Types of MP3 Player
MP3 players are hot property, and although the prices of mp3 players
and media players is dropping in some categories, they are still
a moderate investment.
It pays therefore, to understand a little more about the different
types of MP3 players, and to read MP3
Player Buying Guide before making your decision.
We have even put together the Best
MP3 Players in each category to make your decision easier.
Music Format
Whilst MP3 is commonly used to represent all music download formats,
the most common format is .wma.
Categories of MP3 Players
There are four kinds of mp3 players on the market. These are mainly
groups by the technology configuration used to store the digital
sound files in different formats.
- Flash memory mp3 players - Tend to be the
smallest and lightest of all mp3 players. Whilst the storage capacity
of flash memory mp3 players is not generally as great as other
types, they do have the big advantage of not suffering from the
skipping problem inherent in other mp3 player categories. This
is due to the player having no moving parts, making them ideal
for joggers and sporting activities. Memory capacity is from 128MB
on up to 2GB of storage. [256MB holds about 60 songs].
- Micro-Drive mp3 players - These mp3 players
use very small hard drives to store song data, and are generally
larger in storage capacity thatn flash memory mp3 players. Today
micro-drive players are commonly in the 4GB to 6GB storage space.
Because they use a hard drive, these mp3 players can be damaged
if dropped [unlike flash memory players], however they do offer
much more storage capacity than the flash memory models.
- Hard drive mp3 players - have the highest storage
capacity, but this comes at the expense of bulk. Hard drive mp3
players are the largest size of all mp3 players, however their
storage capacity can be up to 80G at present [Oct 2007]. These
mp3 players are serious grunt machines for those dedicated mp3
music downloaders, allowing them to store their entire music collection.
Like micro-drive mp3 players, hard drive mp3 players can also
be easily damaged if handled roughly.
- CD players with mp3 capability - CD players
are not new, however, many of the newer models also now have the
ability to play mp3 files, recorded onto CDs from your home computer.
These players do not have storage capacity of their own. Low cost
mp3 listening if someone is looking for very cheap portable mp3
players.
All the above choices will provide clean, clear, digital sound.
The choice is in how much storage you need, the the environment
and activities you immerse yourself in when using your mp3 player.
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