrong. 

what are your thoughts?


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## sonikaccord (Jun 15, 2008)

OS has little to do with audio quality...well for the most part, there are things that have a more significant impact such as hardware and file format. Use which ever you feel more comfortable with.


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## glack (Aug 2, 2012)

GS3 said:


> trying to find out if there is any sq difference or advantage by using an ipad? ios based or a tablet running windows 8 based? my impression is that apple's ios may have a slight advantage with it's lossless format. i could be wrong.
> 
> what are your thoughts?


what gives you the impression that an apple lossless file will outperform a windows lossless file? no loss is no loss is no loss.
worry about DACs if you're looking to split hairs. i'd suggest windows, as you'll get crap DACs on any standard motherboard output (windows or apple) and driver support for outboard USB DACs will always be better from microsoft. apple is interested in feeding their own hardware accessory cash cow, not fostering sales elsewhere. the microsoft business model is based on software and its compatibility with third party hardware.


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## Hi-FiDelity (Jan 22, 2013)

glack said:


> what gives you the impression that an apple lossless file will outperform a windows lossless file? no loss is no loss is no loss.
> worry about DACs if you're looking to split hairs. i'd suggest windows, as you'll get crap DACs on any standard motherboard output (windows or apple) and driver support for outboard USB DACs will always be better from microsoft. apple is interested in feeding their own hardware accessory cash cow, not fostering sales elsewhere. the microsoft business model is based on software and its compatibility with third party hardware.


This^^^^^

Apple Lossless is just apples "proprietary" (it's open source now) version of FLAC cause god forbid they just use FLAC, and glack is right the DAC is what really matters when you're using a lossless source. 


I also second the windows tablet for basically the same reason that you can use pretty much whatever hardware you want but you can use pretty much what ever software you want for playback as well as pretty much any Codec you want. Also most Windows tables (and some android) come with external USB inputs, micro SD or both so you can hook up and external drive for all you're media. Apple may have "the cloud" but to use it you need a constant wi-fi or data connection and even then media streaming can be worthless.


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## loddie (Jun 23, 2006)

IMHO, of the weaknesses of carputers and tablets in the car has been the lack of great front end software. That is about to change. Watch the keynote speech from Apple of last week at the WWDC at 1:44:41. In the next version of iOS, there will be a car version for hands-free operation via Siri. It's what I have been waiting for a long time to have. Check it out before you decide on a Windows 8 tablet.


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## Hi-FiDelity (Jan 22, 2013)

While navigating through Siri may simplify some things (it's just a voice search/recognition) you're still limited in what software you can use/codecs/external storage. If you really want to have full fledged car computer while using a tablet you need to get a Windows 8 Surface (a Pro not the RT). The 64GB PRO is more expensive than an iPad or even a top Spec Android tablet but it is also significantly more powerful and flexible than both of them can even dream of being at the moment.


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