Imagine being able to carry your entire CD collection in something smaller than a cigarette packet. Imagine being able to select the album and the track you want from an archive of thousands in a mere few seconds. Imagine, if you will, being able to buy this music at a fraction of shop prices or obtain it absolutely free of charge just by having an internet connection and a few spare minutes...
Welcome to the world of MP3 technology. And now, with discount MP3 players being available via the internet you can get all this at a very affordable price!
How Does The MP3 Music Format Work?
Computers have always been able to play music CDs but the files once compied onto your hard drive were rather large and cumbersome. Back in the old days the standard format for music files was .wav or.aiff and each track would take up over 30MB of hard disk space which made storing them for long periods somewhat unviable.
These days, MP3 and the newer WMA files are the norm. These files use a compressed format cutting down the size to around 4MB for a track of typical length which means they can be easily stored, are fast to download from the internet, even for modem users and can be transfered onto external devices with ease. The quality of the track decreases with the amount of compression used but even so, the MP3 or WMA format means an entire album can be stored in roughly the same amount of space a single track would have required a few years ago.
MP3 Players
Storing your entire record collection on one computer is one thing, being able to transfer that collection onto something the size of, or smaller than, a cigarette packet is something else entirely. MP3 players allow you to do just this making your music available to you, anywhere, any place, any time.
MP3 players consist of two main components - a storage/playback device rather like a high-tech walkman and the software/cables to transfer the MP3 files to and from your computer system. The software will allow you to 'rip' music tracks from a CD and convert them to the MP3 or WMA format ready for transfer to your MP3 player and there should also be a jukebox to allow you to format and order your files into a desired order before they are transfered. Many just download MP3s directly from the internet using 'free' filesharing software such as WinMX or one of the legitimate, subscription based sources such as the new Napster.
Please be aware that the non-subscription based filesharng software breaks several laws and in the case of the like of KaZaA and Grokster (to name two big ones) also plants nasty spyware onto your computer so while you may believe you are getting a freebie, you really aren't..
Buying The Right MP3 Player
Your MP3 player works directly in conjunction with your computer system. As such, the biggest consideration before the purchase of any MP3 device is whether it, or its software, will work with your computer system. Some players are not Mac compatible, others require a USB port for data transfer which older systems may not have and many will not support Windows '95, Linux or other more obscure or outdated operating systems. Be sure to read the full specifications before considering making that purchase particularly if you often have difficulty buying compatible hardware or software.
Once you know the player will actually work with your computer the most important feature is the type of memory it uses as this directly correlates to how much music you can store on it. Some players have a fixed amount of memory which may seem huge at first but may become limiting as your MP3 collection grows. Others, use memory cards which can be slotted in and out of your player as you desire. Using these means you ultimately have an unlimited amount of storage available but of course you can not use them all at the same time. Popular types of memory cards are CompactFlash and Smartmedia and whilst this is a great option it should be noted the price of a memory card ranges from £15-£80 depndant upon type and storage capacity so you can easily end up spending much more on these than on the player itself.
For those who do not mind a larger player the CD-R option may be the best choice. These play MP3 files directly off a writable CD and as these can be bought for peanuts will make a much better option for those with large MP3 collections or those who expect theirs to expand rapidly now they have entered the realm of free music downloads! A futher alternative comes with the newest players such as the Apple iPod range with their huge hard disks. These hard disk MP3 players can stores vast amounts of digital music on their disk drives which, although tiny, have close to the capacity of your home computer system!
Where To Buy MP3 Players
MP3 players are increasingly popular and you can pick them up pretty much anywhere that sells electrical goods these days. However, if you want some decent advice and real user reviews then buying online from specialist retailers is the best option.
Advanced MP3 Players - Advanced MP3 Players offers the UK's largest range of MP3 players including brands such as Apple, Aiwa, iRiver, Creative, i-BEAD and MPIO. Free next day delivery. Price beat policy.
USBGIFTS - USBGIFTS is a leading supplier of MP3 and USB Memory sticks. Offers products from China's No 1 USB manufacturer Netac with their revolutionary USB memory disk that offers a light and small, simple and removable solid-state USB data storage solution.
MP3Players.co.uk - mp3players.co.uk offers the latest MP3, MP3 CD and Hard drive based players with free next day UK delivery.
UK MP3 Players - UK MP3 site offering advice on iRiver, MPIO, iAudio, iBead and many other brands. Simple to use site with student discounts, free delivery and low prices. Offers the latest range of MP3 players, MP3 CD players, MP3 Jukebox players and accessories with free next day delivery. Price beat policy.
