Quick Guide to Buying an MP3 Player
Learn the Lingo
- MP3 MP3 MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3, the standard for compressed digital music, with near universal support.
- AAC AAC Advanced Audio Coding, Apple's preferred compressed music standard.
- WMA WMA Windows Media Audio, Microsoft's preferred compressed music standard.
- OGG OGG Shorthand for Ogg Vorbis, an open-source compressed music format with limited support.
- PlaysForSure PlaysForSure A Microsoft-backed compatibility certification; all PlaysForSure files should always play on PlaysForSure devices.
- DRM DRM Digital Rights Management, software that prevents copying of downloaded music files.
- Flash player Flash player An MP3 player that uses solid state memory to store music, with no moving parts.
- Hard drive player Hard drive player An MP3 player that uses a small (and potentially fragile) hard drive to store music.
- Skip protection Skip protection A memory buffer that stores a small amount of audio in case the player is jostled, ensuring smooth audio playback.
- FM recorder FM recorder A feature that allows recording of a radio station onto the MP3 player for playback later.
The Basics
There are 2 main types of MP3 players :
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Flash Players
Pros: Very portable and light; less susceptible to damage from drops
Cons: More expensive on a per-gigabyte basis; limited capacity
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Hard Drive Players
Pros: Very large capacity; large screens for video playback
Cons: Internal hard drive makes them fragile
What Matters Most
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- Capacity
- True storage space is about 7 percent less than stated after formatting, and the average 128Kbps MP3 file is about 4MB in size; plan to fit about 225 songs per gigabyte after formatting.
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- Video Features
- For video players, screen size is critical for a quality viewing experience, though you can output video to a larger screen with the right accessories.
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- Formats Supported
- All players support MP3, but fewer play back AAC, OGG, WMA, and other formats. Moreover, many DRM-protected files can only be transferred to certified compatible players.
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- Extra Features
- Many players feature FM radios and voice recorders for taking down quick voice memos, and Most MP3 players can be used as an external hard drive.
