MP3 player guide
Posted on December 5, 2006, 9:12 am by cipher27 under Cool GadgetsMP3 stands for Motion Picture Experts Group Audio Layer 3 it is a standard which specifies how music should be encoded into a digital format. MP3 was developed in 1991 and since then has taken the world by storm. MP3 Players are a dime a dozen nowadays, with the success of the iPod the MP3 player enjoys a new found popularity that is growing every day. If you are looking at buying an MP3 player this thanksgiving or Christmas then this is the right guide for you.
MP3 players can be classified as
- CD based players
- Flash based players
- Hard disk/Micro hard drive based players
CD based players
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CD based players are one of the oldest type of music players. CD players use compact discs to store and play back music and are available for a few dollars in most malls. Most Audio CDs and MP3 CDs can be played on these devices and allow one to pause, rewind, forward or skip to a particular track. CD players also allow one to play random tracks and repeat a track. The most important thing to consider when purchasing a CD based MP3 player is that you will get to listen to a maximum of 150 songs when using MP3 format and a maximum of 12-24 songs on an Audio CD, therefore one might need to carry their entire music collection on different CDs. People with a substantial music collection that run into a few Gigabytes are better off investing in hard drive based players. Another issue with the CD based players is the battery, CD based players usually need two AA batteries which will provide about 6-8 hours of play time after which a fresh pair of batteries are needed. |
Panasonic, Sony, Aiwa, Kenwood, Durabrand etc are some of the popular brands of CD Players available.
Flash based players
| Flash players are devices that use solid state memory called flash memory to store songs. Flash players are shock and vibration proof and provide skip free play. Most flash based players have a very tiny foot print and have capacities starting from 32MB to 8GB. Most do not support a screen and are usually powered by AAA or AA batteries.flash based players are the most popular type of MP3 players in the market. Most manufacturers release new flash players with improved performance and features every few months.most cheap flash MP3 players are mass produced in China or Taiwan. These cheap MP3 players do not have good quality components and thus provide low Fidelity playback and are susceptible to failure be sure to skip these and go for the best. Flash based players can be used as removable storage and can be used to hold data like Pictures, documents and even applications instead of songs. Flash based players provide features like voice recording, FM radio and equalizer functions and usually provide an average of 8-10 hours of playtime. |  |
Hard disk based players
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Hard disk based players are usually more expensive then flash based players and are usually larger too.hard disk based players are multi-functional devices that can act as a portable hard disk drive, Jukebox, Personal media players such as video players etc. Hard disk based players may use either a one inch micro-drive or a full sized laptop hard drives. The first generation iPod used laptop drives while the newer Nano players feature the 1 inch micro-drive.Popular hard disk players include the Archos line of players the iPod line of music players.These players have capacities of 8 GB to 80GB.these players have dedicated software that can be used with the player in order to organize the music collection and work in conjunction with online music stores.some of the most popular |
Summary of MP3 Player features
| Type of player |
Capacity |
No of songs |
Playtime |
size |
Interface |
Supported software |
screen size |
Additional features |
| CD Based Player |
650-700MB |
150 songs in MP3 format and 12-24 songs on audio CDs | 6-8Hrs |
big, will not fit in a pocket |
- NA - |
- NA - |
Has a very basic screen showing track number and elapsed time |
Can read Audio CDs,Equalizer and FM radio on select models |
| Flash Based Player |
32MB - 5 GB |
1000 songs |
10-16Hrs |
compact smallest of all MP3 players types |
USB |
- iTunes, Winamp, Creative media suite and other third party software |
Has a monochrome screen that might be about 1 inch in size,higher end players have color screen that might be 2-3 inches in width |
Voice recording, FM radio and 3-5 Equalizer settings shuffle , repeat ,skip and rate songs,subscribe to podcasts etc |
| Hard disk / micro drive player |
5GB - 80GB |
1000-40,000 songs |
10-16Hrs |
Relatively large |
USB |
iTunes, Winamp,Creative media suite and other third party software | Several popular Personal media players have screen sizes of upto 7 inches in width |
Video playback, Voice recording ,FM radio,subscribe to podcasts ,shuffle,skip,repeat tracks etc. |
Things to consider when purchasing an MP3 players
Sound quality : Make sure that the sound quality is good. Look for online reviews on the shopping site if you are buying the device online or get an opinion from some one who already owns one.If you are buying the device in a brick and mortar store ask the store assistant to demo the unit for you. Make sure there is no static when you plug in your headphones or when you move the plug around.Also make sure that the player housing or the cabinet is not flimsy and does not look like it is made out of cheap plastic.
Battery backup : purchase a player that has at least 8-10hrs of play time,look for players that have built in batteries and do not require you to change batteries often.Another concern with batteries is that the batteries should be user replaceable at least you should be able to obtain spare batteries if the ones you own eventually run down.
Buffer memory : make sure you get a player that has a large buffer memory so that it gives you skip free playback.
LCD screen : several players come with a built in LCD screen, The screen should be bright and must be free from distortion, Try and see if the scree is visible in daylight as certain screens fade out in strong sunlight are not visible in certain players.
Buttons and interface : Along with the standard playback buttons Some players provide shuffle/random buttons, some players also come with a remote.Play with the buttons and make sure you get a solid tactile feed back and that they are easy to use.The buttons must be large enough for you to use comfortably and must be spaced apart so as to avoid spurious clicks. if you want to listen to the music with another person or if you want to hook up the player to a boom box then look for ones that have audio out or aux out.
Warranty: While most players available are cheap Chinese models without any kind of warranty whatsoever the ones from the branded players offer a warranty and are much better then the rest.
Size : Consider buying the slim models which are less thinner then traditional CD players and are compact enough to clip on your belt or put in your pocket, or hung around your neck like a pendent.
Bundled software: Some players come with bundled music management software that can help you in transferring the music into the player.
DRM compatibility: Digital rights management prevents pirated music from playing on certain player and requires a certificate to be downloaded onto the player along with the song. DRM also has it's downside where the song that you legally purchased might only play on one device so make sure that you know what kinds of devices you will use and decide if you want DRM based players or not, Most online music stores like iTunes have DRM enabled music.
Happy Holidays and wish you a very Happy new Year!!!
